Isaiah 47:15
New International Version
That is all they are to you— these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.

New Living Translation
And all your friends, those with whom you’ve done business since childhood, will go their own ways, turning a deaf ear to your cries.

English Standard Version
Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you.

Berean Standard Bible
This is what they are to you—those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you.

King James Bible
Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

New King James Version
Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth; They shall wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.

New American Standard Bible
“So have those become to you with whom you have labored, Those who have done business with you from your youth; Each has wandered in his own way; There is no one to save you.

NASB 1995
“So 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.

NASB 1977
“So 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus they have become for you, those among whom you have labored, Who have traded with you from your youth; Each has wandered in his own way; There is none to save you.

Amplified Bible
“This is how they have become to you, those [astrologers and sorcerers] with whom you have labored, Those who have done business with you from your youth; Each has wandered in his own way. There is no one to save you.

Christian Standard Bible
This is what they are to you — those who have wearied you and have traded with you from your youth — each wanders on his own way; no one can save you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what they are to you— those who have wearied you and have traded with you from your youth— each wanders on his own way; no one can save you.”

American Standard Version
Thus shall the things be unto thee wherein thou hast labored: they that have trafficked with thee from thy youth shall wander every one to his quarter; there shall be none to save thee.

Contemporary English Version
These are the fortunetellers you have done business with all of your life. But they don't know where they are going, and they can't save you.

English Revised Version
Thus shall the things be unto thee wherein thou hast laboured: they that have trafficked with thee from thy youth shall wander every one to his quarter; there shall be none to save thee.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is how it will be for those who have worked with you, for those who have been with you ever since you were young. They will go their own ways, and there will be no one to save you.

Good News Translation
That is all the good they will do you--those astrologers you've consulted all your life. They all will leave you and go their own way, and none will be left to save you."

International Standard Version
So will they be to you—those with whom you toiled and did business since your childhood— they wander about, each in his own direction; there is not one who can save you.

Majority Standard Bible
This is what they are to you?those with whom you have labored and traded from youth?each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you.

NET Bible
They will disappoint you, those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. Each strays off in his own direction, leaving no one to rescue you."

New Heart English Bible
Thus shall the things be to you in which you have labored: those who have trafficked with you from your youth shall wander everyone to his quarter; there shall be none to save you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus shall they be to thee with whom thou hast labored, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

World English Bible
The things that you labored in will be like this: those who have trafficked with you from your youth will each wander in his own way. There will be no one to save you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
So they have been to you with whom you have labored, "" Your merchants from your youth, "" They have each wandered to his passage, "" None is saving you!”

Young's Literal Translation
So have they been to thee with whom thou hast laboured, Thy merchants from thy youth, Each to his passage they have wandered, Thy saviour is not!

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus shall they be to thee for whom thou didst labor, thy merchants, from thy youth; they wandered a man to his other side; none saving thee.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Such are all the things become to thee, in which thou best laboured: thy merchants from thy youth, every one hath erred in his own way, there is none that can save thee.

Catholic Public Domain Version
So have all these things, in which you have labored, become to you. Your merchants from your youth, each one has erred in his own way. There is no one who can save you.

New American Bible
Thus do your wizards serve you with whom you have toiled from your youth; They wander their separate ways, with none to save you.

New Revised Standard Version
Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have trafficked with you from your youth; they all wander about in their own paths; there is no one to save you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus have become to you your merchants with whom you have labored from your youth: they have wandered every one to his quarter, and there is none to save you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
In this way they have been to you your Merchants with whom you labored from your youth, and they have gone astray, each man, beside himself, and there is none who saves you
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus shall they be unto thee With whom thou hast laboured; They that have trafficked with thee from thy youth Shall wander every one to his quarter; There shall be none to save thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
these shall be thy help. Thou hast wearied thyself with traffic from thy youth: every man has wandered to his own home, but thou shalt have no deliverance.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Babylon Predicted
14Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. There will be no coals to warm them or fire to sit beside. 15This is what they are to you— those with whom you have labored and traded from youth— each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you.

Cross References
Revelation 18:10-19
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” / And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— / cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; ...

Jeremiah 51:8-9
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. / “We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches to the clouds.”

Nahum 3:4-7
because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft. / “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms. / I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you. ...

Ezekiel 27:29-32
All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore. / They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. / They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning. ...

Jeremiah 50:13
Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds.

Revelation 18:21-23
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Jeremiah 51:64
Then you are to say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again, because of the disaster I will bring upon her. And her people will grow weary.’” Here end the words of Jeremiah.

Revelation 17:16-18
And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. / For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. / And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Isaiah 14:22-23
“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. / “I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 50:39-40
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. / As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.

Ezekiel 26:16-18
All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled over you. / Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples! / Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are dismayed by your demise.”’

Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus shall they be to you with whom you have labored, even your merchants, from your youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save you.

thy merchants

Isaiah 56:11
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Ezekiel 27:12-25
Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs…

Revelation 18:11-19
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: …

they shall.

