Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 47:12
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
12. Stand now with &c. ] Either Stand by thy spells, persist in them, stake everything upon them, as Lev 13:5; Jer 48:11, Eze 13:5 (these parallels, however, are not quite convincing); or (as in Isa 47:13) Stand forth with thy spells.
wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth ] Or: with which thou hast wearied thyself, &c.; see on ch. Isa 43:22. Duhm omits these words entirely, for the sake of the rhythm, but they excite no suspicion on any other ground.
if so be &c.] perchance thou wilt be able to profit!
perchance thou wilt inspire terror! (Cf. R.V.)
keen and bitter irony.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Stand now with thy enchantments – (See the notes at Isa 47:9). This is evidently sarcastic and ironical. It is a call on those who practiced the arts of magic to stand forth, and to show whether they were able to defend the city, and to save the nation.
Wherein thou hast labored – Or in practicing which thou hast been diligently employed.
From thy youth – From the very commencement of thy national existence. Babylon was always distinguished for these arts. Now was a time when their value was to be put to the test, and when it was to be seen whether they were able to save the nation.
If so be – Or perhaps or possibly, they may be able to profit thee – the language of irony. Perhaps by the aid of these arts you may be able to repel your foes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Stand: this word notes either,
1. Continuance. Persist or go on in these practices. Or,
2. Their gesture. For those that inquired of their gods by any of these superstitious practices used to stand; this being a posture, both of reverence, and waiting for an answer. But this is not a command or concession, but a sacred irony or scoff at the folly of these men, who having so oft been disappointed by these impostures, yet were as forward to use them and trust to them as if they had never deceived them.
From thy youth; from the beginning of thy commonwealth or kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. Standforth: a scornfulchallenge to Babylon’s magicians to show whether they can defendtheir city.
labouredThe devil’sservice is a laborious yet fruitless one (Isa55:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries,…. An ironic expression, deriding those evil arts, bidding defiance to them, calling upon the masters of them to do their utmost by them:
wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; from the infancy of their state; as soon as their monarchy was founded, or they became a people, they were given to these practices, and were famous for them; and in which, no doubt, many among them were brought up from their youth; and to gain the knowledge of which they were at great labour and expense; and yet it was all in vain, and to no purpose:
if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail; if skill in these things can be of any advantage to keep off the impending calamity, and fortify against the powerful enemy that will quickly surprise thee; try if by thine art thou canst foresee the danger, and prevent it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then follows the concluding strophe, which, like the first, announces to the imperial city in a triumphantly sarcastic tone its inevitable fate; whereas the intermediate strophes refer rather to the sins by which this fate has been brought upon it. “Come near, then, with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy witchcrafts, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth: perhaps thou canst profit, perhaps thou wilt inspire terror. Thou art wearied through the multitude of thy consultations; let the dissectors of the heavens come near, then, and save thee, the star-gazers, they who with every new moon bring things to light that will come upon thee. Behold, they have become like stubble: fire has consumed them: there is not a red-hot coal to warm themselves, a hearth-fire to sit before. So is it with thy people, for whom thou hast laboured: thy partners in trade from thy youth, they wander away every one in his own direction; no one who brings salvation to thee.” Hitzig and others adopt the simple rendering, “Persevere, then, with thine enchantments.” It is indeed true, that in Lev 13:5 signifies “to remain standing by anything,” i.e., to persevere with it, just as in Eze 13:5 it signifies to keep one’s standing in anything; in 2Ki 23:3, to enter upon anything; and in Ecc 8:3, to engage in anything; but there is no reason for taking it here in any other sense than in Isa 47:13. Babylon is to draw near with all the processes of the black art, wherein , according to our western mode of expression, equivalent to , Ges. 123, 2*) it had been addicted to abundance of routine from its youth upwards ( with an auxiliary pathach for ); possibly it may be of some use, possibly it will terrify, i.e., make itself so terrible to the approaching