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.
At this point Babylon hasn’t even risen to power yet, but God is telling Judah that she will be punished and destroyed for what she is fixing to do.
2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
The rich women will have to work.
3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
God will humiliate them.
4 As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.
God is the one true believers rely on.
5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shall no more be called, “The lady of kingdoms.”
Babylon at the height of her power was one of the most beautiful of all cities in history. She contained the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, as well as a beautiful gate into the city. God will take away her beauty.
6 I was wroth with My people, I have polluted Mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou did shew them no mercy; upon the ancient have thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
It was God's direction for Babylon to punish Judah for idolatry, but they were too enthusiastic, went too far.
7 And thou said, “I shall be a lady for ever:” so that thou did not lay these things to thy heart, neither did remember the latter end of it.
Babylon thought she was so powerful and beautiful she would last forever. God brings an end to all empires eventually.
8 Therefore hear now this, thou that are given to pleasures, that dwell carelessly, that say in thine heart, “I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:”
They simply didn’t think they would ever suffer.
This all sounds too close for comfort.
9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
God will punish them, and suddenly.
10 For thou have trusted in thy wickedness: thou have said, “None sees me.” Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it has perverted thee; and thou have said in thine heart, “I am, and none else beside me.”
11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shall not know from whence it rises: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shall not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shall not know.
12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou may prevail.
“So go ahead and rely on your witchcraft and see where it gets you.”
13 Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
“You look to these charlatans for advice. So go to them for help when trouble comes.”
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
They will be poor too.
15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou have labored, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
There is no help from any source once God decides to punish you.