Behold, I will stir up against them the MedesThis phrase indicates divine intervention where God is actively orchestrating events. The Medes were an ancient Indo-Iranian people who lived in the region that is now northwestern Iran. Historically, the Medes formed a coalition with the Babylonians to overthrow the Assyrian Empire, and later, they played a significant role in the fall of Babylon itself. This prophecy highlights God's sovereignty over nations, using them as instruments of His judgment. The Medes' involvement in the fall of Babylon is a fulfillment of this prophecy, as seen in
Daniel 5:30-31, where Babylon falls to the Medo-Persian Empire.
who have no regard for silver
This phrase suggests that the Medes were not motivated by wealth or material gain in their conquest. Historically, the Medes were known for their military prowess and strategic alliances rather than their pursuit of wealth. This lack of regard for silver indicates a focus on conquest and power rather than economic gain. It underscores the idea that their actions were driven by divine purpose rather than human greed, aligning with the biblical theme that God can use even those who do not know Him to fulfill His purposes, as seen inIsaiah 45:1-4 with Cyrus the Great.
and no desire for gold
Similar to the previous phrase, this emphasizes the Medes' indifference to wealth. In the ancient world, gold was a symbol of wealth and power, often used to motivate armies and secure alliances. The Medes' lack of desire for gold further illustrates their role as instruments of divine judgment rather than typical conquerors. This indifference to material wealth can be seen as a type of Christ, who, in His earthly ministry, was not swayed by material possessions or wealth (Matthew 4:8-10). The Medes' focus on fulfilling God's purpose rather than seeking personal gain serves as a reminder of the higher calling to serve God's will above worldly desires.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied during the reigns of several kings of Judah and is known for his messages of both judgment and hope.
2.
MedesAn ancient people who lived in what is now northwestern Iran. They were known for their military prowess and eventually formed an alliance with the Persians to conquer Babylon.
3.
BabylonA powerful empire known for its wealth and grandeur. In Isaiah's prophecy, Babylon symbolizes human pride and opposition to God.
4.
JudgmentThe event of divine retribution that Isaiah prophesies against Babylon, using the Medes as instruments of God's judgment.
5.
Silver and GoldSymbols of wealth and materialism. The Medes' lack of interest in these suggests their focus on conquest rather than plunder.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in JudgmentGod uses nations and events to fulfill His purposes. The Medes were stirred by God to execute His judgment on Babylon, demonstrating His control over history.
The Futility of MaterialismThe Medes' indifference to silver and gold highlights the temporary nature of material wealth. Believers are reminded to focus on eternal treasures rather than earthly riches.
The Certainty of God's WordIsaiah's prophecy about the Medes was fulfilled, underscoring the reliability of God's Word. Believers can trust in the promises and warnings found in Scripture.
The Consequences of PrideBabylon's downfall serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. Humility and dependence on God are essential for individuals and nations.
God's Justice and MercyWhile God judges sin, His ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration. Believers are called to share the message of both God's justice and His mercy.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 13:17?
2.How does Isaiah 13:17 demonstrate God's sovereignty over nations and their actions?
3.What historical context helps us understand the prophecy against Babylon in Isaiah 13:17?
4.How can Isaiah 13:17's warning about the Medes inspire us to trust God's justice?
5.What other scriptures show God's use of nations to fulfill His purposes?
6.How can we apply the lessons from Isaiah 13:17 to modern-day global events?
7.How does Isaiah 13:17 align with God's nature of love and mercy?
8.Why did God choose the Medes to execute His judgment in Isaiah 13:17?
9.What historical evidence supports the prophecy in Isaiah 13:17?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 13?
11.How does Isaiah 13:17’s mention of the Medes align with historical records indicating Babylon’s capture by the Persians under Cyrus the Great?
12.If Isaiah 13 was written in the 8th century BCE, why do some scholars suggest it reflects later events, raising questions about its authorship and date?
13.If Isaiah 13:10 predicts cosmic signs like darkened sun and moon, why is there no historical or astronomical record of such an event?
14.What happened to Belshazzar during the feast?What Does Isaiah 13:17 Mean
Behold• The verse opens with an attention–grabbing word: “Behold.” It signals that God Himself is speaking and wants His people to listen closely.
• Scripture often uses “behold” to mark pivotal announcements (Isaiah 7:14;Revelation 21:5).
• The immediate context is God’s oracle against Babylon (Isaiah 13:1). What follows is not speculation—it is the certain word of the LORD.
I will stir up• God is the active Subject; He personally “stirs up” nations to accomplish His purposes (Jeremiah 50:9;Habakkuk 1:6).
• The phrase underscores divine sovereignty. Political shifts, military campaigns, and even human ambitions are ultimately under His direction (Proverbs 21:1;Acts 17:26).
• Because God initiates this movement, the outcome is guaranteed. Babylon’s downfall is not luck, but judgment.
Against them• “Them” refers to the Babylonian empire, soon to be judged for its arrogance, idolatry, and cruelty (Isaiah 13:11;Jeremiah 51:24).
• The LORD’s justice targets specific sins—Babylon’s pride (Isaiah 14:13–14) and oppression of His people (Jeremiah 50:33–34).
• This confirms that no nation, however powerful, is beyond accountability (Psalm 2:1–6).
