Isaiah 47:12
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.
Original Language Analysis
עִמְדִי
Stand
H5975
עִמְדִי
Stand
Strong's:
H5975
Word #:
1 of 13
to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
נָ֤א
H4994
נָ֤א
Strong's:
H4994
Word #:
2 of 13
'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר
wherein
H834
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר
wherein
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
6 of 13
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יָגַ֖עַתְּ
thou hast laboured
H3021
יָגַ֖עַתְּ
thou hast laboured
Strong's:
H3021
Word #:
7 of 13
properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil
מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ
from thy youth
H5271
מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ
from thy youth
Strong's:
H5271
Word #:
8 of 13
(only in plural collective or emphatic form) youth, the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people)
תּוּכְלִ֥י
if so be thou shalt be able
H3201
תּוּכְלִ֥י
if so be thou shalt be able
Strong's:
H3201
Word #:
10 of 13
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
Cross References
Jeremiah 2:28But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.Nahum 3:4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
Historical Context
Babylon's fall happened during a festival when defenses were lowered. No amount of divination predicted or prevented Cyrus's entry. The inability of Babylonian wise men to interpret Belshazzar's handwriting (Daniel 5) symbolized this bankruptcy.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'enchantments' (habits, securities, relationships) do you stand in that cannot actually help when trials come?
- How does the impotence of Babylon's wisdom in crisis expose the futility of trusting anything but God?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The sarcastic challenge 'Stand now with thine enchantments' invites Babylon to test her occult powers against God's judgment. The mocking 'if so be thou shalt be able to profit' questions whether sorceries ever provided real benefit, or only illusion. This exposes all false religion's impotence before the true God - when crisis comes, idols cannot help (Jeremiah 2:28).