Isaiah 13:19
WEB
Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be like when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
BSB
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
KJV
¶ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H1961
v — exist, be, become, come to pass
Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1933);
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
KJV: beacon, × altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, follow, happen, × have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, × use.
vb — fall out
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
I.
1.
a. Fall out, happen
b. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
2. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
a.
(1). וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
(2). rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
b. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
II. Come into being, become
1.
a. abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
b. sq. prep.
2. become
a. sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
b. sq. pred. adj.
c. become like
d. sq. pred. לְ pers.
e. sq. לְ pred.
f. oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
g. with עַל and לְ
h. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
III. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
1. exist, be in existence
2. abide, remain, continue
3. with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
4. as copula, joining subj. & pred.
5. periphrastic conjug.
Niph.
1. either be done, be brought about, or occur, come to pass
2. be done, finished, gone
H894
n-pr-loc — Babel, Babylonia, Babylonian empire
Derivation: from 1101; confusion;
Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire
KJV: Babel, Babylon.
n.pr.loc — Babel
בָּבֶ֫ל 262 n.pr.loc. Babel, Babylon
H6643
n-m — splendor, conspicuous
Derivation: from 6638 in the sense of prominence;
splendor (as conspicuous)
KJV: beautiful(-ty), glorious (-ry), goodly, pleasant, roe(-buck).
n.m — beauty
צְבִי n.m. beauty, honour
n.m — gazelle
צְבִי n.m. gazelle
H4467
n-f — dominion, rule, realm
Derivation: from 4427;
dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm)
KJV: kingdom, king's, reign, royal.
n.f — kingdom
מַמְלָכָה n.f. kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign
1. kingdom, realm, chiefly non-Isr.
2. sovereignty, dominion
3. reign
H8597
n-f — ornament
Derivation: or תִּפְאֶרֶת; from 6286;
ornament (abstractly or concretely, literally or figuratively)
KJV: beauty(-iful), bravery, comely, fair, glory(-ious), honour, majesty.
n.f — beauty
תִּפְאָרָה n.f. beauty, glory
H1347
n-m — arrogancy
Derivation: from 1342;
the same as 1346
KJV: arrogancy, excellency(-lent), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling.
n.m — exaltation
גָּאוֹן n.m. exaltation
1. exaltation, majesty, excellence
2. pride (bad sense)
H3778
n-pr-loc n-pr-m — Kasdite
Derivation: (occasionally with enclitic) כַּשְׂדִּימָה; towards the Kasdites into Chaldea), patronymically from 3777 (only in the plural);
a Kasdite, or descendant of Kesed; by implication, a Chaldaean (as if so descended); also an astrologer (as if proverbial of that people
KJV: Chaldeans, Chaldees, inhabitants of Chaldea.
n.pr.gent — Chaldeans
כַּשְׂדִּים n.pr.gent. et terr. Kasdim = Chaldeans, Chaldea
H4114
n-f — destruction
Derivation: from 2015;
a destruction
KJV: when...overthrew, overthrow(-n).
n.f — overthrow
[מַהְפֵּכָה] n.f. overthrow
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H5467
n-pr-loc — Sedom
Derivation: from an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district;
Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea
KJV: Sodom.
n.pr.loc — Sodom
סְדֹם 39 n.pr.loc. Sodom, important Canaanitish name (usu.) with Gomorrah
H6017
n-pr-loc — Amorah
Derivation: from 6014; a (ruined) heap;
Amorah, a place in Palestine
KJV: Gomorrah.
n.pr.loc — Gomorrah
עֲמֹרָה 19 n.pr.loc. Gomorrah
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Verses 19–22
Isaiah 13:19–22
The great havoc and destruction which it was foretold should be made by the Medes and Persians in Babylon here end in the final destruction of it. 1. It is allowed that Babylon was a noble city. It was the glory of kingdoms and the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency; it was that head of gold (Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38); it was called the lady of kingdoms (Isa 47:5), the praise of the whole earth (Jer 51:41), like a pleasant roe (so the word signifies); but it shall be as a chased roe, Isa 13:14. The Chaldeans gloried in the beauty and wealth of this their metropolis. 2. It is foretold that it should be wholly destroyed, like Sodom and Gomorrah; not so miraculously, nor so suddenly, but as effectually, though gradually; and the destruction should come upon them as that upon Sodom, when they were secure, eating and drinking, Luk 17:28, Luk 17:29. Babylon was taken when Belshazzar was in his revels; and, though Cyrus and Darius did not demolish it, yet by degrees it wasted away and in process of time it went all to ruin. It is foretold here (Isa 13:20) that it shall never be inhabited; in Adrian's time nothing remained but the wall. And whereas it is prophesied concerning Nineveh, that great city, that when it should be deserted and left desolate yet flocks should lie down in the midst of it, it is here said concerning Babylon that the Arabians, who were shepherds, should not make their folds there; the country about should be so barren that there would be no grazing there; no, not for sheep. Nay, it shall be the receptacle of wild beasts, that affect solitude; the houses of Babylon, where the sons and daughters of pleasure used to rendezvous, shall be full of doleful creatures, owls and satyrs, that are themselves frightened thither, as to a place proper for them, and by whom all others are frightened thence. Historians say that this was fulfilled in the letter. Benjamin Bar-Jona, in his Itinerary, speaking of Babel, has these words: "This is that Babel which was of old thirty miles in breadth; it is now laid waste. There are yet to be seen the ruins of a palace of Nebuchadnezzar, but the sons of men dare not enter in, for fear of serpents and scorpions, which possess the place." Let none be proud of their pompous palaces, for they know not but they may become worse than cottages; nor let any think that their houses shall endure for ever (Psa 49:11), when perhaps nothing may remain but the ruins and reproaches of them. 3. It is intimated that this destruction should come shortly (Isa 13:22): Her time is near to come. This prophecy of the destruction of Babylon was intended for the support and comfort of the people of God when they were captives there and grievously oppressed; and the accomplishment of the prophecy was nearly 200 years after the time when it was delivered; yet it followed soon after the time for which it was calculated. When the people of Israel were groaning under the heavy yoke of Babylonish tyranny, sitting down in tears by the rivers of Babylon and upbraided with the songs of Zion, when their insolent oppressors were most haughty and arrogant (Isa 13:11), then let them know, for their comfort, that Babylon's time, her day to fall, is near to come, and the days of her prosperity shall not be prolonged, as they have been. When God begins with her he will make an end. Thus it is said of the destruction of the New Testament Babylon, whereof the former was a type, In one hour has her judgment come.
Cross-references: Dan 2:37 · Dan 2:38 · Isa 47:5 · Jer 51:41 · Isa 13:14 · Luke 17:28 · Luke 17:29 · Isa 13:20 · Ps 49:11 · Isa 13:22 · Isa 13:11