Isaiah 13:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

NIV: I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.

NASB: I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold And mankind than the gold of Ophir.

CSB: I will make a human more scarce than fine gold, and mankind more rare than the gold of Ophir.

NLT: I will make people scarcer than gold — more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.

KJV: I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

NKJV: I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.

Isaiah records God's declaration that He will not allow proud, evil humanity to continue to thrive in the world. The day of the Lord's judgment is coming for them. This judgment is coming due to their nauseating combination of wickedness and arrogance, as well as ruthlessness and vanity. The Lord has said that He will put an end to it (Isaiah 13:11).

In this verse, the Lord adds that the body count will be astronomical. His judgment will reduce the population of the people of Babylon so that human life becomes rare in their land. Living, breathing people will become rarer than fine gold. He compares this scarcity to the "gold of Ophir." In that era, gold from Ophir was famous for purity. In the glory days of Israel, Solomon sent out a fleet of ships that returned from Ophir with 420 talents—many tons—of this pure gold (1 Kings 9:28). Ophir may have been located somewhere in East Africa.

The Lord's point is not meant to be taken as a math formula, but as a warning: after His judgment on Babylon has fallen, it will be easier, metaphorically, to find this precious metal than to find living people.

Isaiah 13:1–22 contains Isaiah's prophecy from the Lord. This is against the dominant power of Babylon, which would arise after the defeat of the Assyrians. The Lord will assemble and consecrate an international army to attack and obliterate the powerful city-state of Babylon. The people will tremble in fear as the Lord executes His judgment out of His great wrath toward the arrogant and ruthless Babylonians. The population will be slaughtered without mercy and the land left desolate. When it's over, only wild animals will walk the streets of the once-splendid city.

Chapter 13 begins a new section in the book of Isaiah, which focuses on prophecies against other nations besides Israel. It begins by describing the Lord's destruction of the city-state of Babylon. This will come after it has become a dominating power in the world. The Lord will assemble a multi-nation army to attack the city and leave the land completely desolate. All who flee will be hunted and killed. The Medes will slaughter even pregnant women and children without mercy. When it is all over, only wild animals will occupy the once luxurious center of human achievement and sophistication.

Isaiah has been discussing the eventual rescue and restoration of Israel (Isaiah 10–12). Chapter 13 introduces an entirely new section in Isaiah's book: prophecies from the Lord against Gentile nations. First is a prediction of the utter destruction of Babylon. That nation had been the dominant power in the world. The Lord will assemble a multi-nation army from near and far to destroy the luxurious and powerful city-state on the Euphrates. This is followed by reassurances and further details of God's vengeance on Israel's other oppressors.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).