Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 13:17
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, &c.] The Babylonians; this explains who are meant by the sanctified and mighty ones, (<231303>Isaiah 13:3) the Medes were a people that descended from Medai, one of the sons of Japheth, (<011002>Genesis 10:2) as Josephus observesf252; under these the Persians are included, though they are only mentioned, because Cyrus was sent by Cyaxares king of Media on this expedition against Babylon, and was made by him general of the Medes, and acted as such under him; and when Babylon was taken, and Belshazzar slain, Darius the Median took the kingdom, (<270531>Daniel 5:31) now these are mentioned by name some hundreds of years before the thing came to pass, as Cyrus their general in (<234501>Isaiah 45:1) which is a strong proof of the truth of prophecy, and of divine revelation; and, whatever might be the moving causes of this expedition, the affair was of God; it was he that put it into the hearts of the Medes, and stirred up their spirits to make war against Babylon; and though God is not the author of sin, yet he not only suffered the things to be done before and after mentioned, but in his providence ordered them as just punishments on a sinful people: which shall not regard silver; and [as for] gold, they shall not delight in it; not but that they had a regard for, gold and silver, as appears by their spoiling of the houses of the Babylonians, (<231316>Isaiah 13:16) but that they had not so great a regard for these things as to spare the lives of any for the sake of them; they were so intent upon taking away their lives, that they disregarded their substance; their first work was to slay, and then to spoil; they first destroyed, and then plundered; no man with his gold and silver could obtain a ransom of his life from them. Cyrusf253 in his speech to his army said, “O ye Medes, and all present, I truly know that not for want of money are ye come out with me,” &c.
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