Isaiah 44 15

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 verses

Isaiah 44 15 Meaning

Isaiah 44:15 vividly portrays the stark absurdity and folly of idolatry by detailing the dual use of a single piece of wood. It highlights the irrationality of taking a material used for basic survival – to make fire for warmth and to bake bread – and then fashioning another part of it into a supposed deity. This created object, no more than carved wood, is then elevated to a status deserving of worship and prostration, exposing the profound illogic of venerating something human hands have made from a common resource.

Isaiah 44 15 Context

Isaiah 44:15 is situated within a broader passage (Isaiah 44:9-20) where the prophet vigorously denounces and ridicules idolatry. This entire section serves as a powerful polemic against the false gods of the nations, especially in contrast to the uniqueness and supreme power of Yahweh, the God of Israel. It follows God's affirmation of Himself as the only deliverer and the only God (44:6-8), and sets the stage for a grand declaration of Israel's redemption by their Creator (44:21-28). Historically, this passage speaks into a context where various forms of idolatry—Canaanite gods, Babylonian deities—were prominent threats to Israel's exclusive covenant with Yahweh. The prophet meticulously exposes the physical process of idol-making to highlight its absurdity, asserting that a divine being cannot be manufactured from common materials by human hands.

Isaiah 44 15 Word analysis

• Then: A temporal and logical connector, linking this verse to the preceding description of a tree's general utility and the process of felling it for various purposes. It signals the immediate consequence or subsequent action.
• it becomes fuel for a person:
  • fuel (אֵשׁ - ēsh): While primarily meaning "fire," here it refers to the material used to create fire. It emphasizes the wood's utilitarian, mundane purpose.
  • a person (הָאָדָם - hā'āḏām): Denotes a generic human being, stressing the universality of this practical use. The wood's primary purpose is for human sustenance and comfort.
• he takes some of it and warms himself:
  • takes (לָקַח - lāqaḥ): Implies a simple, practical act of appropriation for everyday needs.
  • warms himself (וְיָחַם - wəyāḥam): From (חָמַם - ḥāmam), "to be hot." A fundamental use of fire, indicating warmth and comfort from the common wood.
• he kindles it and bakes bread:
  • kindles it (וְהִסִיק - wəhisîq): From (נָשַׁק - nāsaq), to set on fire, to burn. The action of starting a fire for practical purposes.
  • bakes bread (אַף לֶחֶם - ʾāp̄ leḥem): From (אָפָה - ʾāp̄āh), to bake, and (לֶחֶם - leḥem), bread. Essential for survival; the same wood provides the means for food preparation. This highlights the indispensable and mundane use of the material.
• Also: This conjunction signals a significant shift, introducing a new and contrasting application of the very same material. It introduces the profound incongruity that follows.
• he makes a god and worships it:
  • makes (וַיַּעַשׂ - wayyaʿaś): From (עָשָׂה - ʿāśāh), to make, fashion. Stresses human agency in the creation of the "god."
  • a god (אֵל - ʾēl): The Hebrew term for a deity. The irony is poignant: a human, having just used the material for fire, now assigns divine status to another part of it.
  • worships it (וַיִּסְגֹּד - wayyisgōd): From (סָגַד - sāḡad), to bow down, prostrate in reverence or worship. This is the act of adoration directed towards a human creation.
• he makes it an idol and bows down to it:
  • makes it (וַיַּעֲשׂהוּ - wayyaʿaśēhū): Reinforces human craftsmanship and creation.
  • an idol (פֶּסֶל - pesel): A carved or graven image, inherently an object made by hands, contrasting sharply with the uncreated Creator.
  • bows down to it (וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּ - wayyištaḥawo): From (שָׁחָה - šāḥāh), to prostrate oneself, to do obeisance, a strong act of worship and submission. This repetition emphasizes the absolute absurdity: the creator worships his own creation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then it becomes fuel for a person; he takes some of it and warms himself; he kindles it and bakes bread." This phrase establishes the wood's practical, earthly utility. It highlights the essential role of wood in providing warmth, preparing food, and sustaining life. The actions are straightforward and beneficial.
• "Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and bows down to it." This dramatically juxtaposes the mundane utility with the irrational leap into idolatry. The same material used for basic survival is transformed into an object of veneration. The repeated phrases emphasize the human origin of the idol and the human act of worship, showcasing the ultimate folly and the blasphemy of attributing divinity to an inert object of human craft.

Isaiah 44 15 Bonus section

The tree, from which the wood for both fuel and idol comes, is itself a created thing by God (Isa 44:14). This adds another layer of irony: humans take God's creation, divide it, use part for basic needs (which themselves depend on God's provision for the tree's growth), and then fashion another part into a rival god to the very Creator. The prophet doesn't need to explicitly mention this, but the entire creation narrative underscores the ultimate absurdity of worshipping a derived, lifeless object over the living God who sustains all. This specific example also speaks to the danger of attributing spiritual or saving power to tangible, physical objects, whether ancient idols or modern representations that distract from the true Creator and Sustainer.

Isaiah 44 15 Commentary

Isaiah 44:15 is a biting piece of prophetic satire, laying bare the profound illogic of idolatry. The prophet brilliantly contrasts the practical, life-sustaining uses of wood—for warmth and baking bread—with its subsequent transformation into an object of worship. The central irony is that a person uses part of a tree for physical survival, acknowledging its utilitarian nature, only to carve another piece from the very same source and elevate it to divine status. This exposes idolatry not merely as a theological error but as an act of fundamental human folly. The "god" has no intrinsic power or being; it is simply human craft, incapable of providing either warmth or bread, much less salvation or true spiritual comfort. This passage powerfully asserts the uniqueness of Yahweh by mocking all competitors as helpless products of human hands, reinforcing His role as the sole living and active God, distinct from any manufactured deity.