calamity, as to cause it to keep off. The prophet now sees in spirit how Babylon draws near, and how it also harasses itself to no purpose; he therefore follows up the , addressed in pleno to Babylon, with a second challenge commencing with . Their astrologers are to draw near, and try that power over the future to which they lay claim, by bringing it to bear at once upon the approaching destruction for the benefit of Babylon. is a singular form connected with a feminine plural suffix, such as we find in Psa 9:15; Eze 35:11; Ezr 9:15, connected with a masculine plural suffix. Assuming the correctness of the vowel-pointing, the singular appears in such cases as these to have a collective meaning, like the Arabic pl. fractus; for there is no ground to suppose that the Aramaean plural form etsath is used here in the place of the Hebrew. Instead of (which would be equivalent to , the keri reads , cutters up of the heavens, i.e., planners or dissectors of them, from hab , dissecare , resecare (compare the rabbinical habharah , a syllable, i.e., segmentum vocabuli , and possibly also the talmudic ‘ ebharm , limbs of a body). The correction proposed by Knobel, viz., c hobh e re , from c habhar , to know, or be versed in, is unnecessary. Chazah b’ signifies here, as it generally does, to look with pleasure or with interest at anything; hence Luther has rendered it correctly, die Sternkucker (Eng. ver. star-gazers). They are described still further as those who make known with every new moon ( lechodashm , like labb e qarm , every morning, Isa 33:2, etc.), things which, etc. is used in a partitive sense: out of the great mass of events they select the most important, and prepare a calendar or almanack ( in Plutarch) for the state every month. But these very wise men cannot save themselves, to say nothing of others, out of the power of that flame, which is no comforting coal-fire to warm one’s self by, no hearth-fire (Isa 44:16) to sit in front of, but a devouring, eternal, i.e., peremptory flame (Isa 33:14). The rendering adopted by Grotius, Vitringa, Lowth, Gesenius, and others, “ non supererit pruna ad calendum ,” is a false one, if only because it is not in harmony with the figure. “Thus shall they be unto thee,” he continues in Isa 47:15, i.e., such things shall be endured to thy disgrace by those about whom thou hast wearied thyself ( = ). The learned orders of the Chaldeans had their own quarter, and enjoyed all the distinction and privileges of a priestly caste. What follows cannot possibly be understood as relating to these masters of astrology and witchcraft, as Ewald supposes; for, according to the expression in Isa 47:11, they would be called . Moreover, if they became a prey of the flames, and therefore were unable to flee, we should have to assume that they were burned while taking flight (Umbreit). are those who carried on commercial intercourse with the great “trading city” (Eze 17:4), as Berossos says, “In Babylon there was a great multitude of men of other nations who had settled in Chaldea, and they lived in disorder, like the wild beasts;” compare Aeschylus, Pers. 52-3, . All of these are scattered in the wildest flight, , every one on his own side, viz., in the direction of his own home, and do not trouble themselves about Babylon.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 12-15: THE IMPOTENCE OF IDOLS IN THE HOUR OF NEED
1. From her origin, under Nimrod (Gen 10:10), Babylon has trusted in sorcery and enchantments; Jehovah now challenges her to look to them and see whether they so terrorize the Holy One of Israel as to prevent His purposed judgment upon her sin, (vs. 12).
2. Since she has a wearying number of counselors (astrologers, stargazers and monthly prognosticators), let them rise up, if they can, and save her from what Jehovah has declared will be her lot, (vs. 13; Jer 51:58; Jer 51:64; Dan 2:2; Dan 2:10).
a. They will all be as stubble – consumed by the fire of divine indignation, (vs. 14a; Isa 10:17; Jer 51:29-32; comp. Isa 5:24-25; Nah 1:10; Mal 4:1).
b. They cannot even deliver themselves from the power of the flame, much less those who trust in them!
3. In the day of her distress Babylon will be forsaken of all those who have labored with her – those who have been her merchants from youth – none will be able to save her! (Rev 18:9-11).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. Stand now amidst thy divinations. The Prophet speaks as we are accustomed to speak to desperate men, on whom no warnings produce any good effect; “Do as thou art wont to do; in the end thou shalt be instructed by the event; thou shalt know what good the augurs and soothsayers do thee.” By the word “stand” he alludes to the custom of the augurs, who remain unmoved in one place till some sign is seen. (230) In like manner, the astrologers mark out their divisions in the heavens, even to the minutest points. If it shall be thought preferable to translate חברים (chabarim) diviners instead of divinations, I shall not greatly object; for the meaning of the word is ambiguous.
