Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "in the ships in which they rejoice" highlights Babylon's pride in its maritime commerce and naval strength, which God declares He will bring down, symbolizing the utter collapse of their worldly confidence and might. This isn't just about military defeat, but the humbling of their entire system of boasting and security built on earthly power.
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse continues God's assurance to Israel during their exile, revealing His plan to use Cyrus and the Persian armies to conquer Babylon. It highlights God's ultimate control over history, even using powerful empires like Babylon for His purposes, ultimately for the deliverance and restoration of His people. The mention of Chaldean ships underscores Babylon's pride and reliance on its earthly might, which God will bring down.
Who is really in control when empires rise and fall? This verse points to a divine hand orchestrating even the movements of armies.
The LORD declares, "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'For your sake I have sent to Babylon and brought down all their nobles, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.'"
This powerful statement reveals that God's actions extend beyond the immediate needs of His people to the grand sweep of international politics and warfare.
What happens when human pride and power are set against God's purposes? This verse gives a stark answer.
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The verse vividly describes the fate of the Chaldeans: "and I will bring down all their nobles, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice."
This imagery speaks to the inevitable downfall of human pride and confidence when it stands in opposition to God's will.
Understand the original words
go'alkhem · Hebrew Noun
One who buys back or rescues from captivity or debt by paying a price. Theologically, it highlights God's act of liberating His people from slavery and restoring their covenant relationship.
qadosh · Hebrew Adjective
A title signifying God's absolute moral purity, transcendence, and set-apartness from all that is common, sinful, or profane. It emphasizes that God is fundamentally different from humanity in His nature.
This verse speaks of God's intervention to bring down the Babylonian oppressors, specifically mentioning their "ships of their rejoicing." This imagery highlights Babylon's power and pride as a commercial and naval center, a power that God used Cyrus to dismantle for the sake of His exiled people.
c. 605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon defeats the Egyptian forces, establishing Babylonian dominance over Syria and Palestine. This event marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylon.
598 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II besieges Jerusalem and deports members of the royal family, nobility, and skilled workers to Babylon. This event is a significant fulfillment of prophetic warnings about exile.
589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar II lays siege to Jerusalem for the second time after Zedekiah's rebellion. This siege will ultimately lead to the destruction of the city and the temple.
587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Jerusalem is captured, the temple is destroyed, and the remaining population, except for the poorest, are deported to Babylon, marking the end of the kingdom of Judah.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great begins his conquests, uniting the Medes and Persians. His military successes will eventually lead to the fall of Babylon.
c. 540-539 BC— this verse
Persian Campaigns Against Babylon
Cyrus the Great's military campaigns gradually weaken and encircle Babylon, setting the stage for its eventual conquest.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Cyrus
Babylon falls to Cyrus the Great. This event marks the end of the Babylonian exile and the beginning of the Persian Empire's dominance.
This passage echoes Isaiah's prophecy by directly referencing Babylon's future fall due to its ships and merchants, highlighting the transience of worldly power.
Ezekiel 26:17Ezekiel foretells the destruction of Tyre, a great commercial and naval power, by describing the mourning of sailors and merchants, mirroring the fate of Babylon depicted in Isaiah.
Isaiah 47:1Isaiah directly addresses Babylon as a 'virgin daughter' who will be brought down from her glory, emphasizing the shame and fall that will come to the proud city and its people.
Habakkuk 2:6-7Habakkuk’s prophecy includes a woe against the oppressor who 'multiplies what is not his own' and 'loads himself with wool,' a sentiment that resonates with the pride and eventual downfall of Babylon described in Isaiah.
barnesIsaiah 43:14: "Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships."
Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer - This verse commences another argument for the safety of his people. It is the assurance to the Jews in Babylon that he had sent to them a deliverer, and would bring down the pride of the Chaldeans, and demolish their city. Your Redeemer - (See the note at Isaiah…
bensonIsaiah 43:14: "Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships."
Isaiah 43:14 . For your sake I have sent to Babylon — I have sent Cyrus, and the Medes and Persians with him, to war against Babylon, to this very end, that he might deliver you out of captivity, and restore you to your land, according to my promise. I have brought down — From that height of power…
The phrase "in the ships in which they rejoice" highlights Babylon's pride in its maritime commerce and naval strength, which God declares He will bring down, symbolizing the utter collapse of their worldly confidence and might. This isn't just about military defeat, but the humbling of their entire system of boasting and security built on earthly power.
This verse continues God's assurance to Israel during their exile, revealing His plan to use Cyrus and the Persian armies to conquer Babylon. It highlights God's ultimate control over history, even using powerful empires like Babylon for His purposes, ultimately for the deliverance and restoration of His people. The mention of Chaldean ships underscores Babylon's pride and reliance on its earthly might, which God will bring down.
This verse continues God's assurance to Israel during their exile, revealing His plan to use Cyrus and the Persian armies to conquer Babylon. It highlights God's ultimate control over history, even using powerful empires like Babylon for His purposes, ultimately for the deliverance and restoration of His people. The mention of Chaldean ships underscores Babylon's pride and reliance on its earthly might, which God will bring down.
"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice." — The phrase "in the ships in which they rejoice" highlights Babylon's pride in its maritime commerce and naval strength, which God declares He will bring down, symbolizing the utter collapse of their…
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Last reviewed October 2026