Isaiah 13:12 kjv
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Isaiah 13:12 nkjv
I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Isaiah 13:12 niv
I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.
Isaiah 13:12 esv
I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.
Isaiah 13:12 nlt
I will make people scarcer than gold ?
more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.
Isaiah 13 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:12 | "I will make mortals more scarce than pure gold, and humans than the gold of Ophir." | Prophecy of Babylon's desolation |
| Jer 25:33 | "And those the Lord slays that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, or gathered up or buried, but will be dung on the ground." | Jerusalem's destruction, widespread death |
| Jer 50:9 | "For I will stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the country of the north..." | Divine judgment on Babylon |
| Jer 51:45 | "My people, go out from her! And save yourselves, each one from the fierce anger of the LORD." | Warning to flee Babylon's judgment |
| Rev 18:4 | "Then I heard another voice from heaven say: 'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.'" | Call to escape spiritual Babylon |
| Zech 11:9 | "'I will feed the flock doomed to slaughter because of what the greedy shepherds are doing to the flock. I will not have pity on the people living in this land,' declares the LORD. 'I will hand everyone over to his neighbor and to his king. They will plague the land, and I will not rescue them from their hands.'" | Judgment on shepherds, leading to suffering |
| Luke 21:26 | "Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the forces of the heavens will be shaken." | Signs of end times, distress |
| Matt 24:22 | "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." | Shortening of tribulation |
| Job 22:24 | "Then you will lay your treasure in the dust, your gold among the pebbles of the torrents." | Wicked's downfall, loss of wealth |
| Job 28:16 | "It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, or in precious onyx, or in sapphire." | Value of wisdom above earthly riches |
| Ps 45:9 | "Daughters of kings are among your cherished ones; at your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir." | Royal praise, value of refined character |
| Isa 43:3-4 | "For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life." | God's redemptive love, valuing His people |
| Isa 60:17 | "Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring bronze, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will also make peace your overseers and righteousness your taskmasters." | Transformation and prosperity under God |
| Jer 13:23 | "Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." | Inability to change wicked nature |
| Eze 7:19 | "‘They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has become a snare because of their iniquity.’" | Worthlessness of wealth during judgment |
| Mal 3:17 | "‘They will be mine,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father spares his own son who serves him.’" | God's treasured possession |
| Hag 2:8 | "‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty." | Sovereignty over all wealth |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." | Ultimate sacrifice for humanity |
| Rev 3:18 | "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you may become rich..." | Spiritual wealth over material |
| Rev 21:21 | "The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, like transparent glass." | Heavenly city's precious materials |
Isaiah 13 verses
Isaiah 13 12 Meaning
The verse states that humans will become rare, and a person will be more scarce than the fine gold of Ophir. This signifies a time of extreme desolation and scarcity, where the value of human life will be profoundly diminished.
Isaiah 13 12 Context
Isaiah chapter 13 is a prophecy directed at Babylon, describing its impending judgment and utter desolation. The chapter outlines a massive military invasion and the subsequent collapse of the city and empire. The focus is on God's wrath against a powerful and often proud nation. Verse 12 fits within this context, detailing the severe depopulation and emptiness that will result from the divine judgment. The historical context is the ancient Near East, where Babylon was a dominant but often oppressive force. For the original audience, likely Judahites, this prophecy offered assurance of divine justice against their enemies.
Isaiah 13 12 Word Analysis
- הֵנִ֤י (henih): "I will make." From the root הוּן (hun), signifying to make, create, or bring into being. It expresses divine agency in causing this state of affairs.
- אָ֫דָ֥ם (adam): "Man," "humankind," "mortal." This refers to people in general, highlighting the scarcity of humanity itself.
- יַקִּ֑יר (yaqir): "Rare," "precious," "scarce." The root יקר (yaqar) also means to be valuable or honored. Here, it's used to emphasize extreme scarcity.
- מֵחָרִ֣יץ (meḥarits): "More than the fine gold." From חֲרִיצִים (ḥaritsim), referring to a very pure or refined type of gold.
- אוֹ֫פִ֥יר (Ophir): "Ophir." A renowned, distant land or port from which gold of exceptional quality was imported (1 Kings 9:28; Job 22:24). Its mention amplifies the value and rarity being compared.
- גֶּ֥בֶר (gever): "Man," "strong man," "male." Similar to Adam, but can also denote strength or valor. Used here again to emphasize the lack of people, specifically individuals of substance.
- מִזְּהַ֖ב (mizzahav): "Than the gold." From זהב (zahav), the general word for gold.
- אוֹ֫פִ֥יר (Ophir): Repeated to reinforce the comparison to the highest standard of precious metal.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I will make mortals more scarce than pure gold": This phrase equates the reduction of human population to a scarcity of the most valuable commodity of the time. It suggests a devastating event that will leave few survivors.
- "and humans than the gold of Ophir": This further emphasizes the extreme rarity, comparing individuals to an even more highly prized and rare form of gold, reinforcing the totality of the depopulation.
Isaiah 13 12 Bonus Section
The specific mention of "gold of Ophir" points to an established understanding of Ophir as a place known for exceedingly fine gold. This detail grounds the prophecy in the economic and cultural realities of the ancient Near East, where trade routes and precious commodities were well-known. The contrast between human life and gold emphasizes that in times of ultimate destruction, material wealth offers no salvation, and life itself becomes the ultimate commodity. The parallel with other prophecies of judgment (like those on Edom in Isaiah 34) and New Testament descriptions of end times underscores the thematic consistency of God's judgment on sinful nations and the finality of His justice. The hyperbole serves to powerfully convey the totality of the destruction.
Isaiah 13 12 Commentary
This verse vividly illustrates the profound impact of divine judgment. The devastation inflicted upon Babylon will be so complete that human presence will become extraordinarily rare, surpassing even the scarcity of the finest gold. This highlights not only the depopulation but also the complete reversal of societal structures and the devaluation of earthly pursuits in the face of God's power. The reference to Ophir underscores the magnitude of this loss, as Ophir's gold was the pinnacle of wealth and value in the ancient world. The prophecy points to a time of severe judgment where human life itself becomes more precious due to its extreme rarity.