If perhaps thou shalt prevail. As if he had said, “Thou shalt not be able, by the aid of thy augurs, to mitigate the calamity which is about to overtake thee.” He taunts their perverse confidence on this ground, that when they shall have made every attempt, no advantage will follow.
(230) “ Jusqu’ a ce que quelque oiseau soit apparu.” “Till some bird is seen.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
A CALL TO THE UNRIGHTEOUS
(Fourth Sunday in Advent.)
Isa. 46:12-13. Hearken unto Me, ye stout-hearted, &c.
Referred at first to local and national circumstances, but addressed to the men of every generationto ourselves in our own circumstances, rendered more obvious and striking by the near approach of the joyful season of Christmas.
I. Gods dealings with mankind have been all of a character which may be called unexpected. No reason can be given why men should be redeemed, rather than fallen angels, save that it so pleased Him who worketh all things, &c. Suppose that God had left the world to itself for many ages; suppose Him breaking the silence of centuries, of what nature would the world expect the summons to be if roused in the midst of its profligacy by the call, Hearken, &c.? Would it not be a message of wrath, &c.? It never could have been expected, that after such a summons would follow such words as are found in the text.
II. Having summoned the stout-hearted to hearken, the words that follow are specially adapted to their casecontain the motives which are most likely to bring them to contrition and repentance. The nearness of salvation is made an argument with the ungodly why they should turn from evil courses, just as preached by the BaptistRepent ye, for, &c. The argument may not seem at first to be one of extraordinary force, but there is an energy and a persuasiveness in the approach of a Redeemer which may vainly be looked for in the approach of any other persons, or any other event. Apply this argument.
God goes on to speak with more distinctness of His purposes of mercy: And I will place, &c. Refers originally to what Christ would accomplish at His first appearing in Judea, and also what He would effect at His second advent. But if we confine our thoughts to what has been already effected, we have sufficient material from which to prove the accomplishment of the text. Righteousness is the salvation which God promises to be at hand. This is the most faithful description of the deliverance provided through the mediation of Christ, for that deliverance to righteousness which God provided for His own honour whilst providing for our rescue (Rom. 9:30, &c.) And not only is salvation the righteousness of all, because it provides that God shall be just while the justifier; it is emphatically Gods righteousness, inasmuch as it communicates a righteousness to man which by his own strivings he could not have attained. It does this in two waysby imputing Christs righteousness, and by working righteousness in us by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
And this salvation God placed in Zion, for it was only by the going up of the Mediator as a victim to the altar that the curse of the law was exhausted and the honour of the Divine attributes secured. Ages have no power to weaken or remove it. Still is virtue going out from Zion mighty as when the first Atonement was made. But we look for a yet nobler and ampler accomplishment of the prophecy (Isa. 25:6-8; Isa. 63:1).
For Israel my glory. Wonderful words! That fallen man should be His glory is an inexplicable mystery apart from Redemption. A redeemed creature is emphatically the glory of God.H. Melvill, B.A.: Sermons, 1853, pp. 562568.
I. A CALL OF GOD TO THE LISTLESS AND IMPENITENT. Hearken unto Me ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness.
1. This call may be said to apply to three classes
(1.) To the spiritually deaf;
(2.) To the spiritually obdurate;
(3.) To the spiritually destituteFar from righteousness.
2. This call is entitled to our immediate and most earnest attention.
(1.) Because it concerns our eternal destiny;
(2.) Because it is Gods call.
