The prophet has had enough arguments with his idolatrous Jews, who sought salvation through their actions and despised the promises. Now he turns to the Babylonians and threatens them with destruction. But everything is aimed at comforting the captive people, whom he tries to lead back to God, who had made the promises. As if he wanted to say: You do not believe my promises because the power of the Babylonians seems to be insurmountable to you. Well, however insurmountable they may be, I will overthrow and destroy them.
Cap. 46, 12. Listen to me, you of proud heart.
Here we begin the 47th chapter. [Instead of: Audite me, duri corde] one can translate more appropriately so: "Listen to me, you of proud heart", you who are proud against me, and consider me a weak God, because I suffered it that my people was taken captive by you. For he speaks mainly of presumption on religion, and on idols. Therefore he adds, "Ye that are far from righteousness." For Daniel also ascribes a golden head to this monarchy, and Abraham had lived in this very religion of the Chaldeans. Therefore the Chaldeans boasted particularly of the religion.
Cap. 46, 13. I have brought my justice near.
In a little while Cyrus will be here; through him I will give salvation to the people and restore righteousness; 1) I will restore the priesthood, the kingdom, and all worship. Others prefer to understand this passage of Christ as passing from the fleshly kingdom to the spiritual kingdom, and to understand by righteousness that which we obtain through Christ.
1) Wittenberger: röstitutarn instead of: röstituam.
Cap. 47, 1. Down, virgin, daughter of Babylon, sit down in the dust.
4. this is a poetic image through which he indicates the desolation of the Babylonian monarchy. You are on top of the world, descend, you will be brought into captivity 2c.
V. 2. Take the mill and grind flour.
By this picture the extreme servitude is indicated. But this whole passage threatens the Babylonians the complete irretrievable ruin. Instead of: Denuda turpitudinem etc. translate: "Unbraid your braids, uncover your foot, uncover your thigh", that is, you will lose the worldly regiment, and all your glory. This is also the meaning of the following words [vv. 3-5].
(6) For the prophet has comforted his own with clear and many words, that all power, happiness and dominion should be snatched from the Babylonians who held them captive.
V. 6 For I was angry with my people.
7. instead of: Iratus sum must be read in the past tense: "I have been angry", or "since I was angry" 2c. For the prophet here indicates the sin of the Babylonians by which they deserved such great punishments. My will was, saith he, that ye should be a chastening of my people, but not that ye should utterly destroy the same which ye have in mind.
V. 7. nor thought of how it would be with them hereafter.
8 Instead of novissimi tui translate: Novissima ejus, "as it should become with them", namely with my people, "afterwards"; that is, you did not think that they should be redeemed, as I promised. But this example should remind you that you did not go along so surely. For since I have not spared my people in their transgression, how will it be with you? But thou art sure, and takest not this to heart.
V. 8. I will not become a widow.
These are figurative words. That is, I will always have princes, always have peoples who are subservient to me.
V. 9. For the sake of the multitude of your magicians.
10 Thus he calls the teachers, who had the supervision of religion and worship, likewise, the heads of the commonwealth, that is, the most holy and most wise in this kingdom.
V. 10. For you have relied on your wickedness.
11. you are sure you think your sin is not sin.
Your wisdom and art have overthrown you.
(12) This is an excellent passage, that the commonwealths are destroyed only by the wisest, who believe that they give the best advice. We have many examples of this everywhere in the histories. Demosthenes, Cicero, Caesar, Pompey are well known. Thus religion is destroyed by the holiest, as the examples of the monks and the whole papacy teach us. The cause of this is that both those who are famous for their wisdom and those who are famous for their holiness before men live without fear of God and fall into presumption. When this happens, it is lost.
13. but this is what the prophets remind us, not that we should despise the laws and good customs in which human wisdom and righteousness stand, but that we should be humbled and not be puffed up over the gifts of God. For God can suffer nothing less than presumption.
heit. That is why he destroyed the synagogue, his people, the holy city Jerusalem, and the temple with all its services, which he himself had established.
V. 11. For a sudden tumult will come upon you.
(14) This is the end of all the wicked, that they perish suddenly, that is, when they do nothing less. For they go along securely in their schemes, promising themselves all good things, until in the midst of their schemes they are oppressed and perish.
V. 12. f. So now stand up with your summoners.
15 He mocks the Babylonians, who were presumptuous of their wisdom. See what you can do, try your strength, whether you can drive back the evil hovering over you. This passage must be remembered against the astrologers.
V.14. For there will not be one ember to warm oneself.
16. Hereby he indicates a sudden devastation. The fire will not last long, but in a moment your kingdom will be turned back by me, the foolish God.
V. 15. So they are among whom you have labored.
Neither your wise men, nor your godly men (religiosi), who by their wisdom and religion work on you, will be able to help you, but will themselves perish. But all this is written for the comfort of the Jews, that they may the more easily believe the glorious promises of the future redemption through Cyrus, which seemed impossible in view of the great power of the Babylonians.