Isaiah 45 10

Isaiah 45:10 kjv

Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Isaiah 45:10 nkjv

Woe to him who says to his father, 'What are you begetting?' Or to the woman, 'What have you brought forth?' "

Isaiah 45:10 niv

Woe to the one who says to a father, 'What have you begotten?' or to a mother, 'What have you brought to birth?'

Isaiah 45:10 esv

Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?'"

Isaiah 45:10 nlt

How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,
'Why was I born?'
or if it said to its mother,
'Why did you make me this way?'"

Isaiah 45 verses

Isaiah 45 10 Meaning

Isaiah 45:10 pronounces a strong woe against anyone who questions God’s sovereign creative and providential work. It uses an analogy from human parentage, declaring the utter absurdity and impropriousness of a child challenging their father’s act of begetting or their mother’s act of bringing forth. The verse underscores the foundational truth that as the Creator, God alone possesses the absolute right to determine and execute His plans without human counsel or questioning, making any challenge to His design presumptuous and disrespectful. It emphasizes His supreme authority over all creation and history, especially concerning His use of individuals like Cyrus for His divine purposes.

Isaiah 45 10 Context

Isaiah 45 is a powerful declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and uniqueness as the only true God. The chapter begins by addressing Cyrus, the Persian king, whom God explicitly names and raises to power, not because Cyrus knew or honored YHWH, but to demonstrate God's ultimate control over empires and history for the sake of His people Israel (Isa 45:1-7). God emphasizes that He creates both light and darkness, prosperity and disaster, illustrating His comprehensive power.

Verses 9-13 specifically constitute a stern rebuke against any who would question God's methods or wisdom, especially in using a foreign king like Cyrus to accomplish His saving purposes for Israel. Verse 9 uses the well-known metaphor of the "Potter and the Clay" to challenge humanity's right to critique its Maker. Verse 10 directly extends this challenge, using the equally fundamental analogy of human parentage, likening the questioning of God’s actions to a child insolently questioning their parents' generative acts. The immediate historical context points to an audience (exiled Israelites, potentially) who might be struggling to reconcile God's promises with the seemingly unorthodox way He is bringing about their deliverance, leading them to doubt or dispute His wisdom. Culturally, the honor and authority of parents, especially in matters of procreation, was foundational, making the analogy even more poignant and impactful for the original audience. The verse, therefore, serves as a powerful polemic against anthropocentric challenges to God’s absolute power and wisdom, asserting His unrivaled dominion over all things.

Isaiah 45 10 Word analysis

• Woe (Heb. הוֹי - hoy): This interjection signifies a lament, a solemn declaration of distress, or a warning of judgment. It’s a divine pronouncement conveying a serious rebuke for the blasphemous questioning of God.

• him who says (Heb. אֹמֵ֥ר - ʾōmēr): Refers to anyone audacious enough to challenge the Creator. It’s an active participle, emphasizing the ongoing or habitual nature of such questioning.

• to his father (Heb. לְאָבִ֖יו - lĕʾāvîw): Represents a natural, undeniable relationship of origination. Challenging a father implies challenging the very source of one’s being and life. This term connects to God as the ultimate "Father" or source of all.

• What are you begetting? (Heb. מַה־תּוֹלִ֑יד - mah tôlîḏ): This rhetorical question is presented as absurd. The act of "begetting" is fundamental to parenthood. A child, being the product of this act, has no place questioning its origin or process. In context, it parallels questioning God's creative activity.

  • תּוֹלִ֑יד (tôlîḏ): From yalad, "to bear, bring forth, beget." It denotes the active generation of life. The question challenges the very act and outcome of generation.

• or to his mother (Heb. וּלְאִשָּׁ֥ה - ûlĕʾiššāh): While the Hebrew uses "woman," the immediate parallel with "father" strongly implies "mother" here. It reinforces the analogy with both aspects of human parentage.

• With what are you in labor? (Heb. מַה־תְּחֹלֵֽל׃ - mah tĕḥōlēl): This rhetorical question extends the absurdity. The process of childbirth ("in labor") is another undeniable, vital aspect of parenthood. For a child to question the painful, life-giving process of their birth is preposterous. In context, it challenges God's bringing forth or accomplishing His plans.

  • תְּחֹלֵֽל (tĕḥōlēl): From ḥul, "to writhe, travail, bring forth, form." It signifies the pain and process of bringing new life or creation into being. The questioning touches the method and nature of creation.

• Words-group analysis:

  • Woe to him who says...: This solemn pronouncement highlights the severe disapproval of such rebellious questioning.
  • to his father, 'What are you begetting?' or to his mother, 'With what are you in labor?': This double rhetorical question establishes a powerful and universal analogy. It appeals to deeply ingrained human understanding of respect, authority, and the inherent givenness of one’s origin. No child, with a sound mind, would ever question the very acts that brought them into existence. This imagery serves to render any questioning of God’s creative and providential actions as similarly audacious, foolish, and deeply disrespectful. It applies to questioning both the beginning/origin (begetting) and the process/outcome (labor) of God's plans.

Isaiah 45 10 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a fundamental aspect of monotheistic theology – the ineffability and incomprehensibility of God's ways. Unlike pagan deities who might be influenced by fate or other gods, YHWH operates solely according to His perfect will. The questions "What are you begetting?" and "With what are you in labor?" can also be seen as challenges to God's foresight and capacity. By juxtaposing this challenge with human birth, the prophet implicitly suggests that God’s actions are as intrinsic and beyond question as the very act of bringing forth life, highlighting His ultimate source of wisdom and power. This strengthens the idea that God not only initiates existence but also precisely crafts the future (as seen in His pre-announcement of Cyrus), demonstrating His absolute mastery over all creation from conception to manifestation. The polemic is also aimed at fatalistic ideas prevalent in Babylon, where even the gods were thought to be subservient to fate. Isaiah counters this by proclaiming a God whose will is fate, making Him utterly supreme and accountable to none.

Isaiah 45 10 Commentary

Isaiah 45:10 serves as a sharp and unyielding rebuke against humanity's presumption in questioning God's sovereign will and actions. Following the "potter and clay" metaphor in verse 9, this verse reinforces the absurdity by drawing on the primal human relationship of parent and child. It underscores the foundational principle that the created has no standing to interrogate or critique the Creator concerning His creative or providential acts.

The "woe" indicates divine displeasure at such intellectual and spiritual insolence. The analogy is striking: just as it is ludicrous for a child, who is the direct product of their parents' begetting and labor, to question these very acts, so it is preposterous for humanity, the creation, to challenge the methods or outcomes of the Creator. God is depicted as the ultimate "Father" and "Mother" figure, not in gendered terms, but as the origin and sustainer of all existence and the orchestrator of all events, including seemingly difficult or counter-intuitive ones (like using Cyrus). This passage establishes boundaries, asserting God's unqualified right to execute His plans without requiring human permission, understanding, or validation. It is a call to humble submission and trust in His unsearchable wisdom. The verse applies practically to any moment we find ourselves doubting or complaining about God's orchestration of life's events, especially when His plans deviate from our expectations or understanding. It reminds us to defer to His divine wisdom, just as a child cannot truly grasp the full scope of a parent's generative power or sacrificial love.