II. CONNECTED WITH THIS CALL IS THE GRACIOUS PROVISION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SALVATION. I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry. Of this salvation, thus provided and so easily available, we reremark that
1. It is Divine in its origin and nature. I bring; my salvation.
2. It is prompt in its announcement and delivery. The text signifies anything but delay, anything but cold and indifferent pauses. God makes haste to be gracious. He observes due time. and sent His Son in the fulness of time, He is slow to anger, but plenteous in mercy. As the prodigals father ran to meet him, so does God to save man.
3. It is mercifully adapted to the sinners condition.
(1.) He deserves threatening, but obtained instead mercys rich promise. God might justly have followed the call by threatening; but rather than this, there is a beautiful transition from the severe to the tender, from the prelude of thunder to the sweet and gentle music of love. It is a beautiful gradation from law to grace.
(2.) He deserves the loss of redemptive privileges, but is offered a near salvation.
(3.) He deserves present punishment, but is offered a timely pardon.
III. GOD CONSTITUTES HIS CHURCH THE TREASURY OF THIS ACCESSIBLE SALVATION. I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory. Here we see
1. That the church is the worlds house of mercy.
2. That the church is entrusted with the most solemn responsibilities.
3. That the church is Gods glory and object of honour. For Israel my glory.Thomas Colclough in the Lau Preacher, vol. iii. p. 123.
I. THE DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF UNCONVERTED SINNERS.
1. Stout-heartedstubborn, obdurate, hard. In Eze. 11:19 we have a striking and instructive figure describing the condition of unconverted sinners: The stony heartas hard, as cold, as barren, and as dead as a stone!
2. Far from righteousnessrightness in heart, in habit, and in life. Morally wrong. Alienated from God. All are naturally wrong (Rom. 3:10). Yet some talk of moral excellence in fallen creatures, &c. The Bible acknowledges no real excellence but what arises from a work of grace upon the soul. Sin has defaced the moral excellences of man (Jer. 17:9; Gen. 6:5; Rom. 8:7). That which is born of the flesh is fleshfallen, corrupt, subject to the law of the Fall. Ye must be born again.
II. THE WONDERFUL MERCY OF GOD. Has provided a method of deliverance from this deplorable condition. I bring near my righteousness, &c. This deliverance God brings near (Rom. 10:6-9). Your wrongness may be brought to a final end. The gospel is the grand provision for the restoration of righteousness in fallen and sinful men (2Co. 5:21, &c.) Though by nature far off, you may be brought nigh by the blood of Christ.
III. THE IMPERATIVE DUTY TO WHICH SINNERS ARE SUMMONED. Hearken unto Me. When God speaks, it behoves us to listen (Heb. 2:2-3). Hearken to His voiceimmediately, earnestly, practically, constantly. Hear, and your soul shall live.Alfred Tucker.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(12) If so be thou shalt be able . . .The words come with a subtle tone of irony. Persevere in thy enchantments . . . perchance thou wilt be able to profit, perchance thou wilt strike terror.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Wherein thou hast laboured Namely, in astrology, magic, or sorceries, through which Babylon might attempt to thwart the divine decree.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Stand now with your enchantments,
And with the multitude of your sorceries,
In which you have laboured from your youth.
If so be that you will be able to profit.
If so be that you may prevail.
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels.
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators,
Stand up and save you from the things that will come on you.”
Isaiah now calls on her to do what she can with what she has. It will be of no use. Her enchanters and sorcerers have many decades of experience of magic and sorcery, let them now take their stand with it. It will not benefit her, but she may as well try. She will not prevail, but again, she may as well try. Indeed she is worn out by all the advice and words from the gods, and from their ancestors, and from the stars, described as the ‘multitude of your counsels’. And she was so proud of them. Well, let all those who engage in foretelling the future now stand up and save her from what is to come on her. But they will not be able to.
The multiplicity of their counsels, conflicting advice from many sources, is in stark contrast to the one counsel of Yahweh (Isa 44:26; Isa 46:11). Yahweh’s counsel does not weary men by its continual contradictions. It has simply to be responded to or ignored.
