Isaiah 47:6 kjv
I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
Isaiah 47:6 nkjv
I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, And given them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily.
Isaiah 47:6 niv
I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.
Isaiah 47:6 esv
I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.
Isaiah 47:6 nlt
For I was angry with my chosen people
and punished them by letting them fall into your hands.
But you, Babylon, showed them no mercy.
You oppressed even the elderly.
Isaiah 47 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 14:22 | I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant... | Prophecy against Babylon’s destruction |
| Jeremiah 50:17 | Israel is a scattered sheep... Asshur has devoured him... | Babylon as oppressor of Israel |
| Jeremiah 51:34 | Nebuchadnezzar... has devoured and crushed me... | Babylon’s cruelty towards Judah |
| Jeremiah 51:49 | Babylon shall fall for slaughter of Israel... | Babylon’s responsibility for Israel’s fall |
| Daniel 4:37 | Those who walk in pride He is able to humble. | God’s power over proud nations |
| Daniel 5:27 | You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. | Divine judgment on Belshazzar |
| Revelation 17:5 | Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. | Symbolism of Babylon’s sinfulness |
| Revelation 18:6 | Render to her as she also has rendered to you... | Retribution for Babylon’s sins |
| Revelation 18:7 | To the same measure as she glorified herself... to the same measure give her torment and sorrow. | God’s judgment as measure for measure |
| Luke 6:38 | Give, and it will be given to you... | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| Romans 2:5 | In accordance with your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath. | Storing up wrath by unrepentance |
| 2 Thessalonians 1:6 | God is just to repay with tribulation those who trouble you | God’s justice in repaying affliction |
| Amos 3:2 | You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. | God’s selective judgment on His people |
| Obadiah 1:15 | The day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you... | Judgment based on actions against Israel |
| Nahum 3:5 | Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts... | God’s direct opposition to Nineveh |
| Ezekiel 35:5 | Because you cherished perpetual enmity, and lunged at the people of Israel... | Perpetual enmity as basis for judgment |
| Psalm 137:8 | O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one! happy shall he be who repays you your dealings as you have dealt with us! | David's lament and prayer for retribution |
| Matthew 7:2 | For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured. | Reciprocal nature of judgment |
| 2 Peter 2:3 | And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from of old is not idle, nor is their destruction asleep. | Exploitation and condemnation |
| Isaiah 47:1-3 | Descend and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon... | Babylon's fall proclaimed |
| Isaiah 47:4 | Our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name... | God's redemptive power and authority |
| Isaiah 47:10 | you trusted in your wickedness and said, 'No one sees me.' | Pride and self-reliance in wickedness |
Isaiah 47 verses
Isaiah 47 6 Meaning
This verse declares that God’s anger and judgment were justly poured out upon Babylon. God had delivered Babylon into the hands of His servants, but they had shown no mercy. The righteous retribution was to be a perpetual consequence for their cruelty.
Isaiah 47 6 Context
This chapter depicts the fall and humiliation of Babylon, presented as a proud, unrepentant, and cruel sovereign power. Isaiah prophesies against Babylon, specifically portraying its "virgin daughter" (a poetic representation of the city or its people) being brought down from her former glory. This judgment is a direct consequence of her actions, particularly her cruelty towards God’s people, Israel. The chapter serves as a strong polemic against the idolatrous and oppressive empires of that era, assuring Israel that their oppressor will ultimately face divine justice. The prophecy highlights God’s ultimate sovereignty and His commitment to judge those who harm His chosen nation.
Isaiah 47 6 Word Analysis
- thee: Refers to Babylon.
- did: Indicates past action; in this context, referring to the sin or wrongdoing of Babylon.
- against: Signifies opposition and harm.
- people: Specifically refers to the people of Israel.
- they: Refers to the servants or instruments used by God for judgment.
- hath shewed: A past perfect tense, implying an action completed before another past action; their cruelty was established.
- mercy: Compassion, pity, or kindness, which Babylon withheld.
- on: Indicating the recipient of the action.
- thine: Possessive pronoun referring to Babylon.
- aged: Implies elders or a community that should have been treated with respect, highlighting Babylon's lack of restraint.
- heavy: A burden, suggesting that the yoke or oppression imposed was severe and relentless.
- hand: A common idiom for power or control.
- hast: Second person singular present tense of 'to have,' referring to Babylon's past actions.
- laid: Placed or imposed.
- and: Connects two clauses or phrases.
- ye: Refers to the people of Israel, the recipients of God’s delivered judgment, and importantly, who did not show mercy back to Babylon as oppressors.
- grieved: Afflicted or troubled.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "thou hast not shewed mercy upon thine aged": This phrase emphasizes Babylon's brutal treatment of even the elderly among the Israelites. It underscores a complete lack of compassion, going against fundamental human decency and societal respect for elders.
- "hast laid thy yoke very heavy": This describes the oppressive and burdensome nature of Babylon’s dominion over Israel. The 'yoke' is a metaphor for subjugation, a weight that crippled and exhausted them.
Isaiah 47 6 Bonus Section
The concept of "showing mercy" and its absence is a recurring theme in Scripture. God’s character is profoundly merciful (Exodus 34:6-7), and He commands His people to be merciful (Micah 6:8). Babylon's failure to extend mercy, especially when empowered by God to act as an instrument of His discipline, reveals its inherent sinfulness and defiance. The prophecy here also implicitly criticizes Israel's enemies and those who reveled in their suffering. The historical context of Nebuchadnezzar's conquest and the Babylonian exile underscores the physical and spiritual hardship endured by the Jewish people, making God's promise of just retribution deeply comforting to the original audience. The concept of a "heavy yoke" is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus offers His yoke, which is "easy," and His burden, which is "light" (Matthew 11:30).
Isaiah 47 6 Commentary
God declares that Babylon's cruelty toward His people Israel, even towards their aged, was unjustified and unmitigated. He states that because they showed no mercy when God handed Israel over to them, His righteous judgment would be enacted upon Babylon. The phrase "hast laid thy yoke very heavy" speaks to the intense suffering and burden that Babylon imposed. This verse highlights the principle of retribution: lack of mercy receives a lack of mercy. God's justice ensures that those who inflict severe oppression without compassion will ultimately face a severe consequence measured by their own actions.