Yahweh now announces what will happen to Babylonia despite its arrogant claims. Several translations make the contrast explicit through the use of a transition word, such as “But” (Good News Translation), “Yet” (Revised English Bible; New Jerusalem Bible), or “However” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure: These four lines emphasize that Babylonia will lose its population and become like a widow lacking all care and support. These two things (literally “these two”) refers to the loss of children and widowhood. Bible en français courant says “these two misfortunes.” The double expression in a moment, in one day indicate that these things will happen suddenly and decisively. It will not be a drawn-out affair. Revised English Bible has “suddenly, in a single day” (similarly Bible en français courant). Shall come to you and shall come upon you are parallel phrases that emphasize this announcement. In full measure means it will happen totally and completely. Good News Translation omits these words, assuming them to be implied adequately by the context, but by doing this it loses some of the emphasis. Bible en français courant has “in one blow.”

As noted in the introductory comments on this subsection [47.8-9], loss of children and widowhood are in reverse order to the way they appear in the previous verse, producing a chiastic pattern. This pattern helps add emphasis to the announcement of the fate that will strike Babylonia. Translators need to take care not to suggest that both children and widowhood will be lost. What is lost is children only. Widowhood is a second result, independent of the loss of children. Both metaphors speak of being impoverished and humiliated, and lacking protection. They may be rendered “losing your children” and “becoming a widow.” Of course, if need be, the order of these two misfortunes can be kept as they are in verse 8.

In spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments means that Babylonia’s dependence on sorcery and magic will not prevent its sudden loss of children and becoming a widow. The phrase in spite of implies that the Babylonians were depending on their magic arts to defend them. The Hebrew preposition rendered in spite of can have several possible meanings, including “in,” “with,” and “by.” However, all translations consulted take in spite of as its meaning here. Translators can use general terms for sorceries and enchantments; for example, enchantments may be rendered “magic” (see the comments on 2.6; 3.3; 19.3; and 44.25). The great power of your enchantments seems to suggest that Yahweh recognizes the power of magic in the minds of the Babylonians. But there is no doubt a touch of irony present.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• However, these two bad/unfortunate things will hit you in full, suddenly and on the same day:
you will lose your children and you will be left a widow.
This will happen in spite of your wide use of sorcery
and the great power of your magic.

• These two misfortunes will come upon you suddenly and completely, in one moment:
losing your children and becoming a widow.
This will happen even though you use sorcery frequently,
and you use great magic power.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .