God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 47:1
1Go, sit in the dirt, virgin princess of Babylon! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, princess of the Babylonians! You will no longer be called soft and delicate.
Isaiah 47:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
- New International Version (NIV)“Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, queen city of the Babylonians. No more will you be called tender or delicate.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate.
Context of Isaiah 47:1
Go, sit in the dirt, virgin princess of Babylon! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, princess of the Babylonians! You will no longer be called soft and delicate. 2Take millstones and grind flour. Remove your veil. Take off your skirt. Uncover your legs, and cross the river. 3People will see you naked. People will see your shame. I will take revenge. I won’t spare anyone.
Read all of Isaiah 47Isaiah 47:1 word by word
רְדִ֣י׀ וּשְׁבִ֣י עַל־עָפָ֗ר בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־בָּבֶ֔ל שְׁבִי־לָאָ֥רֶץ אֵין־כִּסֵּ֖א בַּת־כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י לֹ֤א תוֹסִ֙יפִי֙ יִקְרְאוּ־לָ֔ךְ רַכָּ֖ה וַעֲנֻגָּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- and sitיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- O virginבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
- daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- on the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- no throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
- of the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
- for thou shalt no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
- be calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- tenderרַךְrak · tenderH7390
- and delicateעָנֹג‛ânôg · daintyH6028
Cross-references for Isaiah 47:1
- Isaiah 3:26The gates of Zion will cry and grieve, and Zion will sit on the ground, exhausted.
- Isaiah 26:5He has brought down those who live high in the towering city. He levels it. He levels it to the ground and throws it into the dust.
- Isaiah 52:2Shake the dust from yourselves. Get up, captive Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains around your neck, captive people of Zion.
- Job 2:8Job took a piece of broken pottery to scratch himself as he sat in the ashes.
- Psalms 18:27You save humble people, but you bring down a conceited look.
- Jeremiah 13:18Say to the king and his mother, “Come down from your thrones, because your crowns have fallen off your heads.”
- Jeremiah 48:18“People of Dibon, come down from your place of honor and sit on the dry ground. The destroyers of Moab will attack you. They will destroy your fortresses.
- Lamentations 2:10The respected leaders of Zion’s people sit silently on the ground. They throw dirt on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem bow their heads to the ground.
- Ezekiel 26:16Then the princes from the coast will come down from their thrones. They will remove their robes and take off their embroidered clothes. Dressed in terror, they will sit on the ground. They will tremble constantly and be shocked at you.
- Ezekiel 28:17You became too proud because of your beauty. You wasted your wisdom because of your greatness. So I threw you to the ground and left you in front of the kings so that they could see you.
- Jonah 3:6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
- Isaiah 37:22This is the message that the Lord speaks to him, ‘My dear people in Zion despise you and laugh at you. My people in Jerusalem shake their heads behind your back.
- Jeremiah 46:11Go to Gilead, and get medicine, dear people of Egypt. You have used many medicines without results; you can’t be cured.
- Psalms 137:8You destructive people of Babylon, blessed is the one who pays you back with the same treatment you gave us.
- Jeremiah 50:42They will take hold of bows and spears. They will be cruel and have no compassion. They will sound like the sea when it roars. They will ride horses. They are ready for war, ready to attack you, people of Babylon.
- Jeremiah 51:33This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: The people of Babylon are like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. Their harvest time will come soon.
Commentaries on Isaiah 47:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Come down, and set in the dust "Descend, and sit on the dust" - See note on Isaiah 3:26, and on Isaiah 52:2; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Come down - Descend from the throne; or from the seat of magnificence and power. The design of this verse has already been stated in the analysis. It is to foretell that Babylon would be humbled, and that she would be reduced from her magnificence and pride to a condition of abject wretchedness. She is therefore represented as a proud female accustomed to luxury and ease, suddenly brought to the lowest condition, and compelled to perform the most menial…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God's judgments on Babylon. (Is. 47:1-6) Carelessness and confidence shall not prevent the evil. (Is. 47:7-15) Verses 1-6 Babylon is represented under the emblem of a female in deep distress. She was to be degraded and endure sufferings; and is represented sitting on the ground, grinding at the handmill, the lowest and most laborious service. God was righteous in his vengeance, and none should interpose. The prophet exults in the Lord of hosts, as the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1To sit in the dust was a way of expressing humiliation.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-151. in the dust--(See on Is 3:26; Job 2:13; La 2:10). virgin--that is, heretofore uncaptured [Herodotus, 1.191]. daughter of Babylon--Babylon and its inhabitants (see on Is 1:8; Is 37:22). no throne--The seat of empire was transferred to Shushan. Alexander intended to have made Babylon his seat of empire, but Providence defeated his design. He soon died; and Seleucia, being built near, robbed it of its inhabitants, and even of its name, which was applied…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 47
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries