Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

HE here confirms that which he said heretofore; to wit, that none shall escape out of Babylon, and that all those which shall be therein shall perish. Xenophon ¹tells, how by the commandment of Cyrus, ²all those which were met withal the first night, were put to death: and the next day, all those which had not brought in, or laid down their weapons. But we have already said, that this prophecy hath a further extent; because this first taking was only the beginning of all other calamities, whereunto Babylon was expressly reserved by the Lord, to the end it might be punished the more often. Others expound the second member otherwise then I have translated it: for in as much as Saphah signifieth, To lose, or, To consume; they read, Whosoever shall be lost; and expound this of old men, who by reason of their age, can live no longer: as if he should say; they would not pardon, no not even those who are already worn with age, and upon the brim of their graves, yea when they should have one foot within as it were, and should be ready to yield up the ghost. But because this is a constrained exposition, and that the very same verb signifies, To be joined, I had rather follow Jonathan, ³and others, who think the Prophet speaks of the bands and squadrons: as for example, when a City is to be taken, the soldiers join together to beat back the assaults of the enemies. Unless any had rather understand by these words, the confederates and companions which were joined together with the Babylonians, the more to amplify the greatness of this discomfiture.