Isaiah 47 10

Isaiah 47:10 kjv

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

Isaiah 47:10 nkjv

"For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, 'No one sees me'; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me.'

Isaiah 47:10 niv

You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'

Isaiah 47:10 esv

You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, "No one sees me"; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me."

Isaiah 47:10 nlt

"You felt secure in your wickedness.
'No one sees me,' you said.
But your 'wisdom' and 'knowledge' have led you astray,
and you said, 'I am the only one, and there is no other.'

Isaiah 47 verses

Isaiah 47 10 Meaning

Isaiah 47:10 unveils the core delusion of Babylon, portraying its downfall as a direct consequence of its arrogant self-assurance. The verse exposes Babylon's confidence rooted in its perceived cunning ("wickedness"), the belief in its invulnerability ("no one sees me"), and the proud reliance on its humanistic "wisdom and knowledge." It culminates in Babylon's audacious claim of divine uniqueness, mirroring God's own declarations, thereby pronouncing a fundamental theological transgression and an inevitable judgment for self-exaltation.

Isaiah 47 10 Context

Isaiah chapter 47 is a lament, an oracle of judgment specifically directed against Babylon, personified as a virgin daughter who is now brought low from her lofty perch of power and splendor. Historically, Babylon was the dominant imperial power of Isaiah's time, renowned for its military strength, economic prosperity, astrological wisdom, and seemingly impregnable defenses. The prophecy, written before Babylon's fall to Persia, is a powerful indictment of its hubris and cruelty towards God's people. This particular verse, Isaiah 47:10, dissects the spiritual and psychological roots of Babylon's overconfidence, pinpointing the precise beliefs and attitudes that fuel its arrogance and invite divine judgment. It emphasizes Babylon's internal conviction that it is secure and autonomous, rejecting any higher authority or accountability. The chapter contrasts Babylon's former glory and self-proclaimed eternal reign with its prophesied sudden and catastrophic demise.

Isaiah 47 10 Word analysis

• For you have trusted: Hebrew: ki baṭaḥt (כִּי בָטַחַתְּ).
  • ki (כִּי): "for," often introduces the reason or explanation for a preceding statement or implied condition. It connects Babylon's downfall to its preceding actions and attitudes.
  • baṭaḥt (בָטַחַתְּ): Second feminine singular perfect form of baṭaḥ, meaning "to trust, to be confident, to feel secure." This word is critically significant as "trust" is meant for the Creator alone in biblical theology. Babylon misplaced its trust. The feminine ending specifically addresses Babylon as a "daughter."
• in your wickedness: Hebrew: berā‘ātek (בְּרָעָתֵךְ).
  • be (בְּ): "in" or "by." Here, it signifies the sphere or cause of Babylon's trust.
  • rā‘ātek (רָעָתֵךְ): From ra‘ah, meaning "evil, wickedness, malice." Babylon found security not in justice or good governance, but in its manipulative and often cruel policies, its 'clever evil' that it thought guaranteed success.
• and have said: Hebrew: wattō'meri (וַתֹּאמְרִי).
  • Past tense verb indicating Babylon's verbalized, expressed conviction. This isn't merely an internal thought but an outward declaration or guiding principle.
• No one sees me: Hebrew: ’ên rō'eh ’otī (אֵין רֹאֶה אֹתִי).
  • ’ên (אֵין): "there is no, nothing."
  • rō'eh (רֹאֶה): Present participle of ra'ah, "to see." Implies continuous action, "no one is seeing me."
  • ’otī (אֹתִי): "me." This is a profound statement of perceived impunity, a denial of divine omniscience, accountability to a higher power, or even hidden human adversaries. It suggests a belief that their secret machinations would remain unexposed.
• Your wisdom: Hebrew: ḥokmātek (חָכְמָתֵךְ).
  • ḥokmah (חָכְמָה): "wisdom, skill, sagacity." Babylon was famed for its skilled astrologers, enchanters, and cunning political strategists. This refers to worldly intelligence, intellectual prowess, and even occult knowledge.
• and your knowledge: Hebrew: wěda‘tek (וָדַעְתֵּךְ).
  • wĕ (וְ): "and."
  • da‘at (דַּעַת): "knowledge, understanding, acquaintance." Often relates to practical understanding and insight. In this context, it includes their specialized information and esoteric practices (e.g., divination).
• they have misled you: Hebrew: hishshī'ūk (הִשִּׁיאוּךְ).
  • Hifil perfect of nāśā’ (or śā’a in some forms), meaning "to lead astray, deceive, delude." It highlights the ironic and tragic consequence: Babylon's most prized assets—its wisdom and knowledge—are not guiding forces but rather active agents of self-deception and delusion, steering it away from truth and into ruin.
• and you have said: Hebrew: wattō'meri (וַתֹּאמְרִי).
  • Repetition emphasizes the fixed and deep-seated nature of Babylon's conviction.
• in your heart: Hebrew: bilbabek (בִּלְבָבֵךְ).
  • be (בְּ): "in."
  • lebab (לֵבָב): "heart." In Hebrew thought, the heart is not just the seat of emotions, but also of intellect, will, and conscience. So, this declaration is not just a passing thought but a deeply held, fundamental belief that shapes identity and action.
• I am, and there is no one else besides me: Hebrew: ’anī wě’ên ‘ôd milbadī (אֲנִי וְאֵין עוֹד מִלְבַדִּי).
  • ’anī (אֲנִי): "I am." A declaration of existence and self-assertion.
  • wĕ’ên ‘ôd milbadī (וְאֵין עוֹד מִלְבַדִּי): "and there is no other besides me." This phrase directly mimics the exclusive self-revelation of Yahweh, the God of Israel (cf. Isa 45:5, 45:18, 45:21; 46:9). By uttering these words, Babylon is committing the ultimate act of hubris—usurping the unique identity and sovereignty of God Himself. It claims unparalleled supremacy and absolute independence.

