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.
But these two (things) shall come to thee in a moment in one day - it should not decay slowly, but be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed; in a single night it was taken by Cyrus. The prophecy was again literally fulfilled when Babylon revolted against Darius; and, in order to hold out to the last, each man chose one woman of his family, and strangled the rest, to save provisions. Darius impaled 3,000 of the revolters.
They shall come upon thee in their perfection - i:e., 'in full measure.'
For the multitude of thy sorceries, (and) for the great abundance of thine enchantments - rather, 'notwithstanding the ... notwithstanding;' 'in spite of' (Lowth). So "for," Numbers 14:11. Babylon was famed for 'expiations or sacrifices, and other incantations, whereby they tried to avert evil and obtain good' (Diodorus Siculus).