Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse paints a stark image of fallen pride. The phrase "virgin daughter" isn't about innocence, but highlights Babylon's former status of being cherished, protected, and untouched by foreign domination, making its forced descent into the dust all the more devastating.
Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter opens with God’s decree against Babylon, personified as a proud, "virgin" daughter who has lived in luxury and security. The prophet is commanded to declare her imminent fall from her throne, stripped of her delicate status and forced into menial labor and humiliation. This prophetic pronouncement sets the stage for a detailed denunciation of Babylon's arrogance, cruelty, and reliance on false gods and sorcery, culminating in her utter destruction.
Why call a mighty empire a 'virgin daughter'? And what does it mean for her to 'sit in the dust'?
The imagery of a 'virgin daughter' of Babylon is a powerful personification. It highlights Babylon's former state of perceived purity and untouched strength, a stark contrast to her impending fall. Calling her a 'virgin' also emphasizes her perceived delicacy and luxury, making her eventual degradation even more dramatic.
'Sit in the dust' and 'sit on the ground without a throne' are vivid expressions of utter humiliation and loss of power. Dust and the ground are associated with mourning, abasement, and the lowest social strata. Babylon, once seated on a throne of empire, is now stripped of all dignity and authority, reduced to the most abject state imaginable.
Babylon was known for its luxury and perceived invincibility. What does it mean for this to be stripped away completely?
The phrase 'tender and delicate' speaks volumes about Babylon's self-perception and its reputation. It evokes images of a pampered, luxurious society, accustomed to ease and pleasure, and perhaps even arrogant in its perceived invulnerability. This description highlights the excesses and self-indulgence that characterized the empire.
The prophecy declares that this identity is over. Babylon will no longer be known for its softness or its refined lifestyle. Instead, it will face hardship, slavery, and disgrace. The imagery of having to 'take the millstones' and grind grain, work previously done by the lowest slaves, signifies a complete reversal of fortune and a brutal introduction to the harsh realities of subjugation.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
aphar · Hebrew Noun
A term of humiliation signifying loss of status, mourning, or defeat, often used in biblical contexts to describe the reversal of fortune for those brought low by God's judgment.
betulah bath Babel · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A personification used to describe a city or nation as if it were a female figure, often emphasizing its perceived security, beauty, or vulnerability before God's judgment.
addinah va'anuggah · Hebrew Adjective Phrase
A descriptive term for one who lives in luxury, ease, and comfort; in a judgment context, it highlights the loss of this former state of privilege and protection.
This prophecy speaks to the dramatic and sudden fall of Babylon, a powerful empire known for its luxury and perceived invincibility. The historical context of its conquest by Cyrus the Great highlights the stark contrast between Babylon's former glory and its subsequent subjugation, emphasizing God's judgment on pride and cruelty.
c. 626 BC
Neo-Babylonian Empire Founded
Nabopolassar establishes the Neo-Babylonian Empire, marking the beginning of Babylon's resurgence as a major world power.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II, after defeating the Egyptians, begins deporting skilled Judeans to Babylon, initiating a period of Babylonian dominance over Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports a significant portion of the remaining population to Babylon, ending the Judean monarchy.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great Rises to Power
Cyrus the Great unites the Medes and Persians, establishing the Achaemenid Empire and setting the stage for Babylon's eventual downfall.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This event directly fulfills the prophecy of Babylon's humiliation and loss of power.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, a direct consequence of Babylon's fall.
This passage describes judgment against Babylon, echoing Isaiah's theme of divine vengeance and the end of her reign.
Daniel 5:1-31This chapter recounts the actual fall of Babylon during a feast, vividly illustrating the suddenness and humiliation foretold in Isaiah 47:1.
Ezekiel 28:1-19This passage offers a similar prophecy of judgment against a powerful, proud city (Tyre) that is brought low, mirroring Babylon's fate and its loss of former glory.
Luke 12:16-21Jesus' parable of the rich fool speaks to the folly of trusting in material wealth and security, a theme echoed in Babylon's misplaced confidence before its downfall.
bensonIsaiah 47:1: "Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate."
Isaiah 47:1-2 . Come down — From thy throne; and sit in the dust — As a mourner for thy approaching calamities; O virgin daughter of Babylon — Thou that art tender and delicate like a virgin. Sit on the ground — In a condition the most abject and degraded. There is no throne — Namely, for thee. Impe…
pulpitIsaiah 47:1: "Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate."
Verses 1-15. - A SONG OF TRIUMPH OVER THE FALL OF BABYLON. The song divides itself into four strophes, or stanzas - the first one of four verses (vers. 1-4); the second of three (vers. 5-7); the third of four (Vers. 8-11); and the fourth also of four (vers. 12-15). The speaker is either Jehovah (see…
The verse paints a stark image of fallen pride. The phrase "virgin daughter" isn't about innocence, but highlights Babylon's former status of being cherished, protected, and untouched by foreign domination, making its forced descent into the dust all the more devastating.
This chapter opens with God’s decree against Babylon, personified as a proud, "virgin" daughter who has lived in luxury and security. The prophet is commanded to declare her imminent fall from her throne, stripped of her delicate status and forced into menial labor and humiliation. This prophetic pronouncement sets the stage for a detailed denunciation of Babylon's arrogance, cruelty, and reliance on false gods and sorcery, culminating in her utter destruction.
This chapter opens with God’s decree against Babylon, personified as a proud, "virgin" daughter who has lived in luxury and security. The prophet is commanded to declare her imminent fall from her throne, stripped of her delicate status and forced into menial labor and humiliation. This prophetic pronouncement sets the stage for a detailed denunciation of Babylon's arrogance, cruelty, and reliance on false gods and sorcery, culminating in her utter destruction.
"Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate." — The verse paints a stark image of fallen pride. The phrase "virgin daughter" isn't about innocence, but highlights Babylon's former status of being cherished, protected, and untouched by foreign domi…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026