Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Isaiah

Isaiah 
Day 
Day 366

"Take the millstones and grind meal"

Text: Isaiah 47:2

THE WORK OF A SLAVE GIRL

Babylon was not just described as a woman. The mighty nation was now described as a slave-girl!

“Take the millstones and grind meal.
Remove your veil,
Take off the skirt,
Uncover the thigh,
Pass through the rivers.
Your nakedness shall be uncovered,
Yes, your shame will be seen;
I will take vengeance,
And I will not arbitrate with a man.”
Isaiah 47:2-3

1. Work assigned to a slave girl.

a) She is to grind meal with a millstone.

b) This work is that of a slave girl working for a wealthy family.

2. In order to do this work.

a) She will have to remove her veil.

b) To take off her fineries:

i) A nice skirt.

ii) Good clothes.

c) She is no longer a lady of leisure!

3. Journeying with her slave masters.

a) The family may have to cross streams.

b) The family may cross the streams without getting wet.

c) But the slave girl would just have to roll up her clothes and then
wade the streams like a common labourer.

4. Ladies with social privileges.

a) A lady would never be submitted to such a treatment.

b) Her calves may not be seen to protect her modesty.

5. Slave girls have no social privileges.

a) They have to roll up their clothes to wade a stream.

b) Her legs would be exposed to her shame.

c) This would be the lot of Babylon.

6. No arbitration.

a) The LORD would not enter into arbitration with Babylon.

b) This punishment of Babylon is “divine vengeance”.

7. Babylon had abused many of their captives.

It would now be her turn to experience the humiliation she caused others to experience in the past.