Isaiah 47:10

10 You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, "No one sees me"; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, 1"I am, and there is no one besides me."

Isaiah 47:10 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 47:10

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness
In wealth and power wickedly obtained; in political schemes wickedly contrived; in her ambition and pride, tyranny and cruelty; and especially in her wicked arts of astrology, divination, and magic: thou hast said, none seeth me;
lay her schemes of policy, which she thought so deeply laid, as not to be discovered; perform her magic arts, which were secretly done, and other her wicked actions done in the dark; but nothing can be hid from the omniscient God: thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee:
her high opinion of her own wisdom and knowledge in political affairs, or in magic arts, deceived her, and turned her from right to wrong ways, which issued in her ruin. This rightly describes the Jesuits, and other emissaries of the church of Rome, who trust in their wickedness, their craft and cunning, which none can penetrate into; but there is an all seeing eye upon them, which discovers their intrigues, blasts their designs, and brings them into confusion: and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me;
none so wise and knowing as myself. This is what the oracle said of the Chaldeans F14,

``the Chaldeans and the Hebrews are the only wise.''
This is repeated, to observe the haughty and insolent boasts of themselves.
FOOTNOTES:

F14 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evang. l. 9. c. 10. p. 413.

Isaiah 47:10 In-Context

8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children":
9 These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments.
10 You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, "No one sees me"; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me."
11 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.
12 Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.

Cross References 1

  • 1. [Isaiah 45:6, 18; Jeremiah 50:29]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.