Definition and Origin:
The term "Babylonish" refers to anything related to Babylon, an ancient city-state in Mesopotamia, renowned for its wealth, power, and idolatry. Babylon is often depicted in the Bible as a symbol of human pride and opposition to God. The term "Babylonish" is used to describe the cultural, religious, and moral characteristics associated with Babylon.

Biblical References:
The Bible frequently mentions Babylon, both as a historical city and as a symbol of spiritual rebellion. In the Old Testament, Babylon is first introduced in Genesis 10:10 as part of Nimrod's kingdom. The Tower of Babel, an early example of Babylonish pride, is described in Genesis 11:1-9, where humanity's attempt to build a tower to the heavens results in God confusing their language and scattering them across the earth.

Babylon's influence is further highlighted in the account of the Babylonian captivity, where the Israelites were exiled to Babylon. This period is detailed in books such as 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and the prophetic writings of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Babylonian Empire, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple in 586 BC, as recorded in 2 Kings 25:8-10 : "On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building."

Symbolism and Prophecy:
Babylon is often used symbolically in the Bible to represent worldly power and opposition to God. In the book of Revelation, Babylon is depicted as a harlot and a great city that leads nations astray with its immorality and idolatry. Revelation 17:5 states: "On her forehead a mysterious name was written: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth."

The fall of Babylon is prophesied as a divine judgment against its pride and wickedness. Isaiah 13:19 declares: "And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah." Similarly, Revelation 18 describes the ultimate destruction of Babylon as a symbol of God's final victory over evil.

Cultural and Religious Practices:
Babylonish culture was characterized by its advanced civilization, architectural achievements, and religious practices centered around the worship of multiple deities, including Marduk, the chief god. The Babylonian religion was marked by astrology, divination, and the construction of ziggurats, which were temple towers resembling the Tower of Babel.

The influence of Babylonish culture extended to the Israelites during their captivity, as seen in the book of Daniel. Daniel and his companions were educated in the language and literature of the Babylonians (Daniel 1:4), yet they remained faithful to God, resisting the assimilation into Babylonish idolatry and practices.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons:
The Bible's portrayal of Babylon serves as a warning against pride, idolatry, and the seduction of worldly power. The Babylonish spirit is seen as antithetical to the values of God's kingdom, emphasizing the need for faithfulness and obedience to God amidst a corrupt and idolatrous world. The call to "come out of her, my people" in Revelation 18:4 underscores the imperative for believers to separate themselves from the corrupting influences of Babylonish systems and to live in holiness and devotion to God.Babylonish garment

A robe of rich colours fabricated at Babylon, and hence of great value (Joshua 7:21).

1. (n.) of or pertaining to, or made in, Babylon or Babylonia.

2. (n.) Pertaining to the Babylon of Revelation xiv. 8.

3. (n.) Pertaining to Rome and papal power.

4. (n.) Confused; Babel-like.

BABYLONISH GARMENT

bab-i-lo'-nish gar'ment: In the King James Version, Joshua 7:21, for BABYLONISH MANTLE, which see.

BABYLONISH MANTLE

man'-tl (the King James Version Babylonish Garment): One of the articles taken by Achan from the spoil of Jericho (Joshua 7:21). In the Hebrew "a mantle of Shinar." Entirely gratuitous is the suggested correction of Shinar to se`ar, making "a hairy mantle." The Greek has psilen poikilen, which Josephus apparently understood to mean "a royal garment all woven out of gold" (Ant., V, i, 10). The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) calls it a "scarlet pallium," and some of the rabbinical traditions make it a purple robe. Such classical writers as Pliny and Martial speak of the weaving of embroidered stuffs as a famous industry of Babylonia. Many tablets that have been deciphered indicate that the industry was indeed widely extended, that its costly products were of great variety and that some of them were exported to distant markets; in fine, that the account in Joshua is characterized by great verisimilitude.

Willis J. Beecher

On the Babylonish Captivity of the Church on the Babylonish ...
... CONCERNING CHRISTIAN LIBERTY III ON THE BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY OF THE CHURCH ON THE
BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY OF THE CHURCH. Jesus. Martin Luther, of the Order of St. ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/iii on the babylonish captivity.htm

Of the Babylonish Captivity, and the Things Signified Thereby.
... Chapter 21."Of the Babylonish Captivity, and the Things Signified Thereby.
37. "Howbeit, after the lapse of some generations, another ...
/.../chapter 21 of the babylonish captivity.htm

Psalm CXXVI.
... [5495] ...But when all time is past, then we return to our country, as after seventy
years that people returned from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon is ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxvi.htm

How Gluttonous Desires Can be Overcome.
... of our tears and the weeping of our heart we shall succeed in extinguishing the
fiery furnace of our body, which is kindled by the Babylonish king [838] who ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xiv how gluttonous desires.htm

Five Kings in a Cave
... He had taken gold and silver and a Babylonish garment and had hidden the same in
his tent, and this was in direct disobedience to the commands of Joshua. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/five kings in a cave.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... Babylonians, [158]390. Babylonish dragon, death compared to, [159]142, [160]229.
Babylonish furnace, [161]103; three children in it, [162]104, [163]117. ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

On Attending the Church Service
... What manner of men they were about the time of the Babylonish captivity, we learn
from various passages in the prophecy of Jeremiah: From which it manifestly ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 104 on attending the.htm

The Fall of Babylon.
... In 1520 appeared a famous book, by Luther, on the "Babylonish Captivity of the
Church," in which he attacked Rome with great skill and courage. ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the fall of babylon.htm

The Original Text and Its History.
... 4. During the long Babylonish captivity the mass of the Jewish people, who were
born and educated in Babylon and the adjacent regions, adopted of necessity the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xiv the original text.htm

Achan's Sin, Israel's Defeat
... The specification of the 'Babylonish garment,' the 'shekels of silver,' and the
'wedge of gold,' is reserved for the sinner's own confession; but the blackness ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/achans sin israels defeat.htm

Babylonish (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Babylonish garment. A ... 4. (n.) Confused; Babel-like.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BABYLONISH GARMENT. bab ...
/b/babylonish.htm - 8k

Mantle (35 Occurrences)
... It is the word denoting the "goodly Babylonish garment" which Achan coveted (Joshua
7:21). ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BABYLONISH MANTLE. ...
/m/mantle.htm - 21k

Babylon's (11 Occurrences)

/b/babylon's.htm - 10k

Garment (143 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BABYLONISH GARMENT. bab-i-lo'-nish gar'ment: In
the King James Version, Joshua 7:21, for BABYLONISH MANTLE, which see. GARMENT ...
/g/garment.htm - 37k

Jew (34 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) Originally, one belonging to the tribe or kingdom
of Judah; after the return from the Babylonish captivity, any member of the ...
/j/jew.htm - 22k

Golan (4 Occurrences)
... It became the head of the province of Gaulanitis, one of the four provinces into
which Bashan was divided after the Babylonish captivity, and almost identical ...
/g/golan.htm - 11k

Tin (6 Occurrences)
... 22). The fire of the Babylonish Captivity would be the means of purging out the
idolatrous alloy that had corrupted the people. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/t/tin.htm - 10k

Achan (7 Occurrences)
... the occasion of the fall of Jericho, he seized, contrary to the divine command,
an ingot of gold, a quantity of silver, and a costly Babylonish garment, which ...
/a/achan.htm - 12k

Abib (5 Occurrences)
... (n.) The first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, corresponding nearly to
our April. After the Babylonish captivity this month was called Nisan. Int. ...
/a/abib.htm - 10k

Spoils (19 Occurrences)
... Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred
shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I ...
/s/spoils.htm - 12k

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