Isaiah 44:17 kjv
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
Isaiah 44:17 nkjv
And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
Isaiah 44:17 niv
From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me! You are my god!"
Isaiah 44:17 esv
And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
Isaiah 44:17 nlt
Then he takes what's left
and makes his god: a carved idol!
He falls down in front of it,
worshiping and praying to it.
"Rescue me!" he says.
"You are my god!"
Isaiah 44 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 44:17 | ...he burns part of it for a fire; and uses part of it to roast his meat... | Pertains to misuse of crafted idols |
| Isa 40:19-20 | ...An artisan casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts chains of silver... | Similar description of idol crafting |
| Psa 115:4-7 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell; they have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them, so do they who trust in them. | Parallels the inability of idols |
| Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the peoples are false: a tree from the forest is felled and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammers and nails so that it cannot totter. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they do not speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Be not frightened of them, for they can do no evil, nor can they do good. | Illustrates idol making and limitations |
| Rom 1:22-23 | Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. | Mentions exchanging truth for falsehood |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. | Lists idolatry as a sin of the flesh |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | Direct exhortation against idolatry |
| 1 Cor 12:2 | You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. | Compares former pagan practices |
| 1 John 5:21 | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. | Final admonition to avoid idols |
| Hos 14:8 | ...what have I to do with idols? I have answered and will pay regard to him who is humble and contrite in spirit. | God's rejection of idols |
| Psa 97:7 | Confounded be all who serve carved images, who boast of idols! Worship him, all you gods! | Declares shame on idol worshipers |
| Isa 2:8 | Their land is also full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is also full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots. | Points to prosperity associated with false worship |
| Jer 17:5 | Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the LORD. | Warning against reliance on man |
| Psa 135:15-18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; they have no breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. | Repeats inability and consequences of idol worship |
| Hab 2:18-19 | What profit is an idol that its maker forged it, a metal image and teacher of lies? For the maker trusts in his own creation when he makes dumb idols. Woe to him who says to what is made of wood, Wake! to a stone that cannot speak, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within its lifeless form. | Questions the usefulness and origin of idols |
| John 10:33 | The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God." | Jesus accused of making Himself God |
| Acts 19:26 | Besides, you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, not only in Ephesus but in almost all the province of Asia, by saying that works made by hands are not gods. | Paul's ministry against idolatry |
| Isa 44:12-13 | The blacksmith with a pair of tongs works it out in the coals, heating it up with hammers; he fashions it with his strong arm. ...and from the rest he makes himself an image, a carved idol. | Details the process of making idols |
| Deut 4:28 | And there you will serve other gods, the work of human hands, wood and stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. | Laws against idol worship |
| Rom 2:14-15 | For when Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are show[ing] the requirement of the law written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness. | Conscience acknowledges wrong doing |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 17 Meaning
The verse describes the foolishness of idolaters who carve an image from wood, fashion it with skill, and then worship it as if it were a god. They meticulously craft it, yet fail to recognize the inherent absurdity and sinfulness of their actions. The crafted object is nothing more than wood and skill, incapable of offering any real help or sustenance.
Isaiah 44 17 Context
This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 44, a chapter characterized by its powerful pronouncements against idolatry and its assurance of God's faithfulness and power as the Creator. Isaiah is addressing the people of Israel, many of whom had been or were still susceptible to the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. The surrounding verses (11-20) detail the meticulous and ultimately futile process of creating an idol. The chapter serves as a theological exposition, contrasting the living, sovereign God of Israel with the powerless, man-made idols of pagan worship. It aims to persuade Israel to rely solely on Yahweh, who alone is the true God, the Redeemer, and the sovereign Creator of all things. This was particularly relevant during and after the Babylonian exile, when the people were surrounded by cultures that worshipped a pantheon of gods.
Isaiah 44 17 Word analysis
- “and”: Conjunction connecting subsequent actions or clauses, showing continuation.
- “he”: Pronoun referring back to the idolater.
- “burneth” (Hebrew: שָׂרַף - sarap): To consume by fire. Highlights the utilitarian, yet sacrilegious, use of the wood intended for an idol.
- “a part”: Refers to a portion or portion of the material.
- “thereof”: Of it; belonging to the idol material.
- “for a fire”: With the purpose of making a fire for cooking or warmth.
- “and”: Conjunction.
- “he”: Pronoun referring back to the idolater.
- “killeth” (Hebrew: זָבַח - zavaḥ): To slaughter; specifically in a sacrificial context, but here used for preparing meat.
- “a piece”: A portion of the wood, perhaps for fuel, and also a part of the meat that was presumably cooked over the fire made from the same wood.
- “thereof”: Of it.
- “for meat”: For sustenance; to eat.
- “and”: Conjunction.
- “roasteth” (Hebrew: אָפָה - ’apah): To bake or roast. Denotes cooking the meat.
- “withal”: Also; besides. It links the roasting to the fire already mentioned.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- “he burneth a part thereof for a fire; and the residue thereof he maketh a god”: This stark juxtaposition highlights the immediate contradiction in the idolater's actions. He uses the very substance from which he fashioned a god for his most basic, earthly needs – cooking food. The material that is deemed worthy of deification is simultaneously treated as common fuel.
- “he roasteith withal”: The use of "withal" further emphasizes the casual, even irreverent, way the idolater interacts with the material. The same wood that he hopes will receive divine power is also readily employed to satisfy his hunger, underscoring the emptiness of his worship.
Isaiah 44 17 Bonus section
The absurdity is further amplified by the implied cyclical nature of the act. The very creation of the idol requires resources, and then these resources are partially consumed in the mundane process of sustaining the idolater. This cycle points to the insatiable and unproductive nature of idol worship. The "residue" is then fashioned into a god, a hollow representation. This mirrors the prophetic critique that those who make idols become like them – incapable of true understanding or provision, but rather reliant on their own crude constructions. The entire process reflects a deep spiritual blindness and a departure from recognizing the self-sufficient and self-revealing nature of the true God.
Isaiah 44 17 Commentary
This verse starkly reveals the folly and inherent contradiction within idolatry. The person carves a tree into an idol, imbuing it with supposed divine essence through skilled craftsmanship. Yet, this same sculpted idol, or more precisely the remainder of the wood from which it was carved, becomes common fuel. The craftsman cooks his food with a fire made from this wood, a practice that is fundamentally secular and mundane. This action underscores that the object remains merely wood, devoid of any inherent power, whether to be worshipped or to be burned for sustenance. The worshiper's expectation of divine efficacy from a man-made object is contrasted with the immediate, tangible use of the material for basic human needs. It exposes idolatry as a desperate attempt to create something divine from the common, ultimately revealing the sculptor's lack of understanding of the true God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all, not something crafted by human hands.