Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you. New Living Translation So disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. English Standard Version But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. Berean Standard Bible But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. Berean Literal Bible And evil will come upon you, and you will not know its dawning; and disaster will fall upon you; you will not be able to wipe it away—and it will come upon you suddenly, devastation that you do not know! King James Bible Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. New King James Version Therefore evil shall come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; You will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, Which you shall not know. New American Standard Bible “But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone; And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. NASB 1995 “But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone; And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. NASB 1977 “But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone, And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. Legacy Standard Bible But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone; And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. Amplified Bible “Therefore disaster will come on you; You will not know how to make it disappear [with your magic]. And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone [with all your offerings to your gods]; And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. Berean Annotated Bible But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. Christian Standard Bible But disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to avert it. And it will fall on you, but you will be unable to ward it off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. Holman Christian Standard Bible But disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to avert it. And it will fall on you, but you will be unable to ward it off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. American Standard Version Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know the dawning thereof: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it away: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou knowest not. Contemporary English Version But without warning, disaster will strike--and your magic charms won't help at all. English Revised Version Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know the dawning thereof: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it away: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou knowest not. GOD'S WORD® Translation But evil will happen to you. You won't know how to keep it away. Disaster will strike you. You won't be able to stop it. Destruction will overtake you suddenly. You won't expect it. Good News Translation Disaster will come upon you, and none of your magic can stop it. Ruin will come on you suddenly--ruin you never dreamed of! International Standard Version "But disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will not be able to ward off; and devastation will come upon you suddenly, and you won't anticipate it. NET Bible Disaster will overtake you; you will not know how to charm it away. Destruction will fall on you; you will not be able to appease it. Calamity will strike you suddenly, before you recognize it. New Heart English Bible Therefore disaster will come on you; you won't know when it dawns: and calamity will fall on you; you will not be able to put it away: and desolation shall come on you suddenly and unexpectedly. Webster's Bible Translation Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. World English Bible Therefore disaster will come on you. You won’t know when it dawns. Mischief will fall on you. You won’t be able to put it away. Desolation will come on you suddenly, which you don’t understand. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd evil has come in on you, "" You do not know its rising, "" And disaster falls on you, "" You are not able to pacify it, "" And desolation comes on you suddenly, "" You do not know. Berean Literal Bible And evil will come upon you, and you will not know its dawning; and disaster will fall upon you; you will not be able to wipe it away—and it will come upon you suddenly, devastation that you do not know! Young's Literal Translation And come in on thee hath evil, Thou knowest not its rising, And fall on thee doth mischief, Thou art not able to pacify it, And come on thee suddenly doth desolation, Thou knowest not. Smith's Literal Translation And evil came upon thee; thou shalt not know its dawn, and ruin shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to expiate it, and desolation shall suddenly come upon thee; thou shalt not know. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleEvil shall come upon thee, and then shalt not know the rising thereof: and calamity shall fall violently upon thee, which thou canst not keep off: misery shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Catholic Public Domain Version Evil will overwhelm you, and you will not notice its rising. And calamity will fall violently over you, and you will not be able to avert it. You will suddenly be overwhelmed by a misery such as you have never known. New American Bible But upon you shall come an evil you will not be able to charm away; Upon you shall fall a disaster you cannot ward off. Upon you shall suddenly come a ruin you cannot imagine. New Revised Standard Version But evil shall come upon you, which you cannot charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, which you will not be able to ward off; and ruin shall come on you suddenly, of which you know nothing. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTherefore evil shall come upon you in the early morning, and you shall not know from whence it rises; and mischief shall fall upon you and you shall not be able to put it off; and desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Evil shall come upon you at dawn and you shall not know, and alarm shall fall upon you and you shall not be able to remove it, and trouble shall come upon you suddenly, and you shall not know OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Yet shall evil came upon thee; Thou shalt not know how to charm it away; And calamity shall fall upon thee; Thou shalt not be able to put it away; And ruin shall come upon thee suddenly, Before thou knowest. Brenton Septuagint Translation And destruction shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be aware; there shall be a pit, and thou shalt fall into it: and grief shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be able to be clear; and destruction shall come suddenly upon thee, and thou shalt not know. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Fall of Babylon Predicted…10You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’ 11But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. 12So 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!… Cross References But disaster will come upon you; Jeremiah 6:19 Hear, O earth! I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their own schemes, because they have paid no attention to My word and have rejected My instruction. Proverbs 1:26-27 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, / when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you. Amos 3:6 If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? you will not know how to charm it away. Ezekiel 13:18-20 and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own? / You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds. Jeremiah 8:17 “For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 19:3 Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. 2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. Proverbs 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery. Jeremiah 30:12-15 For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous. / There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sores, no recovery for you. / All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins. … Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. Jeremiah 51:8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. 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. Luke 21:34-35 But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare. / For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth. Revelation 18:7-8 As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’ / 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.” Nahum 3:19 There is no healing for your injury; your wound is severe. All who hear the news of you applaud your downfall, for who has not experienced your constant cruelty? Zephaniah 1:15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, Ezekiel 7:5-7 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Disaster! An unprecedented disaster—behold, it is coming! / The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. Behold, it has come! / Doom has come to you, O inhabitants of the land. The time has come; the day is near; there is panic on the mountains instead of shouts of joy. Treasury of Scripture Therefore shall evil come on you; you shall not know from where it rises: and mischief shall fall on you; you shall not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come on you suddenly, which you shall not know. thou shalt not know Isaiah 37:36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. Exodus 12:29,30 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle… Nehemiah 4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. from whence it riseth. Psalm 50:22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Jeremiah 51:39-42 In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD… Daniel 5:25-30 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN… put it off. Matthew 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. Luke 12:59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. Jump to Previous Able Atone Calamity Catastrophe Conjure Dawning Dawns Desolation Destruction Disaster Evil Fall Mischief Ransom Riseth Ruin Suddenly Thereof Turned Whence Won'tJump to Next Able Atone Calamity Catastrophe Conjure Dawning Dawns Desolation Destruction Disaster Evil Fall Mischief Ransom Riseth Ruin Suddenly Thereof Turned Whence Won'tIsaiah 47 1. God's judgment upon Babylon and Chaldea6. For their unmercifulness 7. Pride 10. And over-boldness 11. Shall be irresistible But disaster will come upon you; This phrase indicates an inevitable judgment. In the context of Isaiah 47, the prophecy is directed towards Babylon, a powerful empire known for its idolatry and oppression of God's people. The disaster foretold is a divine retribution for their arrogance and wickedness. Historically, Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians in 539 BC, fulfilling this prophecy. Theologically, this serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and justice, emphasizing that no nation or power is beyond His reach. you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. Persons / Places / Events 1. BabylonA powerful empire known for its wealth, idolatry, and oppression of God's people. In Isaiah 47, Babylon is personified as a woman who will face judgment and humiliation. 2. Isaiah A major prophet in the Old Testament who conveyed God's messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, including prophecies of judgment and redemption. 3. Judgment The event of divine retribution that God declares upon Babylon for its pride and wickedness. Teaching Points The Certainty of God's JudgmentGod's judgment is inevitable for those who persist in pride and wickedness. Just as Babylon could not escape its fate, neither can any nation or individual who defies God. The Folly of Self-Reliance Babylon's reliance on its own wisdom and power led to its downfall. We are reminded to place our trust in God rather than in our own abilities or resources. The Consequences of Pride Pride blinds us to our vulnerabilities and leads to destruction. Humility before God is essential for avoiding the pitfalls of arrogance. The Sovereignty of God God's control over the rise and fall of nations is a testament to His sovereignty. We can trust in His ultimate plan and justice, even when worldly powers seem dominant. Repentance and Redemption While judgment is certain for the unrepentant, God offers redemption to those who turn from their ways. This is a call to examine our lives and seek God's mercy. