Isaiah 13:17-18
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This verse highlights a crucial detail: the Medes aren't motivated by greed. Their fierceness isn't about plunder; it’s about executing God's judgment, meaning they're utterly focused on destruction, not wealth or ransom.
Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy is part of a larger oracle against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction. Isaiah describes God actively raising up nations, specifically the Medes, to carry out His judgment against the city's wickedness and pride. The subsequent verses will further elaborate on the brutal nature of this conquest and the utter desolation that will fall upon Babylon.
Who's really in charge when empires clash and armies march? God's Word reveals a deeper truth: He orchestrates even the most powerful human forces.
This verse is a powerful declaration of God's absolute control over the nations. Isaiah, prophesying long before the Medes became a dominant force, names them as instruments of God's judgment against Babylon. This wasn't a lucky guess or a geopolitical analysis; it was a divine revelation.
God's Hand in History
Think about it: God can use anyone, or any nation, to carry out His will, whether they realize it or not.
What kind of warrior doesn't care about riches? Isaiah describes a terrifying force whose motivation isn't greed, but something far more destructive.
The description of the Medes as those who 'have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold' is crucial. It reveals their nature as instruments of God's wrath, driven by a purpose beyond personal gain.
Motivated by Divine Judgment, Not Greed
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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.
qesheth · Hebrew Noun
A weapon of war made of wood, metal, or composite materials; symbolically associated with military strength and the execution of judgment.
beten · Hebrew Noun
Refers to offspring or children; a common biblical metaphor for the natural result of procreation and the continuation of a legacy.
This prophecy was given at a time when Media was a mere province of the Assyrian empire. The rise of the Medes, their alliance with Babylon, and their eventual conquest of Babylon by Cyrus, who united Medes and Persians, were momentous shifts in power that were impossible to foresee by human wisdom alone.
c. 9th century BC
Medes Revolt Against Assyria
The Medes, initially subject to Assyrian rule, begin to assert their independence, laying the groundwork for their future prominence.
c. 700 BC
Dejoces Unites Median Tribes
Dejoces becomes the first king of Media, uniting the tribes and establishing a more organized kingdom, though still subordinate to Assyria.
c. 678 BC
Cyaxares Expands Median Influence
Under Cyaxares, Media becomes a significant military power, eventually allying with Babylon to destroy the Assyrian Empire.
612 BC
Fall of Nineveh
The Medes, allied with the Babylonians, conquer and destroy the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, marking the rise of the Medo-Persian power.
550 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Media
Cyrus the Great, a Persian ruler, overthrows the Median king Astyages, uniting the Medes and Persians into a single, powerful empire.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon
The Medo-Persian army, led by Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.
This passage also names the Medes as God's instrument against Babylon, emphasizing that God has 'raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes' to enact His vengeance.
Daniel 5:28This verse describes the division of Babylon's kingdom 'to the Medes and Persians,' directly fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy and showing the historical outcome of this military action.
Proverbs 14:34This proverb speaks to a broader principle that righteousness exalts a nation, implying that nations driven by greed and wickedness, like Babylon, are ultimately brought low, contrasting with the divine purpose behind the Medes' invasion.
Ezekiel 27:34This passage describes the lament over fallen Tyre, highlighting how nations focused on material wealth and trade can be brought to ruin, mirroring Babylon's eventual fate driven by its pride and riches.
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…
This verse highlights a crucial detail: the Medes aren't motivated by greed. Their fierceness isn't about plunder; it’s about executing God's judgment, meaning they're utterly focused on destruction, not wealth or ransom.
This prophecy is part of a larger oracle against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction. Isaiah describes God actively raising up nations, specifically the Medes, to carry out His judgment against the city's wickedness and pride. The subsequent verses will further elaborate on the brutal nature of this conquest and the utter desolation that will fall upon Babylon.
This prophecy is part of a larger oracle against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction. Isaiah describes God actively raising up nations, specifically the Medes, to carry out His judgment against the city's wickedness and pride. The subsequent verses will further elaborate on the brutal nature of this conquest and the utter desolation that will fall upon Babylon.
"Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eye…" — This verse highlights a crucial detail: the Medes aren't motivated by greed. Their fierceness isn't about plunder; it’s about executing God's judgment, meaning they're utterly focused on destruction,…
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Last reviewed October 2026
