The Prophecy of Babylon

To understand the boldness of Isaiah's prophecy, one must understand what Babylon was in his time. According to the course, it was the first city built after the Flood: Noah and his sons, following the Euphrates, reached the plain of Shinar and built it.

The course cites Herodotus, who visited it: about 140 km² (12 km × 12 km), larger than Paris; walls 100 meters high (a third of the Eiffel Tower) and 25 meters thick, on which chariots could drive; and the hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The course also cites the Hebrew Encyclopedia: “Babylon is considered the first city built by man, the metropolis which, by the concentration of its population and the power of its structure, compelled the admiration of writers, travelers, and the inhabitants of fortresses and fortified cities.”

Isaiah 13: “And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory and pride of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrown by the Eternal.” “It will never again be inhabited.” “It will not be a residence until the end of generations.” “The Arab will not pitch his tent there. Shepherds will not let their flocks rest there.”

According to the course, Isaiah prophesied this at the height of Babylon: the risk was immense. Not only deserted, but so cursed that even desert nomads would refuse to pasture their flocks there. If the prophecy did not come true, Isaiah's credibility and faith in the Torah were at stake.

After Cyrus, Babylon remained for a time a capital of the Persian empire, then gradually emptied. Alexander the Great wanted to make it the center of his world empire, but was prevented by his premature death.

The course cites a historian named “Piverfield” (unidentified): “Babylon finally disappeared from the scene, was reduced to rubble and remained in that state until our time, as a constant testimony to the truth of the predictions of the Hebrew prophets.”

Today, according to the course, only a desolate field remains on the banks of the Euphrates, 34 kilometers south of Baghdad.

The course relates that in the 19th century, German archaeologists were looking for Babylon. They noticed that the local Arabs pastured their flocks everywhere except on a hill covered with vegetation. Asked why, they answered: “In that hill there is a misfortune. All who took their flocks there saw their animals die.” The Germans dug into the hill and discovered Babylon.

According to the course, the prophecy is verified down to the detail: nobody lives there; the Arabs avoid the site; shepherds do not let their flocks rest there, which is what allowed the site to be discovered. How could Isaiah know, 2500 years earlier, that even nomadic shepherds would refuse to use this place?

In the 1990s, according to the course, Saddam Hussein wanted to rebuild Babylon to restore its ancient glory and make it a symbol of Iraqi power. He began massive reconstruction works.

Rav Ziegler notes with irony: “What did we do? We took him down.” Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003 and his plans for Babylon abandoned. According to the course, the people of Israel committed through the prophecy: this city will never be rebuilt, and G-d rules the world, He ensures that His word comes true.

According to the course, for such a prophecy to come true, one must dominate the whole of human history: prevent Alexander the Great from succeeding in his plan; ensure that no empire chooses this strategic location; create a curse so strong that even nomads avoid it; make Saddam Hussein fail 2500 years later.

This prophecy is one example among thousands in the Torah. The next chapter deals with the prophecies concerning the Jewish people itself.