Isaiah 47 12

Isaiah 47:12 kjv

Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.

Isaiah 47:12 nkjv

"Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries, In which you have labored from your youth? Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail.

Isaiah 47:12 niv

"Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.

Isaiah 47:12 esv

Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.

Isaiah 47:12 nlt

"Now use your magical charms!
Use the spells you have worked at all these years!
Maybe they will do you some good.
Maybe they can make someone afraid of you.

Isaiah 47 verses

Isaiah 47 12 Meaning

Isaiah 47:12 delivers a poignant and deeply sarcastic challenge to Babylon, a dominant global power at the time. The verse mocks Babylon's unwavering reliance on occult practices—enchantments, sorceries, and astrology—which were deeply embedded in its cultural and religious identity from its earliest days. The prophet, speaking on behalf of God, dares Babylon to "stand fast" in these practices, holding out a sardonic hope that perhaps they will, after all their historical investment and effort, yield any genuine profit or secure their survival against divine judgment. It underscores the utter futility of seeking power and security in anything other than the one true God, particularly in practices strictly forbidden by Him.

Isaiah 47 12 Context

Isaiah chapter 47 is a "taunt song" or lament directed specifically at Babylon, portrayed personified as a virgin daughter or queen, which is now fallen and disgraced. The chapter comes amidst a section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55) focusing on God's salvation of Israel and judgment on surrounding nations. Chapter 47 details Babylon's humiliation, contrasting its former glory and arrogant pride—thinking itself indestructible and perpetually supreme (v. 7)—with its imminent and unexpected downfall. This specific verse, Isaiah 47:12, targets Babylon's notorious reliance on its deeply ingrained pagan practices: astrology, divination, and sorcery, which were central to its culture, government, and perceived might. The prophet uses an intense, mocking tone, challenging Babylon to derive any benefit or defense from the very tools it had trusted throughout its history, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty over all human and demonic powers.

