19 And Babylon , the beauty of kingdoms , the glory of the Chaldeans' pride , Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah . 20 It will never e be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation ; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there , Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there . 21 But desert creatures will lie down there , And their houses will be full of owls ; Ostriches also will live there , and shaggy goats will frolic there . 22 Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers And jackals in their luxurious palaces . Her fateful time also will soon come And her days will not be prolonged .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 13:19-22
Commentary on Isaiah 13:19-22
(Read Isaiah 13:19-22)
Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liable to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.