Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the Medes' motivation isn't greed; they aren't driven by a desire for silver or gold. Instead, their participation is framed as God stirring them up to act as instruments of His judgment against Babylon.
Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger prophetic oracle against Babylon. Isaiah is declaring God's judgment on the city, which is described as a powerful and proud empire that oppresses other nations. The prophecy details the coming destruction of Babylon, emphasizing its thoroughness and the totality of the devastation.
Who's really in charge when nations clash? This verse points to a surprising truth about God's involvement in the rise and fall of empires.
The prophecy in Isaiah 13:17 isn't just a prediction; it's a declaration of divine sovereignty. Notice how God says, 'I will stir up the Medes.' This isn't a passive observation of history unfolding, but an active involvement.
Why would an invading army fight without greed? This verse describes a warrior spirit that valued something beyond silver and gold.
Isaiah highlights a key trait of the Medes: 'who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.' This wasn't necessarily because they were morally superior or inherently selfless, but because their primary motivation in this specific instance was different.
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Understand the original words
Maday · Hebrew Noun
An ancient people group who became a major power in the Near East; in prophecy, they are often instruments of divine judgment against other nations.
Isaiah specifically names the Medes as the instrument of God's judgment against Babylon, an empire not yet powerful when the prophecy was given. This highlights God's sovereignty over history, even predicting the rise and fall of nations centuries in advance.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Deportation of Samaritans
The Assyrian Empire deports the ten northern tribes of Israel, settling some in the cities of the Medes, thus bringing the Medes into direct contact with Israelite history.
c. 678-625 BC
Rise of Median Empire
Under King Deioces and his successor Phraortes, the Medes begin to consolidate power, forming a unified kingdom that would soon challenge the major empires.
c. 612 BC
Fall of Nineveh
The Median king Cyaxares, allied with the Babylonians, destroys the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire and the rise of Media as a dominant power.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Media
Cyrus II, a Persian king and Median vassal, overthrows his Median grandfather Astyages, uniting the Medes and Persians into the powerful Medo-Persian Empire.
539 BC— this verse
Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great, leading the Medo-Persian army, conquers Babylon, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. The Medes, though now part of a larger empire, are key participants in this victory.
This passage echoes Isaiah's prophecy by also naming the Medes as instruments of God's judgment against Babylon, highlighting their role in the impending destruction.
Daniel 5:28This verse directly recounts the fulfillment of prophecies like Isaiah's, stating that the kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians, showing the tangible outcome of God's pronouncements.
Isaiah 21:2This passage from Isaiah himself, though from a different chapter, also speaks of the fall of Babylon and specifically mentions Elam and Media as the attackers, reinforcing the focus on these specific nations as agents of God's wrath.
Esther 1:3This verse shows the established power of the Medo-Persian empire, referencing the wealth and splendor of the kingdoms that ultimately conquered Babylon, providing a historical backdrop to the prophetic warnings.
barnesIsaiah 13:17: "Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it."
Behold, I will stir up - I will cause them to engage in this enterprise. This is an instance of the control which God claims over the nations, and of his power to excite and direct them as he pleases. The Medes - This is one of the places in which the prophet specified, "by name," the instrument of the wrath of God. Cyrus himself is subsequently mentioned…
pooleIsaiah 13:17: "Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it."
The Medes; under whom he comprehends the Persians, who were their neighbours and confederates in this expedition. They shall not delight in it; which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more eagerly pursue the destruction of the people than the getting of spoil; whereby it shall appear that they are only the executioners of my vengeance against t…
The verse highlights that the Medes' motivation isn't greed; they aren't driven by a desire for silver or gold. Instead, their participation is framed as God stirring them up to act as instruments of His judgment against Babylon.
This passage is part of a larger prophetic oracle against Babylon. Isaiah is declaring God's judgment on the city, which is described as a powerful and proud empire that oppresses other nations. The prophecy details the coming destruction of Babylon, emphasizing its thoroughness and the totality of the devastation.
This passage is part of a larger prophetic oracle against Babylon. Isaiah is declaring God's judgment on the city, which is described as a powerful and proud empire that oppresses other nations. The prophecy details the coming destruction of Babylon, emphasizing its thoroughness and the totality of the devastation.
"Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold." — The verse highlights that the Medes' motivation isn't greed; they aren't driven by a desire for silver or gold. Instead, their participation is framed as God stirring them up to act as instruments…
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Last reviewed October 2026