Isaiah 44:15 kjv
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Isaiah 44:15 nkjv
Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
Isaiah 44:15 niv
It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Isaiah 44:15 esv
Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.
Isaiah 44:15 nlt
Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire.
With it he warms himself and bakes his bread.
Then ? yes, it's true ? he takes the rest of it
and makes himself a god to worship!
He makes an idol
and bows down in front of it!
Isaiah 44 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 44:15 | "He makes a fire, ... uses it to roast meat, ... then ... he makes a god" | This verse |
| Isaiah 40:19-20 | "The craftsman shapes metal... a goldsmith..., and the woodcutter chooses ... an idol" | Idol making, worthless |
| Isaiah 41:7 | "encourages the goldsmith... praises the blacksmith" | Idol making, encouragement |
| Isaiah 45:16 | "they will be put to shame" | Idol makers, shame |
| Isaiah 46:6-7 | "They lavish gold from the bag, and weigh silver with scales... lift it onto a shoulder" | Carrying idols |
| Jeremiah 10:3-5 | "The customs of the peoples are worthless... wood from the forest... adorned with silver and gold" | Idol materials |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | "Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols" | Idol makers, shame |
| Jeremiah 18:1-6 | God as potter, man as clay | Creator vs creation |
| Jeremiah 51:17 | "every goldsmith is disgraced by his images" | Idolatry disgrace |
| Psalms 115:4-8 | "idols... have mouths, but cannot speak... eyes, but cannot see" | Characteristics of idols |
| Psalms 135:15-18 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands" | Man-made idols |
| 1 Corinthians 10:14 | "flee from idolatry" | Warning against idolatry |
| 1 Corinthians 12:2 | "when you were pagans, somehow you were led away to mute idols" | Leading astray |
| Romans 1:22-23 | "claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images" | Exchanging truth for lies |
| Romans 1:25 | "exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator" | Worshiping creation |
| Galatians 5:19-21 | "The acts of the flesh are obvious: ... idolatry" | Works of the flesh |
| 1 John 5:21 | "Keep yourselves from idols." | Exhortation against idols |
| Revelation 9:20 | "the rest of mankind... did not repent of the works of their hands... they did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver" | Demonic idols |
| Isaiah 44:9 | "Those who shape idols are all nothing, and their most cherished things bring them no benefit" | Futility of idols |
| Deuteronomy 4:28 | "you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone... you will serve... no god that can neither see nor hear, eat nor smell" | Futility of idols |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 15 Meaning
This verse describes the paradoxical actions of a person making an idol. They use a portion of wood for fuel, eating from it and satisfying themselves. Yet, from the remainder of that same wood, they fashion an idol, bowing down to it and worshipping it. This highlights the absurdity and self-deception involved in idolatry.
Isaiah 44 15 Context
Chapter 44 of Isaiah continues the message of restoration and hope for Israel after their Babylonian exile. It contrasts the power and sovereignty of the true God with the impotence and futility of idols. The prophet uses the imagery of idol creation to expose the foolishness of worshipping man-made objects. Historically, this message would have been powerful to the Israelites in Babylon, surrounded by the idolatrous practices of Mesopotamian cultures. It aimed to strengthen their faith in Yahweh by showing His absolute superiority. The surrounding verses further emphasize God's unique identity as the Redeemer and Creator, who chose Israel.
Isaiah 44 15 Word Analysis
- אִֶּ֫֫ (’ephseh) - portion, half. Refers to a division or section of the wood.
- עֵץ (’ets) - wood, tree. The material used for both mundane purposes and idol making.
- לַחֲמָם (’acham) - for warming. Implies using the wood for a basic human need.
- לִשְׂבֹּ֫עַ (’sobhcoa) - to satisfy, to eat one’s fill. Emphasizes personal consumption and comfort.
- וְתַסְפִיק (’tespiec) - you shall make sufficient, enough. Signifies providing for oneself.
- וְאָֽפָה (’aphâh) - and bake. Another common household use of fire and the resultant heat.
- בָּ֫֫הּ (bāh) - in it. Refers back to the fire.
- וְאֵ֫֫ש (’’eš) - and fire. The product of burning the wood.
- מִנּוֹ (’immoh) - from it. Denotes that the idol is made from the remaining portion of the same wood.
- וַיְפַסֵּל (’epheshel) - and he carves, he fashions. The act of sculpting or shaping an idol.
- צֶ֫֫לֶם (selem) - image, idol. The likeness carved from wood.
- וְיִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה (’yišathahaweh) - and he bows down, worships. The act of reverence towards the idol.
- לְמוּ֫֫ת (ləmûth) - to it. Directed towards the fashioned idol.
- וְיִקְרָא (’yəqrä) - and he calls upon. Invoking the idol in prayer or supplication.
- לְקַל (’qal) - to it, upon it. Directed at the idol.
Grouped Analysis:
- The verse sets up a sharp contrast between human need/satisfaction (eating, warming, baking) derived from the wood and the subsequent idolatrous worship of an object made from the same wood.
- The repetition of "from it" (מִנּוֹ) stresses the absurdity: the very source of life-sustaining actions becomes an object of futile worship.
- The terms for crafting and worshipping ("carves," "image," "bows down," "calls upon") illustrate the physical act and the intended reverence of idolatry.
Isaiah 44 15 Bonus Section
The creation of an idol from a portion of wood used for personal benefit speaks to a deep spiritual perversion. It mirrors the human tendency to satisfy immediate, earthly desires while neglecting eternal realities. This verse serves as a potent reminder that anything elevated to the place of God, whether material possessions, personal comforts, or manufactured images, becomes an idol that hinders true relationship with the living God. The wood was created by God for good purposes, but the carver perverts its use. This highlights how humanity can take God's good creation and twist it for self-serving or spiritually destructive ends.
Isaiah 44 15 Commentary
This verse powerfully illustrates the folly of idolatry. The same wood that sustains life is desecrated by becoming an object of worship. The idolater finds no contradiction in using the source of their physical nourishment for spiritual deception. It highlights that idols are man-made, conceived from common materials and ultimately incapable of providing true sustenance or spiritual benefit. Their worship is a misguided redirection of the honor due to the Creator. The self-satisfaction derived from the tangible benefits of the wood is contrasted with the profound emptiness of bowing to a carved image.