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.Isaiah 47:13 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: You’re exhausted making plan after plan; now call in the astrologers, star-watchers, and monthly soothsayers—let them try to save you from what’s coming. - Big idea: Relying on occult wisdom, horoscopes, or countless human schemes cannot save you when God’s judgement or sovereign purposes arrive. - Key points: - The verse taunts a proud power (Babylon) for trusting occult advisers and many human plans. - Astrology and divination are presented as powerless in the face of God’s actions. - The passage warns against placing security in secret knowledge or human schemes rather than in God. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Isaiah 47 is a prophetic taunt against “daughter of Babylon” — a personified Babylon celebrated for wealth and control but now exposed and humiliated. Verse 13 belongs to a stretch (vv. 11–15) that mocks Babylon’s reliance on sorcery and promises inevitable downfall. - Story timeline: The oracle targets the great Neo-Babylonian power (6th century BC context) though the exact dating in prophetic collections can be debated. The immediate “audience” is Babylon (as a city/nation), and the speaker is the Lord pronouncing judgment through the prophet. - Surrounding passage: - Immediately before (vv. 11–12): God says He will punish the sorcerers and make the wise men blind; Babylon’s enchantments won’t protect her. - Immediately after (vv. 14–15): Babylon’s enemies will come suddenly and bring shame; Babylon’s proud plans will be turned to terror and confusion. ## Explanation - Quick take: The verse sarcastically dares Babylon to rely on astrologers and monthly omen-readers to rescue her—because those practices are useless against what God has decided to do. - In Depth: - “Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels” pictures a nation exhausted by its many plans, schemes, and advisors. The prophet highlights that human ingenuity and planning have limits. - The list—astrologers, stargazers, monthly prognosticators—names the specialists Babylon relied on to predict and avoid danger. In the ancient world these people read stars, planetary movements, and lunar signs (the “month” or “new moon” patterns) as omens for the future. - The tone is ironic: “Let them stand up and save you.” The implication is they cannot. The point is theological as well as political: Babylon’s religious or quasi-religious systems (astrology, divination) are powerless before God’s sovereign action. - The broader message is about misplaced trust: when security is placed in secret knowledge, rituals, or human planning rather than in God, it gives a false sense of control and leaves people exposed when unexpected events (or divine judgment) occur. ## Key Words - machshavot (מַחְשְׁבוֹת) — “counsels,” plans, thoughts, schemes (many strategies or advisers). - makkashpim (מַכַּשְׁפִּים) — “magicians” or “sorcerers,” those practicing occult arts. - chorshei kokhav (חַרְשֵׁי־כֹּכָב) — “star-writers” or “stargazers,” astrologers who read the stars for omens. - menabbe’ei chodesh (מְנַבְּאֵי־חֹדֶשׁ) — “monthly prognosticators,” diviners who interpret the cycles of the moon or monthly omens. ## Background - In the ancient Near East, Babylon was famous for its astronomical/astrological observation and omen literature (e.g., records like Enuma Anu Enlil). Rulers consulted priests and diviners for signs about wars, crops, and royal decisions. - Isaiah uses this cultural reality to make a point: what Babylon trusted most—its omens and secret lore—will not protect it from God’s judgment. Personifying Babylon as a proud woman who is about to be humiliated makes the oracle vivid and taunting. - Literary style: Isaiah 47 is a “taunt song” (a prophetic mockery) that combines imagery of shame, sudden downfall, and the impotence of idols and magic. ## Theology - Theological insights: - God is sovereign over nations and history; human schemes and secret lore do not overturn divine decisions. - Reliance on divination or astrology is presented as a form of idolatry or misplaced trust, morally and spiritually dangerous. - True wisdom is not secret knowledge that controls the future, but a right relationship with the living God who rules history. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: Don’t rely solely on career “strategies” or human networking as if they guarantee your future—combine wise planning with humility and trust in God’s guidance. - For parents: Teach children that the desire to control outcomes (through secret knowledge, luck, or manipulating others) can become a false security; modeling trust in God and ethical choices matters more. - For seekers or those tempted by the occult: This verse warns against turning to horoscopes, psychic readings, or divination for direction. Seek God and wise counsel instead. - For leaders and planners: Plans are important, but remember their limits. Moral responsibility and dependence on God should frame how strategies are made and executed. - Reflection