I should like to propose a third possible interpretation here. It does not necessarily exclude the legal and temporal interpretation, but would take more account of the context in DtIsa. The passage 47:8–9* is important here. There the subject is the antitype to Jerusalem as city; Babylon says about itself (v. 8*): “I shall not sit as a widow or be childless.” But the divine saying to Babylon (v. 9*) is: “These two things (שְׁתֵּי אֵלֶּה) shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss