Isaiah 47:12

“Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, &c.] An ironic expression, deriding those evil arts, bidding defiance to them, calling upon the masters of them to do their utmost by them: wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; from the infancy of their state; as soon as their monarchy was founded, or they became a people, they were given to these practices, and were famous for them; and in which, no doubt, many among them were brought up from their youth; and to gain the knowledge of which they were at great labour and expense; and yet it was all in vain, and to no purpose: if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail; if skill in these…”

“Stand--forth: a scornful challenge to Babylon's magicians to show whether they can defend their city. laboured--The devil's service is a laborious yet fruitless one (Isa 55:2).”

“Stand now with thy enchantments - (See the notes at Isaiah 47:9). This is evidently sarcastic and ironical. It is a call on those who practiced the arts of magic to stand forth, and to show whether they were able to defend the city, and to save the nation. Wherein thou hast labored - Or in practicing which thou hast been diligently employed. From thy youth - From the very commencement of thy national existence. Babylon was always distinguished for these arts. Now was a time when their value was to be put to the test, and when it was to be seen whether they were able to save the nation. If so be - Or perhaps or possibly, they may be able to profit thee - the language of irony. Perhaps by the…”

“Stand - Persist in these practices. Laboured - From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous for the practice of these arts. Isaiah 47:13”

“47:12-15 In the face of calamity, Babylon would turn to occult practices for help, but it would not find help.”

“Isa 47:9, Isa 47:10, Isa 8:19, Isa 19:3, Isa 44:25; Exo 7:11, Exo 8:7, Exo 8:18, Exo 8:19, Exo 9:11; Jer 2:28; Dan 5:7-9; Nah 3:4; Act 13:8-12; Th2 2:9-12; Rev 17:4-6 Isaiah 47:13”

“Then follows the concluding strophe, which, like the first, announces to the imperial city in a triumphantly sarcastic tone its inevitable fate; whereas the intermediate strophes refer rather to the sins by which this fate has been brought upon it. "Come near, then, with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy witchcrafts, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth: perhaps thou canst profit, perhaps thou wilt inspire terror. Thou art wearied through the multitude of thy consultations; let the dissectors of the heavens come near, then, and save thee, the star-gazers, they who with every new moon bring things to light that will come upon thee. Behold, they have become like stubble:…”