questions: 1. Where am I tempted to trust human schemes, technical “know-how,” or hidden secrets more than God? 2. Are there practices or sources of “certainty” in my life (horoscopes, fortune-tellers, data-only decision-making) that need re-evaluation? - Short prayer: Lord, keep me from putting my security in secret knowledge or clever plans; give me wisdom to plan well and the faith to trust You with the outcomes. ## Translation Comparison - KJV: “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.” - NIV: “You are weary with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you—those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons predict what shall come upon you.” - ESV: “You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you.” - NRSV: “You are wearied from your many counsels. Let those stand up who prophesy by the stars, who make predictions by the new moons, who listen to your fortunes, and say, ‘What shall happen to you?’” - Why differences matter: Translators vary in how they render words like “counsels” (plans vs. advice) and the specialists’ titles (astrologers, star-gazers, those who “divide the heavens”). The phrase about “monthly prognosticators” is often tied to the lunar calendar—some translations emphasize prediction, others emphasize reading signs. These choices shape whether readers hear an emphasis on technical astrology, on ritual omen-reading, or on general divination practices. None of the translations misses the core point: these human diviners cannot save. ## FAQs - Q: Is this verse condemning science or astronomy? A: No. The target here is divination—using stars or monthly cycles as a secret system to control or predict the future for self-security or political advantage. Ancient “astrology” blended observational astronomy with omen interpretation and religious practice. The Bible elsewhere accepts knowledge about the natural world (God made it), but condemns turning that knowledge into an idol or trusting it as a substitute for God (see Deut. 18:10–12). Isaiah 47’s point is theological and ethical: relying on occult arts to avoid God’s purposes or to secure safety is futile and spiritually dangerous. - Q: Who is being addressed, and who speaks in this verse? A: The addressee is Babylon personified—the “daughter of Babylon” who is proud and secure. The voice behind the prophecy is the Lord (through the prophet), taunting the nation’s confidence. The rhetorical effect is a divine challenge: if Babylon’s many counselors and occult experts are so wise, let them prove their power now—and watch them fail. It underlines God’s control over empires and His judgment against misplaced trust. ## Cross References - Deuteronomy 18:10–12 — condemns divination and occult practices as detestable to God. - Daniel 2 — Babylonian wise men fail to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream without God’s revelation, illustrating human wisdom’s limits. - Isaiah 46:5–7 — idols and human-made things cannot save; they are powerless. - Jeremiah 50–51 — prophecies against Babylon’s fall (expanded narrative of Babylon’s judgment). ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most commentators read Isaiah 47 as an intentional, scathing oracle aimed at Babylonic pride. The chapter uses personal and sexualized imagery to show humiliation (a formerly powerful woman made naked and driven low). Verse 13 fits a pattern: describe the object of trust (astrologers, sorcerers), mock their impotence, and predict sudden ruin. Scholars note the historical resonance—Babylonian omen tradition was sophisticated—so the mockery bites deep: the very things that made Babylon feel secure will be revealed as useless. - Group study bullets: - Read Isaiah 47 aloud and identify the images of pride and humiliation; discuss emotional tone. - Compare Isaiah 47:13 with Daniel 2: who are the “wise men” in each text and how do they fare? - Reflect on modern “astrologies”: what contemporary practices function like ancient divination (e.g., horoscopes, algorithmic certainty, purely technical risk models)? Discuss how to respond as a faith community. - Prayer and practice: share times when plans failed and what trusting God looked like in those moments. ## Related verses (to compare and contrast) - Deuteronomy 18:10–12 — Why: Sets the legal-religious background: God forbids seeking knowledge from diviners and soothsayers. - Daniel 2:27–30 — Why: Shows Babylonian wise men unable to save the king without God’s revelation, reinforcing Isaiah’s message about human wisdom’s limits. - Isaiah 46:5–7 — Why: Emphasizes idols and human inventions don’t save—parallel theme of false security. ## Talk to the Bible Try the “Talk to the Bible” feature to explore this passage interactively. Suggested prompts: - “Explain how Babylonian astrology actually worked in the ancient world and why Isaiah targets it.” - “Compare Isaiah 47:13 with Daniel 2 and Jeremiah 50—what do they together say about Babylon and the limits of human wisdom?” - “How would you apply Isaiah 47:13 to someone who regularly reads horoscopes or seeks psychic readings?”