Jeremiah 51:6-9
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence…

Revelation 18:15-17
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, …

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Isaiah 47
1. God's judgment upon Babylon and Chaldea
6. For their unmercifulness
7. Pride
10. And over-boldness
11. Shall be irresistible














This is what they are to you—
This phrase addresses the Babylonians, specifically the sorcerers and astrologers who were trusted advisors. In the broader context of Isaiah 47, God is pronouncing judgment on Babylon, a nation known for its reliance on magic and divination. The phrase indicates a shift from reliance on these practices to the realization of their futility.

those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—
Babylon was a major center of commerce and trade in the ancient world, known for its wealth and influence. The phrase suggests a long-standing relationship, emphasizing that these advisors and merchants have been integral to Babylon's identity and prosperity. Historically, Babylon's economy was heavily reliant on trade, and its culture was deeply intertwined with the practices of divination and astrology.

each one strays in his own direction;
This indicates the abandonment and disunity among those who were once allies or trusted advisors. In times of crisis, rather than providing support, they scatter. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the unreliability of human alliances compared to the steadfastness of God. It also echoes the scattering of the nations at Babel (Genesis 11:9), highlighting the futility of human efforts apart from God.

not one of them can save you.
The ultimate message is the impotence of Babylon's trusted advisors and allies in the face of divine judgment. This underscores the biblical principle that salvation and deliverance come only from God, not from human wisdom or power. It connects to other scriptures that emphasize God's sovereignty and the futility of trusting in anything other than Him, such as Psalm 146:3, which warns against putting trust in princes or mortal men who cannot save.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Babylon
The city and empire addressed in Isaiah 47, symbolizing pride and self-reliance. Babylon is depicted as a fallen power due to its arrogance and idolatry.

2. Merchants and Traders
Those who have engaged in commerce with Babylon, representing alliances and dependencies that ultimately fail.

3. Isaiah
The prophet who delivers God's message of judgment against Babylon, emphasizing the futility of relying on human strength and alliances.

4. God's Judgment
The event of divine retribution against Babylon for its pride and idolatry, illustrating the theme of God's sovereignty over nations.

5. The Exile
The broader context of Israel's exile, during which Babylon was a dominant power, serving as a backdrop for the prophecy.
Teaching Points
The Futility of Worldly Alliances
Trusting in human alliances and economic power, as Babylon did, ultimately leads to disappointment and failure. Our ultimate reliance should be on God.

The Sovereignty of God
God's judgment on Babylon demonstrates His control over nations and history. We should live with the awareness of God's sovereignty in our lives.

The Danger of Pride
Babylon's downfall serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. Humility before God is essential for spiritual well-being.

The Importance of Spiritual Preparedness
Just as Babylon's allies abandoned her, worldly supports can fail us. We must be spiritually prepared and rooted in faith.

The Call to Repentance
The prophecy invites reflection on our own lives and a call to turn away from idolatry and towards God.(15) Thy merchants, from thy youth . . .--The commerce of Babylon is specially prominent in all descriptions. (Comp. Herod. i. 194-196; Ezekiel 17:4.) The time was coming when those who had thronged her markets would desert her and leave her to her desolation.

Verse 15. - Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured. The foreigners who have participated in the toils and labours of Babylon shall share in her punishment. The flame of judgment shall not spare even them. Even thy merchants. Babylonian commerce is the subject of an important chapter in Heeren's 'Asiatic Nations' (vol. 2, pp. 190-260), and is discussed also in the present writer's 'Egypt and Babylon' (ch. 8, pp. 127-144). It was carried on both by land and sea, and was very extensive, including both a large import and a large export trade. Her merchants were, in part natives, in part foreigners. It is the latter who are here specially intended. Seeing the gradual closing in upon Babylon of the Persian armies, and anticipating the worst, they fly in haste from the doomed city, each one making for his own country, and having no thought of interposing to save the people which have so long encouraged and protected them. Probably the greater number of these foreign merchants were either Phoenicians or Arabians. They shall wander every one to his quarter. Not his own quarter of the town, but his own quarter of the earth; i.e. his own country (comp. Isaiah 13:14, "They shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.").



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
This is what
כֵּ֥ן (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

they are
הָיוּ־ (hā·yū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to you—
לָ֖ךְ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

those with whom
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you have labored
יָגָ֑עַתְּ (yā·ḡā·‘at)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 3021: To gasp, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

and traded
סֹחֲרַ֣יִךְ (sō·ḥă·ra·yiḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5503: To go around or about, travel about

from youth—
מִנְּעוּרַ֗יִךְ (min·nə·‘ū·ra·yiḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons

each one
אִ֤ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

strays
תָּע֔וּ (tā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8582: To vacillate, reel, stray

in his own direction;
לְעֶבְרוֹ֙ (lə·‘eḇ·rōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5676: A region across, on the opposite side

not one of them
אֵ֖ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

can save you.
מוֹשִׁיעֵֽךְ׃ (mō·wō·šî·‘êḵ)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 47:15 Thus shall the things be to you (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 47:14
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