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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophecy points out that Babylon's "counsels" – her reliance on stargazers and monthly prognosticators – have not just been numerous, but have actually exhausted her, wearing her out with their futility. This highlights a core truth: true wisdom and security don't come from trying to predict or control the future through human schemes, but from trusting in God.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
For generations, Babylon has relied on the wisdom of its stargazers and astrologers to predict and control its future. Now, as judgment descends, the prophet sarcastically tells the city to call upon these very counselors, who divide the heavens and chart the stars, to save them from the disaster they've so meticulously, yet uselessly, predicted. This moment highlights the ultimate futility of trusting human wisdom and divination over the sovereign word of God, especially as the Babylonian empire faces its prophesied downfall.
Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed, like you've tried every possible solution to a problem and still feel stuck? Babylon was there, and they had their own set of 'experts.'
Isaiah confronts Babylon, a city that prided itself on its wisdom and knowledge. They had 'counsels' and relied on astrologers, stargazers, and those who read the new moons to predict the future and guide their decisions.
Relying on the Stars
Babylon thought it was invincible, built on its own power and supposed knowledge. But God's word reveals a starkly different reality.
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Isaiah’s message to Babylon is not just about the failure of astrology; it’s about the judgment that falls on those who place their ultimate trust in anything other than the one true God.
The Illusion of Control
Understand the original words
habar · Hebrew Verb/Noun
The act of observing celestial bodies to predict the future or gain divine insight. While often associated with pagan worship, Scripture condemns it as a futile practice that usurps the place of God's revelation.
This verse directly confronts Babylon's reliance on astrological divination as a source of wisdom and security, a practice that had been central to its culture for centuries but proved utterly useless in the face of divine judgment.
c. 18th century BC
Development of Astrology in Babylon
Babylonian priests and scribes develop sophisticated systems for observing celestial bodies, linking their movements to earthly events and forming the basis of astrology.
c. 7th-6th century BC
Nebuchadnezzar II's Reign
Babylon reaches its zenith of power under Nebuchadnezzar II, conquering Jerusalem and deporting many Judeans. Astrology is deeply embedded in Babylonian court life and governance.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Babylon is conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia. The city's sophisticated astrological predictions fail to foresee or prevent its downfall, highlighting their ultimate futility.
c. 5th century BC
Post-Exilic Period
Judean exiles, having witnessed the fall of Babylon and the failure of its diviners, are returning to Jerusalem, internalizing the prophetic critique of such practices.
This passage warns against learning the ways of the nations, specifically mentioning the signs of the heavens, which directly parallels the futility of Babylon's reliance on astrologers.
Daniel 2:27-28Daniel contrasts the king's wise men and sorcerers, who claim to receive their knowledge from the heavens, with the true God who alone can reveal mysteries and the future.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12This passage explicitly condemns practices like divination and sorcery, which were central to the Babylonian reliance on astrology and condemned by God.
Isaiah 44:24-25Isaiah here mocks the diviners and their 'wisdom,' stating that God frustrates the signs of the 'sorcerers' and makes their wisdom foolish, mirroring the message in chapter 47.
barnesIsaiah 47:13: "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."
Thou art wearied - Thou hast practiced so many arts, and practiced them so long, that thou art exhausted in them. The 'counsels' here referred to, are those which the astrologers and diviners would take in examining the prognostications, and the supposed indications of future events. Let now…
clarkeIsaiah 47:13: "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."
From these things "What are the events" - For מאשר measher, read מה אשר mah asher, so the Septuagint, "what is to happen to thee."
The prophecy points out that Babylon's "counsels" – her reliance on stargazers and monthly prognosticators – have not just been numerous, but have actually exhausted her, wearing her out with their futility. This highlights a core truth: true wisdom and security don't come from trying to predict or control the future through human schemes, but from trusting in God.
For generations, Babylon has relied on the wisdom of its stargazers and astrologers to predict and control its future. Now, as judgment descends, the prophet sarcastically tells the city to call upon these very counselors, who divide the heavens and chart the stars, to save them from the disaster they've so meticulously, yet uselessly, predicted. This moment highlights the ultimate futility of trusting human wisdom and divination over the sovereign word of God, especially as the Babylonian empire faces its prophesied downfall.
For generations, Babylon has relied on the wisdom of its stargazers and astrologers to predict and control its future. Now, as judgment descends, the prophet sarcastically tells the city to call upon these very counselors, who divide the heavens and chart the stars, to save them from the disaster they've so meticulously, yet uselessly, predicted. This moment highlights the ultimate futility of trusting human wisdom and divination over the sovereign word of God, especially as the Babylonian empire faces its prophesied downfall.
"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." — The prophecy points out that Babylon's "counsels" – her reliance on stargazers and monthly prognosticators – have not just been numerous, but have actually exhausted her, wearing her out with their…
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Last reviewed October 2026