Words-group analysis:

• "trusted in your wickedness": A stark paradox. It highlights the profound spiritual blindness where evil deeds and clever schemes become sources of security rather than vulnerability or shame. This shows an inverted moral compass.
• "No one sees me": This phrase epitomizes the delusion of impunity, whether from human foes or divine judgment. It speaks to a heart that believes its actions are beyond the reach of scrutiny, especially by a just God.
• "Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have misled you": This reveals a bitter irony. The very resources Babylon prided itself on and meticulously cultivated became the instruments of its downfall. What it believed to be its strength turned into a source of fatal deception.
• "I am, and there is no one else besides me": This is the climax of Babylon's arrogant blasphemy. By mimicking God's unique declarations, Babylon not only boasts of its own power and uniqueness but also actively usurps God's place, claiming divine status for itself. This sets the stage for God's certain and devastating response.

Isaiah 47 10 Bonus section

The specific use of the phrase "I am, and there is no one else besides me" (’anī wĕ’ên ‘ōd milbadī) by Babylon is not just general pride; it is a profound and deliberate echo of Yahweh's self-declarations throughout Isaiah (e.g., Isa 43:10; 45:5, 18, 21-22; 46:9). This exact phrasing by God establishes His exclusive deity and unrivaled power. When Babylon makes this claim, it directly challenges the Creator, not just an abstract concept of deity, but the specific, revealed God of Israel. This heightens the theological gravity of Babylon's offense, marking it as nothing short of blasphemy. The "wisdom and knowledge" of Babylon refer specifically to its renowned system of divination, astrology, and sophisticated magic (often associated with the Chaldeans, Dan 2:2), which stood in direct opposition to prophetic revelation and the monotheistic worship of Israel's God. Therefore, the "misleading" is a consequence of seeking guidance and security in pagan practices rather than divine truth. This verse thus stands as a strong polemic against idolatry, false wisdom, and nationalistic hubris.

Isaiah 47 10 Commentary

Isaiah 47:10 masterfully diagnoses the spiritual illness of pride that infected Babylon, providing a timeless lesson for all who elevate self over the Creator. Babylon's fatal error lies in its fundamental misplacement of trust. Instead of looking to the one true God, it trusts in its own rā‘āh (wickedness), meaning its effective yet corrupt statecraft, cunning, and might. This self-reliance fosters an illusion of invulnerability ("No one sees me"), suggesting an arrogance that believes it operates beyond divine or human accountability. The irony deepens as its esteemed ḥokmah (wisdom) and da‘at (knowledge)—worldly wisdom, practical understanding, and possibly occult expertise—become the very tools of its self-deception (hishshī'ūk, "they have misled you"). The ultimate offense is revealed in its internal declaration: ’anī wě’ên ‘ôd milbadī ("I am, and there is no one else besides me"). This is an overt and audacious usurpation of Yahweh's unique divine identity (Isaiah 45:5, 18, 46:9). Babylon's fall, therefore, is not merely a political defeat but a divinely orchestrated judgment against supreme hubris, a vivid demonstration that all created things, no matter how powerful, cannot withstand the true Creator when they challenge His sovereignty.

Examples:

• Businesses: A company relying solely on its clever market schemes (wickedness), believing its questionable ethics won't be exposed (no one sees me), and boasting about its industry dominance (I am, and no one else) risks collapse.
• Individuals: An individual confident in their manipulative abilities, thinking their secret sins are unseen, and believing their intellect makes them superior to everyone, ultimately finds such pride to be a deceptive path.
• Nations: A nation trusting its military might (wickedness) and advanced technology (wisdom and knowledge), assuming no external power can touch it (no one sees me), and claiming absolute sovereignty risks a divinely appointed fall.