Isaiah 47 12 Word analysis

• Stand fast now (עִמְדִי נָא / 'imdî nā')
  • עִמְדִי ('imdî): An imperative verb, feminine singular, meaning "stand, remain, continue." The tone here is a strong, challenging, and deeply ironic command. It is not a genuine encouragement but a sarcastic dare to persist in practices that will ultimately prove useless.
  • נָא (nā'): An emphatic particle, often translated as "now" or "please," which in this context adds urgency and intensified sarcasm to the command. "Go on then!"
• in your enchantments (בַּחֲבָרַ֫יִךְ / bakhăvarayikh)
  • חֲבָרַ֫יִךְ (khăvarayikh): From the root חָבַר (ḥāvar), meaning "to unite, join, bind together." Here it refers to "charms," "spells," "incantations," or "binding magic." It implies practices intended to exert power or influence through verbal or ritualistic means, often involving associations with supernatural entities or forces.
• and in the multitude (וּבְרֹב / ūvrov)
  • וּ (ū-): Connective "and."
  • רֹב (rov): Meaning "abundance," "great quantity," "multitude." This emphasizes the extensive, pervasive, and overwhelming number of these practices Babylon engaged in. It speaks to the nation's deep and broad reliance on the occult.
• of your sorceries (כְּשָׁפַ֫יִךְ / kəshāphayikh)
  • כְּשָׁפַ֫יִךְ (kəshāphayikh): From the root כָּשַׁף (kāshaf), meaning "to practice magic, incantations, sorcery." This is a broader term for magical arts, often associated with potions, drugs, or conjuring. It describes the active practice of magic to achieve a desired outcome. The inclusion of both "enchantments" and "sorceries" paints a comprehensive picture of Babylon's deep engagement with the occult.
• in which you have labored from your youth (אֲשֶׁר יָגַעַתְּ מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ / 'ăsher yāḡa‘at minnə‘ûrayikh)
  • אֲשֶׁר ('ăsher): Relative pronoun "which," "that."
  • יָגַעַתְּ (yāḡa‘at): From the root יָגַע (yāḡa‘), "to toil," "labor," "wear oneself out." It signifies great effort, intense striving, and persistent work. This highlights the extensive, perhaps even exhausting, commitment Babylon had made to these occult practices over time.
  • מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ (minnə‘ûrayikh): "From your youth." This signifies a long-standing, deeply entrenched, and formative period of practice. These were not new or superficial aspects of Babylon but core to its national identity, development, and history, implying generations of investment.
• perhaps you will be able to profit (אוּלַי תוּכְלִי הוֹעִיל / 'ûlay tûḵəlî hô‘îl)
  • אוּלַי ('ûlay): Meaning "perhaps," "it may be," but used here in a strong rhetorical sense to convey doubt and sarcasm rather than genuine possibility. It sets up an expectation of failure.
  • תוּכְלִי (tûḵəlî): From יָכֹל (yākhōl), "to be able," "to be capable."
  • הוֹעִיל (hô‘îl): Hiphil infinitive construct from יָעַל (yā‘al), "to profit," "benefit," "be useful." The question is whether all this effort will bring any actual help or advantage.
• perhaps you will prevail (אוּלַי תַּעֲמֹדִי / 'ûlay ta‘amōdî)
  • אוּלַי ('ûlay): Again, "perhaps," intensifying the sarcasm.
  • תַּעֲמֹדִי (ta‘amōdî): From עָמַד (‘āmad), "to stand," "endure," "withstand," "prevail." This questions if these practices will enable Babylon to stand firm against the coming destruction, or simply collapse. It directly links back to "stand fast," mocking the very notion of enduring through these means.
• Word Group Analysis:
  • "Stand fast now... in which you have labored from your youth": This pairing dramatically highlights the ironic futility. The call to "stand fast" is predicated on practices Babylon has assiduously pursued for ages, yet the outcome (or lack thereof) will reveal the hollowness of their ancient faith.
  • "enchantments... sorceries": These two terms broadly cover the range of magical arts. They represent Babylon's full toolkit for manipulation of the unseen world, contrasting sharply with Israel's exclusive reliance on the Living God, who forbade such practices. The "multitude" of these practices underscores Babylon's total immersion and conviction in them.
  • "perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail": The repetition of "perhaps" (אוּלַי) functions as potent rhetorical sarcasm. It's not suggesting a slim chance but rather underscoring the absolute certainty of their failure and the utter uselessness of their reliance. The questions of "profit" and "prevail" directly challenge Babylon's ultimate goal in employing these dark arts—self-preservation and national advantage—predicting failure on both counts.

Isaiah 47 12 Bonus section

The strong polemic against Babylon's magic and astrology in Isaiah 47 (and elsewhere, like Dan 2) implicitly elevates the wisdom and power of Yahweh. While Babylon prided itself on its elaborate astrological systems and priestly castes that advised rulers, these very systems are declared futile by the prophet. This contrast reinforced Israel's covenant with a God who directly reveals His will, rather than requiring complex, illicit rituals or interpretations of omens. The fall of Babylon, despite its superior knowledge of magic compared to other nations, was designed to utterly discredit these pagan belief systems and vindicate the God of Israel as the sole sovereign power in history. The depth of Babylon's belief in these practices also explains the vehemence of the prophetic attack, highlighting a deeply ingrained spiritual deception.

Isaiah 47 12 Commentary

Isaiah 47:12 is a devastating prophetic indictment against Babylon's entrenched reliance on occult power. It mocks the nation's arrogant confidence in its "enchantments" and "sorceries"—practices forbidden by God yet foundational to Babylonian culture, from mundane rituals to royal decrees. The divine challenge to "stand fast" is laced with bitter sarcasm, emphasizing the immense, historical effort Babylon invested in these dark arts. Yet, the outcome of their "labor from youth" will be an ironic zero. The rhetorical "perhaps you will profit, perhaps you will prevail" points to an inevitable and utter failure, demonstrating the impotence of all human or demonic efforts when set against the sovereign will of the Lord. It serves as a stark reminder that true power and ultimate security come only from the one true God, rendering all other sources—especially the occult—as worthless and even dangerous delusions.