Isaiah 44:17
in Isaiah 44From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 44
Commentary
6 notes on this verseHe falleth down unto it - There were four forms of adoration used among the Hebrews: 1. השתחוה Hishtachavah, The prostration of the whole body. 2. קדד Kadad, The bowing of the head. 3. כרע Cara, The bending of the upper part of the body down to the knees. 4. ברך Barach, Bowing the knee, or kneeling. See on Isa 49:23 (note).
This site's exposition
The blacksmith takes a tool
on Isaiah 44:12-17
The blacksmith and the woodworker are described at length, and the smith grows hungry making a god that cannot feed him. The woodworker cuts down cedars. He burns half of it, and from the rest he makes a god and prays to it, Save me, for you are my god.
This site's exposition
From the rest he makes a god
Matthew Henry quotes the Roman poet Martial. The one who carves a face makes no god, and the one who prays to it makes the god. Clarke lists four postures of Hebrew worship, from bowing the head to lying flat, and the carver gives such worship to a graven image.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 6 and following) This is what the Lord, the king of Israel and his redeemer, the Lord of hosts, says: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me. Who is like me? Let him call and declare, and lay out the order for me, since I established the ancient people: what is coming and what will happen, let them declare to them. Do not be afraid, nor be troubled: from that time I have made you hear and announced it; you are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me, and a creator whom I do not know? All the idols of the nations are worthless, and the things they love do not profit them. They themselves are witnesses to their own worthlessness, for they do not see or understand, so that they may be put to shame. Who formed a god or cast an idol that is profitable for nothing? Look, all his companions shall be put to shame; the craftsmen are mere men. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The blacksmith takes a tool and works it with the coals; he fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He will be hungry and will become weak, he will not drink water, and he will grow weary. The carpenter extends the rule (or the form), he shapes it on the plane, he forms it with angles, and rounds it off with a compass. And he makes an image of a man, like a handsome man dwelling in a house. He cuts down cedars, he takes an oak, and a tree that stood among the woods. He plants a pine, which the rain nourishes, and it becomes fuel for men. He takes from them, and warms himself; he kindles it, and bakes bread. But the rest of it he made into a god and worshipped; he made an idol and bowed down to it. He burned half of it in the fire and cooked meat on it; he roasted a stew and ate it, and then he was satisfied. He warmed himself and said, 'Ah! […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Qui fingit sacros, auro vel marmore, vultus Non facit ille deos; qui rogat, ille facit. He who supplicates the figure, whether it be of gold or of marble, makes it a god, and not he who merely constructs it.--M ARTIAL. Here is judgment given upon this whole matter,
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image,....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁאֵ֣רִית֔וֹ | usheerito | and [the] remainder of it | H7611 → | 66 times |
| לְאֵ֥ל | leel | <into> a god | H410 → | 241 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ה | ʾasah | he makes | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְפִסְל֑וֹ | lefislo | <into> idol his | H6459 → | 31 times |
| יִסְגָּד | yisgoyd- | he prostrates himself | H5456 → | 5 times |
| ל֤וֹ | lo | to it | H5456 → | 5 times |
| וְיִשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ | veyishtachu | so he may bow down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל | veyitpalel | and he may pray | H6419 → | 84 times |
| אֵלָ֔יו | ʾelav | to it | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְיֹאמַר֙ | veyomar | so he may say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הַצִּילֵ֔נִי | hatzileni | deliver me | H5337 → | 212 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵלִ֖י | ʾeli | [are] god my | H410 → | 241 times |
| אָֽתָּה׃ | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
וּשְׁאֵ֣רִית֔וֹand [the] remainder of it
usheeritoH7611 →66 times
לְאֵ֥ל<into> a god
leelH410 →241 times
עָשָׂ֖הhe makes
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לְפִסְל֑וֹ<into> idol his
lefisloH6459 →31 times
יִסְגָּדhe prostrates himself
yisgoyd-H5456 →5 times
ל֤וֹto it
loH5456 →5 times
וְיִשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙so he may bow down
veyishtachuH7812 →172 times
וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣לand he may pray
veyitpalelH6419 →84 times
אֵלָ֔יוto it
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וְיֹאמַר֙so he may say
veyomarH559 →5305 times
הַצִּילֵ֔נִיdeliver me
hatzileniH5337 →212 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵלִ֖י[are] god my
ʾeliH410 →241 times
אָֽתָּה׃you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 3:17If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king.
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Jeremiah 1:8
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Romans 8:31
Through
Daniel 6:16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
it leads to
- Psalms 37:39–40
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
- Job 5:19
He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
- Psalms 91:14–16
“Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.
- Psalms 37:39–40
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.