‘Enchantments’ (what binds) are those means used to bind the supposed heavenly powers to perform on their behalf, the ‘sorceries’ are the actual incantations which they utilise in the process. The astrologers divided up the heavens into sections and sought to read the future from the stars (not unknown today, and just as spurious. At least the ancients believed they were gods. The moderns believe they are fate). The stargazers interpreted unusual signs in the heavens. The monthly prognosticators did their work at the new moon.
We are probably to see that all these people are in stark contrast with Yahweh’s Servant. He would not seek to such extremes, he would simply listen to the voice of God
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Isa 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.
Ver. 12. Stand now with thine enchantments. ] a Try thine utmost skill, and let us see what thou canst do for thyself. This is spoken in way of derision.
Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth.
a Hinc divinatores per antonomasiam Chaldaei appellati.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isa 47:12-15
12Stand fast now in your spells
And in your many sorceries
With which you have labored from your youth;
Perhaps you will be able to profit,
Perhaps you may cause trembling.
13You are wearied with your many counsels;
Let now the astrologers,
Those who prophesy by the stars,
Those who predict by the new moons,
Stand up and save you from what will come upon you.
14Behold, they have become like stubble,
Fire burns them;
They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame;
There will be no coal to warm by
Nor a fire to sit before!
15So have those become to you with whom you have labored,
Who have trafficked with you from your youth;
Each has wandered in his own way;
There is none to save you.
Isa 47:12 Perhaps you may cause trembling Leupold adds the word me to show the possibility that God is telling them to see if their spells threaten Him or cause Him to tremble. This seems to be the meaning of the passage. It may, however, refer to the Persian army (NJB).
Isa 47:13 Not only are Babylon’s deities helpless and humiliated (cf. Isa 47:1-3; Isa 47:5), but also her prophets and counselors/sorcerers (cf. Isa 47:14).
NASB, NKJV,
LXXcounsels
NRSV, NJB consultations
TEV advise
This is the same Hebrew word (BDB 420) that is translated purpose in Isa 46:10-11. This may be a contrast between YHWH’s plans/purposes that will come to pass and the faulty, weak, ineffective plans/purposes of the Babylonian religious elite!
No one counseled YHWH (cf. Isa 40:13). He always fulfills His plans (cf. Isa 44:26; Isa 46:10-11).
NASB, NKJV,
TEV, NJB,
LXXastrologers
NRSVthose who study the heavens
JPSOAscanners of heavens
PESHITTAChaldeans
Emphasized
Biblethe dividers of the heavens
The MT has the Qal PERFECT of BDB 211, KB 237 (ketiv), which seems to mean to divide from an Arabic root. The Masoretic scholars suggested that the Qal PARTICIPLE of the same root be read (qere). If this is accurate then it is parallel with those who prophesy by the stars (i.e., astrologers).
Isa 47:14 There will be no coal to warm by,
Nor a fire to sit before
Fire is used here as a judgment on the occultic practices of Babylon. Fire did have domestic purposes for cooking food and keeping warm, but this fire will be a fire of judgment.
SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. What is the play between Isa 45:23; Isa 46:1-2?
2. What is the word play between Isa 46:1-4?
3. List the number of ways that monotheism is emphasized in Isaiah 46, 47.
4. What does Isa 46:8 have in common with Isa 46:12?
5. How does one reconcile God’s control over history and human freedom?
6. Why is Isa 46:12-13 important to our concept of justification by faith?
7. List the number of ways that Babylon has fallen from luxury to slavery.
8. List the types of occult practices found in Isa 47:9-13.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Stand now with = Persist in.
prevail = strike terror.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 47:12-15
Isa 47:12-15
“Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels: let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm, nor a fire to sit before. Thus shall the things be unto thee wherein thou hast labored: they that have trafficked with thee from thy youth shall wander everyone to his own quarter; there shall be none to save thee.”
