Isaiah 47:9 kjv
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.
Isaiah 47:9 nkjv
But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments.
Isaiah 47:9 niv
Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells.
Isaiah 47:9 esv
These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments.
Isaiah 47:9 nlt
Well, both these things will come upon you in a moment:
widowhood and the loss of your children.
Yes, these calamities will come upon you,
despite all your witchcraft and magic.
Isaiah 47 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 47:11 | Calamity shall come upon you; you shall not know how to charm it. | Divine judgment on wicked nations |
| Jeremiah 51:8 | Babylon is fallen, is fallen! | Prophecy of Babylon's destruction |
| Jeremiah 50:31-32 | Behold, I am against you, O proud one... | God's judgment against proud Babylon |
| Revelation 17:16 | ...will hate her and will make her desolate and naked... | Destruction of "Babylon the Great" |
| Revelation 18:8 | ...so shall she, in one day, come in the judgment of God. | Sudden downfall of oppressive powers |
| Psalm 73:18-19 | Surely you set them in slippery places... How they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! | The sudden ruin of the wicked |
| Proverbs 24:22 | For their calamity shall rise suddenly from the Lord. | Unexpected judgment upon the wicked |
| Jeremiah 49:26 | her sons also shall stumble in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day. | Widespread defeat and ruin for proud nations |
| Ezekiel 26:12 | ...they will lay your stones and your timber and your soil in the midst of the water. | Utter destruction of a proud city |
| Nahum 3:7 | It shall come to pass that all who look at you will flee from you... | The inescapable shame and downfall of Nineveh |
| Isaiah 14:23 | I will make it a possession for the heron... | Total desolation and emptiness |
| Habakkuk 2:8 | Because you have looted many nations, all who remain of the peoples shall loot you. | Retribution for exploitative nations |
| Isaiah 45:3 | I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places... | God's sovereignty over earthly powers |
| Isaiah 34:11 | But the owl and the porcupine shall possess it... | God's judgment leading to desolation |
| Jeremiah 51:63 | ...cast this book into the middle of the Euphrates and say, "Thus shall Babylon sink..." | Symbolic act of Babylon's permanent destruction |
| Revelation 18:21 | Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence..." | Parallels the catastrophic end of corrupt powers |
| 1 Corinthians 10:12 | Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. | Warning against overconfidence |
| Galatians 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| Isaiah 21:4 | My heart is utterly stunned; terror has come upon me. | Overwhelmed by incoming judgment |
| Isaiah 13:6-7 | Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come with the fury of the Almighty. ... terror will be on them. | The day of the Lord bringing terror |
| Isaiah 14:15 | But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. | Humiliation and descent into the grave |
Isaiah 47 verses
Isaiah 47 9 Meaning
This verse vividly describes the impending and total destruction of Babylon, the proud city. It states that her ruin will come suddenly and irrevocably, despite her vast powers and past glories. The judgment is so complete that she will be rendered utterly powerless and desolate.
Isaiah 47 9 Context
Isaiah chapter 47 is a prophetic oracle directed against Babylon, the capital of the powerful Babylonian empire. The chapter opens with a vivid portrayal of Babylon as a proud, royal virgin who is now to be humbled and brought down from her glory. Isaiah contrasts her past arrogance and sorcery with the impending divine judgment. This prophecy would have resonated with the people of Judah, who had experienced the brutal conquest and exile of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Babylon, in its day, was a superpower that relied on its military might, occult practices, and seemingly impregnable defenses. However, God declares through Isaiah that no amount of these would save her from His judgment. The "day of the Lord" signifies a time of divine reckoning, which would result in the complete overthrow of the oppressive empire.
Isaiah 47 9 Word Analysis
- And (Hebrew: וְ wə): A conjunction used here to link consecutive events or consequences of the preceding statements. It signifies a continuing flow of judgment.
- calamity (Hebrew: אָסוֹן āsōn): A general term for disaster, ruin, or misfortune. In this context, it refers to the catastrophic downfall that God will bring upon Babylon.
