King James Version

What Does Isaiah 47:12 Mean?

Isaiah 47:12 in the King James Version says “Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; i...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 47 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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 · KJV

Context

10

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. perverted: or, caused thee to turn away

11

Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. from: Heb. the morning thereof put: Heb. expiate

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.

13

Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers , the stargazers , the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. astrologers: Heb. viewers of the heavens the monthly: Heb. that give knowledge concerning the months

14

Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. themselves: Heb. their souls

Read Isaiah 47 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study 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).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural 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.

Reflection Questions

  1. What 'enchantments' (habits, securities, relationships) do you stand in that cannot actually help when trials come?
  2. How does the impotence of Babylon's wisdom in crisis expose the futility of trusting anything but God?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
עִמְדִי1 of 13

“Stand”

H5975

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

נָ֤א2 of 13
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

בַחֲבָרַ֙יִךְ֙3 of 13

“now with thine enchantments”

H2267

a society; also a spell

וּבְרֹ֣ב4 of 13

“and with the multitude”

H7230

abundance (in any respect)

כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ5 of 13

“of thy sorceries”

H3785

magic

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר6 of 13

“wherein”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

יָגַ֖עַתְּ7 of 13

“thou hast laboured”

H3021

properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ8 of 13

“from thy youth”

H5271

(only in plural collective or emphatic form) youth, the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people)

אוּלַ֛י9 of 13
H194

if not; hence perhaps

תּוּכְלִ֥י10 of 13

“if so be thou shalt be able”

H3201

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

הוֹעִ֖יל11 of 13

“to profit”

H3276

properly, to ascend; figuratively, to be valuable (objectively; useful, subjectively; benefited)

אוּלַ֥י12 of 13
H194

if not; hence perhaps

תַּעֲרֽוֹצִי׃13 of 13

“if so be thou mayest prevail”

H6206

to awe or (intransitive) to dread; hence, to harass

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 47:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 47:12 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 47:9-10Acts 13:8-12Jeremiah 2:28Nahum 3:4Revelation 17:4-6Exodus 7:11

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