Are the vast majority of human beings today trusting anything any more substantial than these objects of misplaced trust in ancient Babylon? Behold the millions that are trusting in alcohol or drugs, that are given continually and without intermission to pleasures, who feel secure in their complacent rejection of God’s Word and his imperatives for all men, who, to all intents and purposes, are saying by their actions, “I am, and there is none else besides me!” who give no more thought regarding God Almighty himself than if he did not exist? As a nation today, we are investing $3,000,000,000 annually in astrological readings, the signs of the Zodiac, etc.; and there is a full quarter-page of such nonsense every day in the daily newspapers. In every large city, there may be found in every square mile of them some “Madam So and So,” reading palms or something, predicting futures, solving problems, and guiding lives by the same old black arts found in ancient civilizations. Who bothers to seek God and to pray about his needs or problems?
Family ties are greatly strained; the Biblical conception of monogamous marriage is threatened by the “live in” libertines; and every department store in the nation adds a surcharge of at least 15 percent to protect themselves from shop-lifting. Such people are materialists, living only for material rewards, and measuring themselves and all whom they know by material standards alone. God have mercy upon our new race of Babylonians.
“The reference to `monthly prognosticators’ (Isa 47:13) apparently refers to the monthly reports which the official astronomers at the various observatories in the empire were required to send in every month to the king.” They certainly missed it in that month in which the drunken Belshazzar was slain.
Barnes’ comment on this chapter is appropriate:
“This chapter contains some very particular statements about the manner in which Babylon was to be destroyed, statements which were fulfilled with remarkable accuracy. They are statements that could not have been the result of conjecture, nor of mere political sagacity; and it should be borne in remembrance that this prophecy was uttered one hundred fifty years before its fulfillment.”
The last two verses here are very similar to the flight and disappearance of all Nineveh’s previous allies as soon as God’s judgment fell upon her. The traffickers, whether applied to the merchants, or to the traffickers in the black arts, will not be around when they are needed. The statement that each shall wander to his own quarter, does not mean “his quarter of the city,” but rather that he shall go about his business and leave Babylon to perish. This is exactly what was prophesied of Nineveh in Nah 2:8. “They shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land (Isa 13:14).”
Isa 47:12-15 ANNIHILATED: Jehovah now challenges Babylon to call upon the full force of its massive and complex system of sorcery, astrology and magic to save it. The ancient peoples not only worshiped the stars, but many of them built their political and economic structures on a science of star-gazing and horoscope casting. These pseudo-sciences were elaborately constructed and Babylon was more prolific than all the ancients. Determining things from the motions of the stars was not something Babylon merely toyed with. She had built her whole national identity on this from her very beginning. She went to war or sued for peace on the basis of what the stars said. She crowned emperors or deposed them only after casting a horoscope. She conducted business and built buildings and practiced the healing arts by interpreting dreams, saying incantations and practicing sorcery. So, if Babylon had any resource greater than any other empire of the past (Egypt, Assyria, etc.) it would be her star-gazing. If she was to prevail against the God of Israel her elaborate system of astrology would have to stand up. The many hours of study devoted to astrology, the voluminous writings of the wisemen and the staggering (and sometimes repulsive) amount of time consumed to practice all the hocus pocus involved wearied the general populace. There is evidence that even emperors became exasperated at the sham of it all (cf. Dan 2:1-12). The Hebrew word modiyiym (prognosticators) is from yada (to know, perceive, discern) and the word khadashim means, new moons or months. The position of the moon was a determining factor in the Babylonian system of astrology.
But none of this shall save Babylon! Even this great, elaborate pervasive system of astrology shall be as vulnerable as dry wheat stubble thrown on a fire. It will go up in smoke, suddenly. Nothing will be left of it. Wood thrown on a fire leaves coals and lasts long enough to provide warmth. But poof, like stubble, Babylon and all her star-gazers will be gone! So much for all the years of toil and energy invested in Babylons elaborate system of astrology! All those sokherayik (traveling merchants) who trafficked with Babylon were interested only in financial gain. As long as they were making profit from trading with Babylon they were her friends. But when she needed assistance against her enemies they wandered to their own quarters, not wishing to suffer the judgments coming upon her. They have merely taken advantage of Babylon and have no genuine concern for her no matter how glibly they may have dealt with her when she was alive and prosperous. It was predicted that the magnificent Roman empire of the apostle Johns day would come to the same despicable ruin (cf. Revelation 17, 18). Rome would say in her heart she was a queen and not a widow. Rome would be burned with fire. The merchants of the earth would mourn Romes demise because it would mean financial loss for them (not that anyone was genuinely concerned for Romes fall). Thus Babylon is used as a symbol, a type, of the Roman empire (Rev 14:8; Rev 17:5; Rev 18:2; Rev 18:10; Rev 18:21, etc.).
