Isaiah 48:20

“Go ye forth of Babylon, &c.] Which the Jews had leave to do by the proclamation of Cyrus; and so the people of God will be called to come forth out of mystical Babylon before its destruction, to which these words are applied, (<661804>Revelation 18:4) perhaps this, in the figurative sense, may be a call to the Christians in Jerusalem, now become another Babylon for wickedness, to come out of it a little before its ruin; and may be applied to the call of persons, by the Gospel, from a state of confusion, sin, and darkness, in which they are: flee ye from the Chaldeans with the voice of singing; not by stealth, or through fear, but openly and publicly, and with all the tokens and…”

“Go . . . forth . . . end of the earth--Primarily, a prophecy of their joyful deliverance from Babylon, and a direction that they should leave it when God opened the way. But the publication of it "to the ends of the earth" shows it has a more world-wide scope antitypically; Rev 18:4 shows that the mystical Babylon is ultimately meant. redeemed . . . Jacob-- (Isa 43:1; Isa 44:22-23).”

“Go ye forth of Babylon - The prophet now directly addresses those who were in exile in Babylon, and commands them to depart from it. The design of this is, to furnish the assurance that they should be delivered, and to show them the duty of leaving the place of their long captivity when the opportunity of doing it should occur. It is also designed to show that when it should occur, it would be attended with great joy and rejoicing. Flee ye from the Chaldeans with a voice of singing - With the utmost exultation and joy. They should rejoice that their captivity was ended; they should exult at the prospect of being restored again to their own land. Utter it even to the end of the earth - It is…”

“Singing - With joy and songs of praise. Declare - Publish God's wonderful works. Isaiah 48:21”

“48:20 Leave Babylon: See also 52:11-12; 55:12.”

“ye forth: Isa 52:11; Jer 50:8, Jer 51:6, Jer 51:45; Zac 2:6, Zac 2:7; Rev 18:4 with a voice: Isa 12:1, Isa 26:1, Isa 45:22, Isa 45:23, Isa 49:13, Isa 52:9; Exod. 15:1-21, Exo 19:4-6; Psa 126:1; Jer 31:12, Jer 31:13, Jer 51:48; Rev 18:20, Rev 19:1-6 utter it even: Isa 48:6; Sa2 7:23; Jer 31:10, Jer 50:2 Isaiah 48:21”

“So far the address is hortatory. In the face of the approaching redemption, it demands fidelity and faith. But in the certainty that such a faithful and believing people will not be wanting within the outer Israel, the prophecy of redemption clothes itself in the form of a summons. "Go out of Babel, flee from Chaldaea with voice of shouting: declare ye, preach ye this, carry it out to the end of the earth! Say ye, Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob His servant. And they thirsted not: He led them through dry places; He caused water to trickle out of rocks for them; He split rocks, and waters gushed out. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, for the wicked." They are to go out of Babylon, and with speed…”