Isaiah 47:9

These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet addresses a personified Babylon who boasts of unshakeable security and denies any possibility of future loss. This pronouncement functions as a direct reversal of her arrogant claim in Isaiah 47:8.

The words — וְתָבֹאנָה (ve-tavo-nah) means "they will come upon you," paired with רֶגַע (rega), literally "a moment." The text specifies that childlessness (שְׁכֹל) and widowhood (אַלְמֹנוּת) will arrive suddenly and completely, despite her spells.

The thread — Sudden, unannounced judgment appears in Psalms 73:19 and 1 Thessalonians 5:3, where destruction strikes while people claim peace and security. Isaiah 47:12 directly follows by urging Babylon to stand with the very spells that failed to prevent this fate.

Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that human arrogance and occult reliance cannot override divine sovereignty. It asks the reader to abandon self-sufficiency and acknowledge that security rests solely on God, not on personal wisdom or power.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְתָבֹאנָה֩ve./ta.vo.Nahso/ they may comeלָּ֨ךְla/khto/ youשְׁתֵּי־she.tei-both of אֵ֥לֶּה'E.lehthese [things]רֶ֛גַעRe.ga'a moment בְּי֥וֹםbe./Yomin/ a day אֶחָ֖ד'e.Chadone שְׁכ֣וֹלshe.Kholchildlessness וְאַלְמֹ֑ןve./'al.Monand/ widowhood כְּתֻמָּם֙ke./tu.Ma/maccording to/ completeness/ their בָּ֣אוּBa.'uthey will come עָלַ֔יִךְ'a.La.yi/khon/ you בְּרֹ֣בbe./Roin/ [the] abundance of כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְke.sha.Fa.yi/khsorceries/ your בְּעָצְמַ֥תbe./'a.tze.Matin/ [the] power of חֲבָרַ֖יִךְcha.va.Ra.yi/khspells/ your מְאֹֽד׃me.'Odvery many

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Psalms 73:19 How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Isaiah 47:12 So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!
Nahum 3:4 because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
Ruth 1:5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.
Ruth 1:20 “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me.
Isaiah 13:18 Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.
Isaiah 14:22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will cut off from Babylon her name and her remnant, her offspring and her posterity,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 51:18 Among all the sons she bore, there is no one to guide her; among all the sons she brought up, there is no one to take her hand.