Babylon fell! Great and sudden was her fall! It was totally unexpected! During a night of drunken revelry and carousing by the emperor (Belshazzar), his noblemen and concubines, Cyrus the Persian marched in on a dry river bed (whose waters had been diverted by Cyrus) and Belshazzar was slain. Romes fall was not quite so sudden, but it fulfilled the predictions of John just as certainly as Babylons fall fulfilled the predictions of Isaiah and Jeremiah. And just as certainly, all human governments must ultimately fall and give way to the kingdom of God for whom the new heavens and the new earth are to be created.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Isa 47:9, Isa 47:10, Isa 8:19, Isa 19:3, Isa 44:25, Exo 7:11, Exo 8:7, Exo 8:18, Exo 8:19, Exo 9:11, Jer 2:28, Dan 5:7-9, Nah 3:4, Act 13:8-12, 2Th 2:9-12, Rev 17:4-6
Reciprocal: Gen 3:22 – as one Gen 8:21 – the imagination Gen 41:8 – the magicians of Egypt Num 22:6 – I wot Num 22:25 – crushed Balaam’s Num 22:38 – have I Num 23:8 – General 1Sa 6:2 – called 2Ki 17:17 – used Ecc 10:15 – labour Isa 2:6 – and are Jer 10:2 – be Jer 27:9 – dreamers Dan 1:20 – the magicians Dan 2:2 – General Dan 2:27 – cannot Dan 4:6 – to bring Dan 4:18 – forasmuch Dan 5:8 – but Dan 5:15 – General Mic 3:7 – the seers Act 19:19 – used Rev 9:21 – their sorceries Rev 22:15 – sorcerers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 47:12-15. Stand now with thine enchantments Persist in these practices. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts. Thou art wearied in thy counsels Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, in trying all manner of experiments, and all to no purpose. Let now the astrologers, &c., stand up To succour thee, or to inquire for thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble They shall have no more power to withstand the calamities coming upon them than stubble has to resist the violence of the fire. They shall not deliver themselves from the flame And much less thee. There shall not be a coal to warm at, &c. They shall be totally consumed, and all the comfort which thou didst expect from them shall utterly vanish. Thus shall they be unto thee Such comfortless and helpless creatures, namely, thy sorcerers, astrologers, &c.; with whom thou hast laboured Upon whom thou hast spent thy time, pains, and money; even thy merchants Or negotiators, as Bishop Lowth translates , with whom thou hast had so much intercourse, and so many dealings. They shall wander every one to his quarter Or, as some interpret the meaning, They shall wander by whatsoever ways they can to the extreme boundaries of thy empire, to save themselves from the general calamity. None shall save thee From thy impending ruin, but all shall leave thee to perish without help, and without hope. Observe, reader, they, and only they, are safe and happy, who, by faith and prayer, deal with one that will always be a present help in time of trouble to those that flee to him for refuge, and trust in him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
47:12 Stand now with thy enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast {l} laboured from thy youth; if thou shalt be able to profit, if thou mayest prevail.
(l) He derides their vain confidence, who put their trust in anything but in God, condemning also such vain sciences, which serve no use, but to delude the people, and to bring them from depending only on God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The doom of Babylon 47:12-15
Yahweh’s denunciation of Babylon comes to a climax in the final four verses. In spite of her pride, Babylon would need a savior, but there would be none for her.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
God sarcastically challenged the Babylonians to continue to trust in their mediums and horoscopes, as though they might be able to deliver them from the fate He announced. They were not about to humble themselves, as the Ninevites did in Jonah’s day. If there was any time the Babylonians needed help from their wise men, it was before the Lord visited them with judgment.