- shall (Hebrew: תָּבוֹא tāḇō' / תֵּרֵד tērēḏ / תֵּדַע tēḏaʿ): Indicates future certainty. The verbs are in the imperfect tense, emphasizing the inevitability of these events.
- come (Hebrew: בּוֹא bō'): To arrive, to happen. Refers to the arrival of the impending disaster.
- upon (Hebrew: אֵלַיִךְ ʾêlāyiḵ): Towards you, against you. Highlights the personal nature of the judgment targeting Babylon.
- you (Hebrew: אָתְּ ʾat): Referring specifically to the personified nation or city of Babylon.
- and (Hebrew: וְ wə): Conjunction, indicating a parallel outcome or a connected state.
- you (Hebrew: לֹּא lō): Negation, absolute "no" or "not."
- shall not: Indicates the absence of capability or possibility.
- know (Hebrew: יָדַע yāḏaʿ): To understand, to perceive, to be aware of. This implies an inability to comprehend or deal with the impending doom.
- to charm (Hebrew: חֲבֶר ḥăḇer / קֶסֶם qeṣem - not direct translation for "charm" but associated with sorcery): The Hebrew here is more akin to "make a familiar friend" or "work enchantment," relating to her supposed ability to ward off evil or use her sorceries effectively. However, the NIV translation uses "work witchcraft." The verb here (likely referring to making incantations or invoking powers) implies the failure of her own supposed means of salvation or protection.
- it (Hebrew: לָּהּ lāh): Referring back to the "calamity." Babylon will not be able to devise a strategy or employ her occult powers to avert the disaster.
- or (Hebrew: אִם ʾim): Indicates an alternative, presenting two ways Babylon's downfall will be absolute.
- to make them (Hebrew: לְהַמְעִיט ləhamʿiṭ): This is a key word for analysis. It can mean "to lessen," "to diminish," "to hinder," or even "to ward off" in the sense of diminishing an attack. In this context, it signifies Babylon's inability to reduce or diminish the impact or arrival of the judgment.
- to pass (implied in the action of ham'iṭ): The concept of bringing something about or letting it pass over.
- from it (Hebrew: מִמֶּנָּה mimménnā): From herself or from her means. The futility of her own efforts against divine wrath.
Words Group Analysis:
- "you shall not know how to charm it": This phrase speaks to the utter helplessness of Babylon. Her supposed skills in magic and divination, which she used to control situations and foresee threats, will be useless. She will not even understand how to counter the approaching judgment.
- "or to make them pass from it": This phrase emphasizes that Babylon will be unable to diminish, avert, or escape the divine judgment. Her defenses, her armies, and her spiritualistic practices will all fail to mitigate the disaster. The totality of her destruction is highlighted by her inability to even lessen its impact.
Isaiah 47 9 Bonus Section
The imagery of Babylon's inability to "charm" or "make them pass" touches upon the historical Babylonian fascination with astrology, divination, and sorcery as means of control and prediction. These practices were central to their worldview and their claims of power. However, Isaiah declares that these very things, in which they put their trust, will utterly fail them when God unleashes His judgment. This polemic against pagan religious practices highlights the superiority and ultimate power of the God of Israel. The verse’s prophetic language finds echoes in later New Testament descriptions of Babylon's fall, particularly in Revelation 17 and 18, where spiritual and economic corruption lead to a violent and final judgment.
Isaiah 47 9 Commentary
Isaiah 47:9 proclaims the absolute and inevitable doom of Babylon. It's a stark reminder that worldly power, reliance on occult knowledge, or any human effort is ultimately futile against the sovereign judgment of God. Babylon, symbolized as a once-proud queen, is stripped of her defenses. Her supposed magical arts, her strategic prowess, and her confidence in her own might will prove utterly worthless. The verse conveys the suddenness and completeness of her fall, emphasizing that she will be unable to find any way to mitigate or escape the divinely ordained destruction. This serves as a powerful warning against pride and overconfidence in human strength, underscoring the ultimate authority of God over all nations and empires.