Isaiah 13:11

“And I will punish the world for [their] evil, &c.] Not the whole world, but the kingdom of Babylon, so called because of its large extent, and the number of its inhabitants, just as the Roman empire is called the whole world, (<420201>Luke 2:1) “evil” may be meant, either of the evil of sin, which was the cause of punishment, or else of the evil of punishment itself; and the sense be this, I will visit, or, in a way of visitation, I will bring evil, or evils, upon the world; so the Targum, and the wicked for their iniquity, or “on the wicked their iniquity”; that is, I will visit on them, or inflict upon them, the punishment of their iniquity; meaning the notorious and abandoned sinners…”

“world--the impious of the world (compare Isa 11:4). arrogancy--Babylon's besetting sin (Dan 4:22, Dan 4:30). the terrible--rather, tyrants [HORSLEY].”

“And I will punish the world - By the ‘world’ here is evidently meant the Babylonian empire, in the same way as ‘all the world’ in Luke 2:1, means Judea; and in Acts 11:28, means the Roman empire. Babylonia, or Chaldea, was the most mighty empire then on earth, and might be said to comprehend the whole world. And I will cause the arrogancy - This was the prevailing sin of Babylon, and it was on account of this pride mainly that it was overthrown (see the notes at Isaiah 14:0; notes at Isaiah 47:1-7; compare Daniel 4:22, Daniel 4:30). return to 'Top of Page'”

“The world - The Babylonish empire, which is called the world, as the Roman empire afterwards was, because it was extended to a great part of the world. Isaiah 13:12”

“13:11 punish the world: See Rev 20:11.”

“I will punish: Isa 14:21, Isa 24:4-6; Jer 51:34-38; Rev 12:9, Rev 12:10, Rev 18:2, Rev 18:3 and I will cause: Isa 2:17, Isa 5:15, Isa 14:12-16; Jer 50:29-32; Dan 5:22, Dan 5:23 Isaiah 13:12”

“The prophet now hears again the voice of Jehovah revealing to him what His purpose is - namely, a visitation punishing the wicked, humbling the proud, and depopulating the countries. "And I visit the evil upon the world, and upon sinners their guilt, and sink into silence the pomp of the proud; and the boasting of tyrants I throw to the ground. I make men more precious than fine gold, and people than a jewel of Ophir." The verb pâkad is construed, as in Jer 23:2, with the accusative of the thing punished, and with על of the person punished. Instead of 'eretz we have here tēbel, which is always used like a proper name (never with the article), to denote the earth in its entire…”