“The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.”
The desert of the sea. So Babylon is here called, because from a city as full of people as the sea is with water, it was become a desert. (Challoner) — After its fall, it was mostly inundated, chap. xiii. 20. — Land. Media and Persia, which lay to the south, and were not so beautiful as the environs of Babylon.
“A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. grievous: Heb. hard”
Spoileth. Baltassar is incorrigible, or his opponents must proceed. (Calmet) — Elam; that is, O Persia: (Challoner) Cyrus, and Darius, the Mede. (Calmet) — The former nation was weak, and the latter strong. (Worthington) — Cease. The enemy will shew no pity; nor shall I; as Babylon did not heretofore. (Haydock)
“Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.”
Pain. He bewails the crimes and the fall of Babylon, which at this time was in amity with Ezechias, ver. 10. (Calmet)
“My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. heart: or, mind wandered turned: Heb. put”
Babylon. Protestants, “the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.” Septuagint, “My soul is turned into fear.” (Haydock)
“Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.”
Drink. Persians refresh yourselves. — Take up. Hebrew, “anoint.” He may also allude to the Babylonians, who were feasting.
“And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:”
Camel. These two riders are the kings of the Persians and Medes. (Challoner) — The sentinel, placed by Isaias, in spirit, or rather by the king of Babylon, brings these tidings. (Calmet)
“And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: he: or, cried as a lion whole: or, every night”
Out. Literally, “He cried, a lion.” (Haydock) — Cyrus appears like one. Septuagint, “And call Urias to the watch-tower,” &c., chap. viii. 2.
“And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.”
Horsemen, drawn by the ass and camel, ver. 7. This was verified long after.
“O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. corn: Heb. son”
Floor: you who must shortly be reduced to the utmost distress. Baladan was friendly to Ezechias. But Assaradon having seized Babylon, took Manasses prisoner; and the city thenceforward continued to fill up the measure of its sins. (Calmet)
“The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
Duma. That is, Idumea, or Edom. (Challoner) — It was a city of that country, twenty miles from Eleutheropolis. (St. Jerome) — Assaradon desolated Idumea the year following, ver. 16. The Jews absurdly apply to Rome what is said of Edom. (St. Jerome) (Calmet)
“The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.”
Night. Instead of joy, I must announce dreadful things. (Haydock)
“The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.”
Arabia. This sentence is not in the Roman (Calmet) or Alexandrian Septuagint, (Haydock) and Dedan is a city of Idumea. (Calmet) — The Ismaelites are threatened. (Worthington)
“The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. brought: or, bring ye”
Water. To neglect this was to be accessary to another’s death, in those dreary regions, chap. xvi. 3., and Deuteronomy xxiii. 2.
“For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:”
Hireling; counting precisely, chap. xvi. 14. (Calmet) — Cedar: Arabia, (Challoner) near to Edom. (Calmet)