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 47:11?2. How does Isaiah 47:11 warn against reliance on human wisdom and power? 3. What does "disaster will come upon you" reveal about God's judgment? 4. How can Isaiah 47:11 guide us in trusting God's sovereignty over our lives? 5. What parallels exist between Isaiah 47:11 and Proverbs 3:5-6 on trusting God? 6. How can we apply the warnings of Isaiah 47:11 in our daily decisions? 7. How does Isaiah 47:11 reflect God's judgment on Babylon's arrogance and self-reliance? 8. What historical events align with the prophecy in Isaiah 47:11? 9. How does Isaiah 47:11 challenge the belief in human control over destiny? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 47? 11. Proverbs 14:11: Why have some “wicked houses” throughout history prospered instead of being destroyed? 12. Isaiah 47:9 - How could both the sudden loss of children and widowhood happen in 'a single day' without the record of any swift catastrophic event matching this description? 13. In Isaiah 1:9-10, why compare Judah's corruption to Sodom and Gomorrah if those cities were already destroyed centuries earlier and have uncertain archaeological evidence? 14. If Psalm 32:6 promises protection from 'mighty waters,' how do we account for natural disasters that harm faithful believers? What Does Isaiah 47:11 Mean Disaster will come upon you• The Lord declares an unavoidable judgment on Babylon—no empire, however glittering, can sin with impunity (Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 51:8). • History records this prophecy fulfilled when the Medes and Persians toppled Babylon in a single night (Daniel 5:30–31). • For every generation the warning stands: “whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). You will not know how to charm it away • Babylon trusted in occult arts and astrological advisers (Isaiah 47:9, 12–13), yet their rituals had no power when God’s sentence fell. • Scripture repeatedly shows that human wisdom and spiritual counterfeits crumble before the living God (Exodus 7:11–12; Acts 8:9–11). • Modern substitutes—technology, wealth, self-help—likewise cannot “charm away” divine justice (Psalm 20:7). A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off • The wording underscores absolute helplessness; when God arises, resistance is futile (Psalm 115:3; Proverbs 21:30). • Babylon’s walls, armies, and riches offered zero defense (Jeremiah 51:53–58). • The verse urges believers to find safety only in the Lord, the “strong tower” who rescues those who run to Him (Proverbs 18:10). Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly • Judgment arrived while Babylon feasted in overconfidence (Daniel 5:1–4, 24–28). • “Sudden destruction” is a recurring biblical theme (1 Thessalonians 5:3; Revelation 18:8–10). • The surprise element presses home the call to constant readiness and repentance (Matthew 24:44). summary Isaiah 47:11 foretells Babylon’s certain, irresistible, and swift downfall. The empire’s sorcery, strength, and self-assurance could not avert the disaster God decreed. The verse therefore reinforces a timeless truth: when the Lord pronounces judgment, no human resource can forestall it, but those who humbly trust Him remain secure. (11) Thou shalt not be able to put it off . . .--The words have been variously rendered: (1) of which thou shalt know no dawn, i.e., after the night of calamity; and (2) which thou shalt not be able to charm away. Stress is laid on the destruction being at once unforeseen and irretrievable.Verse 11. - Therefore shall evil come upon thee. Connect this with the first clause of ver. 10, "Thou hast trusted in thine own evil (moral), therefore shall evil (physical) fall upon thee." The same word, ra'ah, is used in both places. Thou shalt not know from whence it riseth. So the Vulgate, Vitringa, Gesenius, and Dr. Kay. But the bulk of modern commentators (Hitzig, Ewald, Delitzsch, Nagelsbach, Weir, Cheyne) render, "Thou wilt not know how to charm it away." Both meanings are possible, and are almost equally good; but the parallelism of the clauses is in favour of the latter rendering. Shakhrah should correspond in construction, as in sound, with kapp'rah. To put it off; literally, to expiate; i.e. to get rid of it by means of expiatory rites. Which thou shalt not know; or, of which thou shalt not be aware. (On the carelessness and want of foresight displayed by the Babylonians, see the comment on ver. 8.)Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But disasterרָעָ֗ה (rā·‘āh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7451: Bad, evil will come וּבָ֧א (ū·ḇā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go upon you; עָלַ֣יִךְ (‘ā·la·yiḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against you will not לֹ֤א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no know תֵדְעִי֙ (ṯê·ḏə·‘î) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular Strong's 3045: To know how to charm it away. שַׁחְרָ֔הּ (šaḥ·rāh) Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 7837: Dawn A calamity הֹוָ֔ה (hō·wāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1943: A ruin, disaster will befall וְתִפֹּ֤ל (wə·ṯip·pōl) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 5307: To fall, lie you עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ (‘ā·la·yiḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against that you will be unable לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to ward off. כַּפְּרָ֑הּ (kap·pə·rāh) Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel Devastation שׁוֹאָ֖ה (šō·w·’āh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7722: A tempest, devastation will happen וְתָבֹ֨א (wə·ṯā·ḇō) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go to you עָלַ֧יִךְ (‘ā·la·yiḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against suddenly פִּתְאֹ֛ם (piṯ·’ōm) Adverb Strong's 6597: Suddenness, suddenly and unexpectedly. לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no Links Isaiah 47:11 NIVIsaiah 47:11 NLT Isaiah 47:11 ESV Isaiah 47:11 NASB Isaiah 47:11 KJV Isaiah 47:11 BibleApps.com Isaiah 47:11 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 47:11 Chinese Bible Isaiah 47:11 French Bible Isaiah 47:11 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 47:11 Therefore evil will come on you (Isa Isi Is) |
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