They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse vividly contrasts the oblivious revelry of the Babylonian princes with the urgent call to arms. The detail of "oiling the shield" reveals a crucial, often overlooked, ancient practice: shields, typically covered in leather, were oiled not just for preservation but to make them more resistant, causing enemy blows to glance off rather than penetrate.
They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah is vividly describing the scene of Babylon's imminent downfall, contrasting its luxurious, careless security with the impending invasion. The city's rulers are depicted preparing a feast and reveling, even as a watch is set, implying a false sense of security. Suddenly, the celebration is shattered by an alarm, calling the princes to arms and to prepare their shields for battle against the enemy at the gates.
Imagine a party so wild, so carefree, that no one even notices the enemy at the gates. That's the scene Isaiah paints here.
The verse vividly contrasts the revelry in Babylon with the impending doom.
A Feast Interrupted
The initial commands – 'Prepare the table,' 'spread the rugs,' 'eat, drink' – paint a picture of utter complacency. The city is celebrating, lost in pleasure, completely unaware of the danger closing in.
A False Sense of Safety
Adding to this, the command to 'watch in the watchtower' isn't for actual defense, but to ensure their revelry isn't disturbed. They set a guard not to alert them to the enemy, but to guarantee their uninterrupted feasting. This creates a chilling sense of false security, a stark warning against complacency in the face of spiritual or physical threats.
Suddenly, the mood shifts. The party's over. What changes, and why?
The abrupt shift from feasting to battle preparation highlights the swiftness and shock of Babylon's downfall.
The Call to Arms
'Arise, O princes; oil the shield!' This isn't a suggestion; it's an urgent command. The revelry is shattered by the realization that the enemy is not just at the gates, but is actively entering.
Preparing for What's Lost
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'Oil the shield' was a practical step to maintain the leather, making it supple and strong. It's a desperate, last-minute attempt to prepare for a defense that is already too late. The oil is meant to protect, but here it symbolizes a futile effort against an overwhelming and unstoppable force.
Understand the original words
magen · Hebrew Noun
A protective piece of armor used in warfare. Spiritually, it represents divine protection, and to "oil the shield" refers to the preparation for battle by keeping the leather supple and ready for defense.
This verse paints a stark picture of the Babylonian elite's fatal complacency. Their feasting and revelry, even as an alarm is sounded, highlight a profound spiritual and political blindness just before their empire's sudden and violent collapse. It serves as a timeless warning against trusting in worldly security over divine vigilance.
c. 539 BC— this verse
Babylon's Feast and Fall
The prophet vividly portrays the scene in Babylon on the night of its capture by Cyrus the Great. While nobles feasted and felt secure, the enemy breached the city's defenses through the Euphrates River.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great, leader of the Persian and Median forces, successfully overthrows the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This event marks a significant shift in regional power and the end of Babylonian dominance.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Following the conquest, Cyrus issues an edict allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This marks the beginning of the Jewish return from Babylonian exile.
c. 520 BC
Rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple
Under Zerubbabel, the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is completed, symbolizing the restoration of Jewish worship and national identity after the exile.
This passage vividly describes the feasting and revelry of Belshazzar and his nobles on the night Babylon fell, mirroring the scene in Isaiah where the revellers are suddenly called to arms.
Isaiah 22:12-14Both passages describe a people who turn to feasting and revelry in the face of impending disaster, neglecting spiritual preparation and true security for fleeting pleasure.
Jeremiah 51:39This verse also depicts the Babylonians becoming drunk and reveling as a prelude to their downfall, directly connecting their celebratory downfall to their actions described in Isaiah.
Luke 12:35-40Jesus uses the imagery of a master returning unexpectedly to servants who are feasting, urging readiness and watchfulness, which parallels the sudden alarm of the Babylonian princes.
cambridgeIsaiah 21:5: "Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield."
5 . The prophet contrasts his own lonely vigils with the careless security of the Babylonian revellers (cf. Daniel 5; Jeremiah 51:39 ; Isaiah 14:11 ). Prepare the table, &c. ] Render as in R.V. They prepare the table, they set the watch (the only measure of precaution adopted by the revellers), they eat, they drink . arise, ye princes ] The banquet breaks up in confusion, for the foe…
barnesIsaiah 21:5: "Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield."
Prepare the table - This verse is one of the most striking and remarkable that occurs in this prophecy, or indeed in any part of Isaiah. It is language supposed to be spoken in Babylon. The first direction - perhaps supposed to be that of the king - is to prepare the table for the feast. Then follows a direction to set a watch - to make the city safe, so that they might revel without…
The verse vividly contrasts the oblivious revelry of the Babylonian princes with the urgent call to arms. The detail of "oiling the shield" reveals a crucial, often overlooked, ancient practice: shields, typically covered in leather, were oiled not just for preservation but to make them more resistant, causing enemy blows to glance off rather than penetrate.
The prophet Isaiah is vividly describing the scene of Babylon's imminent downfall, contrasting its luxurious, careless security with the impending invasion. The city's rulers are depicted preparing a feast and reveling, even as a watch is set, implying a false sense of security. Suddenly, the celebration is shattered by an alarm, calling the princes to arms and to prepare their shields for battle against the enemy at the gates.
The prophet Isaiah is vividly describing the scene of Babylon's imminent downfall, contrasting its luxurious, careless security with the impending invasion. The city's rulers are depicted preparing a feast and reveling, even as a watch is set, implying a false sense of security. Suddenly, the celebration is shattered by an alarm, calling the princes to arms and to prepare their shields for battle against the enemy at the gates.
"They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield!" — The verse vividly contrasts the oblivious revelry of the Babylonian princes with the urgent call to arms. The detail of "oiling the shield" reveals a crucial, often overlooked, ancient practice: shie…
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Last reviewed October 2026