Isaiah 13:12
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
11 I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
14 Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
- KJV
- I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
- WEB
- I will make people more rare than fine gold, even a person than the pure gold of Ophir.
- ASV
- I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir.
- DARBY
- I will make a man more precious than fine gold, even man than the gold of Ophir.
- BLB
- I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.
- ÅB
- Jeg vil gjøre folk sjeldnere enn fint gull og mennesker sjeldnere enn gull fra Ofir.
- OTB
- Jeg vil gjøre mennesker sjeldnere enn rent gull, mer sjeldne enn gullet fra Ofir.
- B1930
- Jeg vil gjøre folk sjeldnere enn fint gull og mennesker sjeldnere enn gull fra Ofir.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 4:1
In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
Read in contextIsaiah 24:6
Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.
Read in contextPsalms 137:9
Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
Read in contextJob 28:16
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
Read in contextIsaiah 13:15–18
Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword.
Read in context