John Gill Commentary Isaiah 13:20

"It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there." — Isaiah 13:20 (ASV)

It shall never be inhabited
As it has not been since its utter destruction.

Pausanias ^F16 , who lived in the times of Adrian, says, Babylon, the greatest city that ever the sun saw, that then there was nothing left of it but a wall: what is now called Babylon is a new city, and built in another place:

neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation ;
which is the same thing repeated in other and stronger terms, for the confirmation of it:

neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there ;
that sort of the Arabians called Scenitae, because they dwelt in tents, and moved from place to place with their flocks, for the sake of pasture; but here there should be none for them, and therefore would not pitch their tents at it:

neither shall the shepherds make their folds there ;
as they had used to do in the pastures adjoining to it, which were formerly exceeding good, but now would be barren and unfruitful; and as there would be no shepherds in the city, so neither would any neighbouring ones come hither, or any from distant parts; partly because of the unfruitfulness of the place, and partly through fear of wild beasts, which had their habitation there, as follows.

Pliny ^F17 says it was reduced to a mere desert.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F16: Arcadica sive, l. 8. p. 509.
• F17: Ut supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 26.)