Isaiah 13:17-19
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What's striking here is that the Medes, who will conquer Babylon, are described as having no interest in riches. This isn't a commentary on their moral purity, but rather on their singular focus on God's impending judgment; their "delight" isn't in gold, but in executing divine vengeance. This highlights that God can use even seemingly ordinary or even self-serving motives for His grander purposes.
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. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy unfolds in the context of God's judgment against Babylon, a powerful and proud empire. Isaiah vividly describes the impending destruction, emphasizing that this devastating event is not random but orchestrated by God. He declares that He will unleash the Medes, a fearsome army, as His instrument of wrath against the city's inhabitants.
Imagine a force of nature unleashed – a storm that cares nothing for earthly treasures. That's how God describes the army He's about to send. Discover why God chose a specific, seemingly 'unlikely' group to bring His judgment.
The Divine Hand in History
Isaiah 13:17 declares, "Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them..."
This isn't just a historical account of armies clashing. It's a profound theological statement. Isaiah, writing long before the Medes became a major power, reveals that God is the one actively 'stirring up' this nation. This highlights a crucial biblical truth: God is sovereign over all nations and history.
What kind of warrior doesn't care about silver or gold? It seems counterintuitive to conquest. Explore why God describes His chosen instrument of judgment this way, and what it reveals about His purpose.
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The Medes' Disregard for Riches
The verse continues, "who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold."
This characteristic of the Medes is not merely incidental; it's key to understanding God's purpose in using them.
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.
tsebi · Hebrew Noun
The manifestation of sovereign authority, majesty, or dignity; in a negative sense, it can refer to the pride of nations that exalt themselves against God.
Kasdim · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the inhabitants of the southern Mesopotamian region; they became synonymous with the Babylonian Empire and its culture.
Sedom / Amorah · Hebrew Noun
Two cities destroyed by God due to their extreme wickedness; they serve as the ultimate archetypal example of divine judgment and total desolation.
haphak · Hebrew Verb
The act of God turning, overturning, or destroying a place or people, specifically indicating a total and final reversal of their status.
This prophecy was delivered at a time when Media was a vassal state of Assyria, making the prediction of its future role in destroying Babylon remarkably far-sighted. The text highlights the Medes' fierce, conquest-driven nature, contrasting with the wealth-obsessed Babylonians they would eventually overthrow.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrians Deport Israelites to Media
As part of its imperial policy, the Assyrian empire deports Israelites from the northern kingdom of Israel to various cities, including those in Media. This marks the first time many Israelites, and likely Judahites, would have direct knowledge of the Medes as a distinct people.
c. 700 BC
Medes Achieve Independence
Following the decline of Assyrian power, the Medes, under leaders like Dejoces and his successors, begin to assert their independence and build their own kingdom. This marks a significant shift in regional power dynamics.
c. 612 BC
Fall of Nineveh
An alliance of Babylonians and Medes successfully conquers and destroys the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. This pivotal event establishes the Medes as a major imperial power in the region.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus and the Medo-Persian Alliance
Cyrus the Great, a Persian prince, begins to unite the Medes and Persians. He eventually overthrows his Median grandfather, Astyages, and consolidates power, forming the powerful Medo-Persian Empire.
539 BC— this verse
Conquest of Babylon
Under the leadership of Cyrus the Great, the Medo-Persian army conquers Babylon. This event fulfills Isaiah's prophecy, with the Medes (and Persians) showing little interest in Babylon's legendary wealth.
This passage also explicitly states that the Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes to destroy Babylon, highlighting the same divine orchestration of their invasion.
Daniel 5:28This verse mentions the division of Babylon among the Medes and Persians, directly fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah about the Medes being the instrument of its destruction.
Isaiah 21:2This verse refers to the conquest of Babylon by the Medes and Elamites, providing a parallel prophecy that emphasizes their role in God's judgment.
Proverbs 21:1This proverb speaks about how kings' hearts are like streams of water in God's hand, showing that God can direct even the desires and motivations of rulers and nations, just as He directed the Medes in Isaiah 13:17.
Luke 12:15Jesus warns against greed and warns that a person's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, which echoes the sentiment that the Medes were not driven by a desire for silver and gold in their conquest.
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…
What's striking here is that the Medes, who will conquer Babylon, are described as having no interest in riches. This isn't a commentary on their moral purity, but rather on their singular focus on God's impending judgment; their "delight" isn't in gold, but in executing divine vengeance. This highlights that God can use even seemingly ordinary or even self-serving motives for His grander purposes.
This prophecy unfolds in the context of God's judgment against Babylon, a powerful and proud empire. Isaiah vividly describes the impending destruction, emphasizing that this devastating event is not random but orchestrated by God. He declares that He will unleash the Medes, a fearsome army, as His instrument of wrath against the city's inhabitants.
This prophecy unfolds in the context of God's judgment against Babylon, a powerful and proud empire. Isaiah vividly describes the impending destruction, emphasizing that this devastating event is not random but orchestrated by God. He declares that He will unleash the Medes, a fearsome army, as His instrument of wrath against the city's inhabitants.
"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…" — What's striking here is that the Medes, who will conquer Babylon, are described as having no interest in riches. This isn't a commentary on their moral purity, but rather on their singular focus on G…
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Last reviewed October 2026
