Isa 47:8-9 | NETfull | STEP | So now, listen to this, O one who lives so lavishly, who lives securely, who says to herself, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! I will never have to live as a widow; I will never lose my children.’

Isaiah 47:8-9

8 So now, listen to this,
O one who lives so lavishly, ^{▼▼ Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”}
who lives securely,
who says to herself, ^{▼▼ Heb “the one who says in her heart.”}
‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! ^{▼▼ Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.}
I will never have to live as a widow;
I will never lose my children.’ ^{▼▼ Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”}
9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. ^{▼▼ Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.}
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, ^{▼▼ Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”}
despite ^{▼▼ For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.} your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. ^{▼▼ Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.}