The Meaning of Isaiah 47:12 Explained

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.

YLT: Stand, I pray thee, in thy charms, And in the multitude of thy sorceries, In which thou hast laboured from thy youth, It may be thou art able to profit, It may be thou dost terrify!

Darby: 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 turn them to profit, if so be thou mayest cause terror.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 47:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 47:1-15 - The Penalty Of Trusting In Wickedness
Babylon dwelt in careless security. She was given to pleasures, Isaiah 47:8; and said in her heart that her vast crowd of astrologers, magicians, and priests, would certainly warn her of impending evil and deliver her. But nothing could be more absolute than her fall. For centuries she has been buried under mounds of desolation, while the Hebrew people, whom she so cruelly oppressed, are the monument of God's preserving mercy. The fact is that Babylon exceeded her duty. She was used as Jehovah's chastising rod upon the Hebrews, but she was merciless in the extreme in her behavior and for this excess she suffered. Compare Isaiah 47:6 with Zechariah 1:15.
Notice Jonah 4:10-1108. The prophet turns from the overthrow of the proud city to remind his people that Babylon's tribulation is due to the redeeming arm of God; and we must never forget that in the midst of her overthrow there was a thread of golden mercy. The loved that brooded over Nineveh must have been there. See 1711697889_5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 47

1  God's judgment upon Babylon and Chaldea
6  For their unmercifulness
7  Pride
10  And over-boldness
11  Shall be irresistible

What do the individual words in Isaiah 47:12 mean?

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 you will prevail
עִמְדִי־ נָ֤א בַחֲבָרַ֙יִךְ֙ וּבְרֹ֣ב כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגַ֖עַתְּ מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ אוּלַ֛י תּוּכְלִ֥י הוֹעִ֖יל תַּעֲרֽוֹצִי

עִמְדִי־  Stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
נָ֤א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בַחֲבָרַ֙יִךְ֙  with  your  enchantments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: חֶבֶר  
Sense: association, company, band.
וּבְרֹ֣ב  and  the  multitude 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ  of  your  sorceries 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: כֶּשֶׁף  
Sense: sorcery, witchcraft.
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר  in  which 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָגַ֖עַתְּ  you  have  labored 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: יָגַע  
Sense: to toil, labour, grow weary, be weary.
מִנְּעוּרָ֑יִךְ  from  your  youth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: נְעוּרִים 
Sense: youth, early life.
אוּלַ֛י  Perhaps 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: perhaps, peradventure.
תּוּכְלִ֥י  you  will  be  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
הוֹעִ֖יל  to  profit 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָעַל  
Sense: (Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail.
תַּעֲרֽוֹצִי  you  will  prevail 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: מַעֲרָץ 
Sense: to tremble, dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble.