Isaiah – Chapter 47

Old Testament15 Verses

1Come down, sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, for thou shalt no more be called delicate and tender.

2Take a millstone and grind meal: uncover thy shame, strip thy shoulder, make bare thy legs, pass over the rivers.

3Thy nakedness shall be discovered, and thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and no man shall resist me.

4Our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

5Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms.

6I was angry with my people, I have polluted my inheritance, and have given them into thy hand: thou hast shewn no mercy to them: upon the ancient thou hast laid thy yoke exceeding heavy.

7And thou hast said: I shall be a lady for ever: thou hast not laid these things to thy heart, neither hast thou remembered thy latter end.

8And now hear these things, thou that art delicate, and dwellest confidently, that sayest in thy heart: I am, and there is none else besides me: I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know barrenness.

9These two things shall come upon thee suddenly in one day, barrenness and widowhood. All things are come upon thee, because of the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great hardness of thy enchanters.

10And thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, and hast said: There is none that seeth me. Thy wisdom, and, thy knowledge, this hath deceived thee. And thou hast said in thy heart: I am, and besides me there is no other.

11Evil shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not know the rising thereof: and calamity shall fall violently upon thee, which thou canst not keep off: misery shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.

12Stand now with thy enchanters, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast laboured from thy youth, if so be it may profit thee any thing, or if thou mayst become stronger.

13Thou hast failed in the multitude of thy counsels: let now the astrologers stand and save thee, they that gazed at the stars, and counted the months, that from them they might tell the things that shall come to thee.

14Behold they are as stubble, fire hath burnt them, they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flames: there are no coals wherewith they may be warmed, nor fire, that they may sit thereat.

15Such are all the things become to thee, in which thou hast laboured: thy merchants from thy youth, every one hath erred in his own way, there is none that can save thee.

Reflection for Today

Isaiah Chapter 47 presents themes of judgment, comfort, and messianic hope that Catholic tradition has long cherished. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). The teaching that God's salvation reaches to the ends of the earth remains as relevant today as when first written.

The Church reads Scripture within the context of the liturgy, where the Word of God is proclaimed and celebrated. The Catechism teaches that "in the liturgy, God speaks to his people and Christ is still proclaiming his Gospel" (CIC 1088). This chapter, when read in the context of the Church's worship, takes on deeper meaning.

Catholic biblical scholarship, guided by the Magisterium, helps us understand both the historical context and the spiritual meaning of these texts. The four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—open up the richness of God's Word. May your reading of this chapter bear fruit in holiness and service to others.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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