Isaiah 13:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.

NIV: See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold.

NASB: Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them, Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold.

CSB: Look! I am stirring up the Medes against them, who cannot be bought off with silver and who have no desire for gold.

NLT: 'Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon. They cannot be tempted by silver or bribed with gold.

KJV: Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

NKJV: “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it.

Looking ahead from his own time to events that had not yet happened, Isaiah wrote that the Lord would summon multiple nations and kingdoms to destroy Babylon (Isaiah 13:2–5). The fact that those nations don't realize the Lord is using them for His own purposes is irrelevant to their divine purpose for being there. They will be the Lord's weapon. Now Isaiah mentions one people specifically: the Medes.

The Medes occupied the region of what is now central Iran, east of the region of Mesopotamia. The Medes would join forces with Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians to defeat the Assyrians in 609 BC (Isaiah 10:12–14). Later, though, they would participate in the destruction of Babylon. Some scholars believe that Isaiah is describing the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and the Persians in 539 BC. However, the city was not fully destroyed at that time, so other scholars are not confident that this is the correct interpretation.

It was common during these times for a city under siege to pay a huge sum to the attacking army to convince them to give up and go away. Isaiah writes that the Medes wanted to defeat Babylon more than they wanted silver or gold. They would not take a payoff from wealthy Babylon in exchange for mercy. They were merciless (Isaiah 13:9) and savage (Isaiah 13:16), out for blood and stopping at nothing short of destroying the city.

Isaiah 13:1–22 contains Isaiah's prophecy from the Lord. This is against the dominant power of Babylon, which would arise after the defeat of the Assyrians. The Lord will assemble and consecrate an international army to attack and obliterate the powerful city-state of Babylon. The people will tremble in fear as the Lord executes His judgment out of His great wrath toward the arrogant and ruthless Babylonians. The population will be slaughtered without mercy and the land left desolate. When it's over, only wild animals will walk the streets of the once-splendid city.

Chapter 13 begins a new section in the book of Isaiah, which focuses on prophecies against other nations besides Israel. It begins by describing the Lord's destruction of the city-state of Babylon. This will come after it has become a dominating power in the world. The Lord will assemble a multi-nation army to attack the city and leave the land completely desolate. All who flee will be hunted and killed. The Medes will slaughter even pregnant women and children without mercy. When it is all over, only wild animals will occupy the once luxurious center of human achievement and sophistication.

Isaiah has been discussing the eventual rescue and restoration of Israel (Isaiah 10–12). Chapter 13 introduces an entirely new section in Isaiah's book: prophecies from the Lord against Gentile nations. First is a prediction of the utter destruction of Babylon. That nation had been the dominant power in the world. The Lord will assemble a multi-nation army from near and far to destroy the luxurious and powerful city-state on the Euphrates. This is followed by reassurances and further details of God's vengeance on Israel's other oppressors.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).