Isaiah 44 20

Isaiah 44:20 kjv

He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Isaiah 44:20 nkjv

He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Isaiah 44:20 niv

Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

Isaiah 44:20 esv

He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Isaiah 44:20 nlt

The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.
He trusts something that can't help him at all.
Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,
"Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?"

Isaiah 44 verses

Isaiah 44 20 Meaning

This verse describes the ultimate futility and delusion of idol worship. It emphasizes that the worshipers' actions with the idol are ultimately self-deceiving, as the idol has no consciousness, life, or ability to respond. Their labor and reliance on it are therefore misplaced and will yield no true benefit.

Isaiah 44 20 Context

Isaiah 44 occurs during a period of Israel's exile, likely in Babylon. The nation is surrounded by a culture deeply invested in polytheism and idol worship. God, through Isaiah, is rebuking His people for their flirtation with and adoption of these foreign practices. This chapter highlights the stark contrast between the Lord, the Creator and sustainer, and the powerless idols crafted by human hands. It underscores the foolishness of trusting in something made, which cannot possibly save or sustain. The surrounding nations' dependence on their idols is presented as a pattern Israel must absolutely avoid.

Isaiah 44 20 Word Analysis

• He - Refers to the idolater, the person engaging in the act of idol worship described in the preceding verses.

• feeds - Implies nourishing or sustaining, here metaphorically applied to the misguided care given to the idol.

• a - Article.

• portion - A share, a lot, or a feed.

• thereof - Of it; referring to the idol or the material from which it is made.

• he - The idolater.

• and - Conjunction.

• it - The idol.

• a - Article.

• remnant - A small part left over; what remains after making the idol, often considered byproducts or less valuable parts.

• he - The idolater.

• himself - Reflexive pronoun, emphasizing personal involvement and ownership.

• put - To place, to set.

• for - Preposition indicating purpose or destination.

• a - Article.

• fire - For purification, for shaping, or for the act of cremation if the remains were disposed of that way, though more likely for shaping.

• or - Conjunction.

• it - The idol, or its materials.

• bake - To cook or harden with heat.

• bread - Essential sustenance, here symbolizing basic needs that the idol is being treated as capable of fulfilling, or baking something for himself using the fire initially intended for the idol's creation or shaping.

• thereof - Of it; referring to the idol or its materials.

• make - To create, to form.

• and - Conjunction.

• eat - To consume, to take nourishment.

• his - Possessive pronoun.

• and - Conjunction.

• a - Article.

• god - A deity, in this case, an idol.

• and - Conjunction.

• worship - To pay homage, to adore, to serve.

• it - The idol.

• his - Possessive pronoun.

• hands - The tools of creation and action, contrasted with the idol's inanimate nature.

• make - To fashion, to create.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "feeds thereof a portion" / "and a remnant he himself put" : This phrase highlights the fragmented and ritualistic nature of idolatry. The idolater uses parts of the wood (or other material) for sustenance and parts for the idol, demonstrating a perverted sense of providing and creating.
  • "for a fire bake bread thereof" : This shows the idolater performing mundane, human tasks with the same materials that are consecrated to the idol. It underscores the idolater's reliance on earthly means for his basic needs, yet attributing them in part to the idol's creation. The fire used to shape the idol is then used for baking his bread, a cyclical perversion.
  • "make a god, and worship it" : This is the core action of idolatry, where a manufactured object is elevated to divine status and subjected to worship.
  • "his hands make" : This is a powerful indictment of idolatry. The idol is explicitly identified as a product of human labor, skill, and therefore limited and imperfect.

Isaiah 44 20 Bonus Section

The wood mentioned in this context often refers to timber. In ancient times, especially in Mesopotamia where Babylon was located, large cedar trees were imported and highly valued for construction and fine craftsmanship, including the creation of idols. The verse highlights the economic as well as the religious wastefulness of idolatry; precious resources that could have served the community are instead consumed by the creation of impotent deities. The repetitive and almost mindless nature of the idolater’s actions—making one god, using the remnants for sustenance or another god—speaks to a spiritual emptiness that cannot be filled by external rituals focused on inanimate objects. The Hebrew word translated as "portion" (mishah) can also imply a measure or share. This reinforces the idea of distributing the resource: some for the self, some for the idol.

Isaiah 44 20 Commentary

This verse paints a stark picture of the deluded state of an idolater. He takes the very wood or material intended for making an idol and uses portions of it for his own sustenance. Some remnants are set aside for the idol, while other parts are used to bake his bread or form another idol. This entire process is utterly self-deceiving. The material remains inert and incapable of sustaining life, much less deity. The act of eating bread baked from it, while simultaneously worshiping a god made from its scraps, highlights the internal contradiction and spiritual bankruptcy of idolatry. The idolater’s hands fashion both his food source and his god, demonstrating that his ultimate reliance is misplaced and his worship is directed at his own creations. It's a profound statement on how sin blinds individuals to reality and leads them to place trust in what is ultimately worthless. True worship is directed towards the Spirit, not lifeless matter created by human hands.