The Medes• God identifies the instrument of Babylon’s fall: “the Medes.” Historically, the Medes allied with the Persians under Cyrus, overthrowing Babylon in 539 B.C. (Daniel 5:28, 31;Jeremiah 51:11, 28).
• The prophecy came roughly 150–175 years before the event, showcasing the inerrancy and precision of Scripture.
• The Medes’ rise was not random; it was part of God’s long-term plan to discipline nations and to free His covenant people (Isaiah 45:1–4).
Who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold• The Medes’ motive would not be bribery or profit; they would be driven by vengeance and divine commission (Jeremiah 50:42).
• Babylon could not buy its way out of judgment. Wealth is powerless when God decrees an end (Proverbs 11:4;Ezekiel 7:19).
• The phrase highlights the thoroughness of the coming destruction—an army uninterested in plunder is an unstoppable force of judgment (Isaiah 13:18).
summaryIsaiah 13:17 asserts God’s direct action in world events: He will rouse the Medes to bring down Babylon, a judgment that cannot be averted by wealth or negotiation. The prophecy was fulfilled with striking accuracy, confirming both God’s sovereignty over nations and the absolute reliability of His Word.
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Behold, I will stir up the Medes.--The Hebrew form
Madaimeets us in
Genesis 10:2, among the descendants of Japheth. Modern researches show them to have been a mixed people, Aryan conquerors having mingled with an earlier Turanian race, and differing in this respect from the Persians, who were pure Iranians, both in race and creed. The early Assyrian inscriptions, from Rimmon Nirari III. onward (Cheyne), name them, as also does Sargon (
Records of the Past, xi. 18), among the enemies whom the kings subdued. Their name had been recently brought before the prophet's notice by Salmaneser's deportation of the Ten Tribes to the cities of the Medes (
2Kings 17:6). In naming the Medes, and not the Persians, as the conquerors of Babylon, Isaiah was probably influenced by the greater prominence of the former, just as the Greeks spoke of them, and used such terms as "Medism" when they came in contact with the Medo-Persian monarchy under Darius and Xerxes. So ?schylus (
Pers.760) makes "the Median" the first ruler of the Persians. It is noticeable that they were destined to be the destroyers both of Nineveh and Babylon: of the first under Cyaxares, in alliance with Nabopolassar, and of the second under Cyrus the Persian, and, we may add, the Mede Darius of
Daniel 5:31. If we accept the history of a yet earlier attack on Nineveh by Arbaces the Mede and Belesis of Babylon, we can sufficiently account for the prominence which Isaiah, looking at Babylon as the representative of Assyrian rather than Chaldaean power, gives to them as its destroyers. (See Lenormant,
Anc. Hist.,1, p. 337.)
Which shall not regard silver.--The Medes are represented as a people too fierce to care for the gold and silver in which Babylon exulted. They would take no ransom to stay their work of vengeance. So Xenophon, in his Cyropaedia(5:3), represents Cyrus as acknowledging their unbought, unpaid service.
Verse 17. -
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them. Isaiah's knowledge that the Medes should take a leading part in the destruction of Babylon is, no doubt, as surprising a fact as almost any other in the entire range of prophetic foresight, or insight, as set before us in Scripture. The Medes were known to Moses as an ancient nation of some importance (
Genesis 10:2); but since his time had been unmentioned by any sacred writer; and, as a
living nation, had only just come within the range of Israelite vision, by the fact that, when Sargon deported the Samaritans from Samaria, he placed some of them "in the cities of the Medes" (
2 Kings 17:6). The Assyrians had become acquainted with them somewhat more than a century earlier, and had made frequent incursions into their country, finding them a weak and divided people, under the government of a large number of petty chiefs. Sargon had conquered a portion of the tribes, and placed prefects in the cities; at the same time planting colonists in them from other parts of the empire. That, when the weakness of Media was being thus made apparent, Isaiah should have foreseen its coming greatness can only be accounted for by his having received a Divine communication on the subject. Subsequently, he had a still more exact and complete communication (
Isaiah 21:2).
Which shall not regard silver. The Medes were not a particularly disinterested people; but in the attack on Babylon, made by Cyrus, the object was not plunder, but conquest and the extension of dominion. The main treasures of Babylon - those in the great temple of Bolus - were not carried off by Cyrus, as appears both from his own inscriptions, and from Herodotus (1. 181-183).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Behold,הִנְנִ֛י(hin·nî)Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005:Lo! behold!I will stir upמֵעִ֥יר(mê·‘îr)Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5782:To rouse oneself, awakeagainst themעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם(‘ă·lê·hem)Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthe Medes,מָדָ֑י(mā·ḏāy)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4074:Media -- a son of Japheth, also his descendants and their landwhoאֲשֶׁר־(’ă·šer-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thathave noלֹ֣א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noregardיַחְשֹׁ֔בוּ(yaḥ·šō·ḇū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2803:To think, accountfor silverכֶּ֙סֶף֙(ke·sep̄)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701:Silver, moneyand noלֹ֥א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nodesireיַחְפְּצוּ־(yaḥ·pə·ṣū-)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2654:To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desirefor gold.וְזָהָ֖ב(wə·zā·hāḇ)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2091:Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 13:17 Behold I will stir up the Medes (Isa Isi Is) 
