Isaiah 44 · Verse 20

Isaiah 44:20

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, King James Version

Isaiah 44:20 in other translations

BSBHe feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
WEBHe feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”
ASVHe feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
YLTFeeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, It hath turned him aside, And he delivereth not his soul, nor saith: ‘Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
DARBYHe 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?
BBEAs for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false.
WebsterHe 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?

What does Isaiah 44:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. feedeth on ashes--figuratively, for the idolater delights in what is vain (Pr 15:14; Ho 12:1). "Feedeth on wind." There is an allusion, perhaps, also, to the god being made of a tree, the half of which was reduced to ashes by fire (Is 44:15-17); the idol, it is implied, was no better, and could, and ought, to have been reduced to ashes like the other half. deceived heart--The heart and will first go astray, then the intellect and life (Ro 1:28; Ep 4:18). lie in ... right hand--Is not my handiwork (the idol) a self-deceit?

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 He feedeth on ashes - He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment; a proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labor to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." Hos 12:1.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 44:9-20

Image-making is described, to expose the folly of idolaters. Though a man had used part of a log for fuel, he fell down before an image made of the remainder, praying it to deliver him. Man greatly dishonours God, when he represents him after the image of man. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers, causing absurd reasonings in matters of religion. Whether men seek happiness in worldly things, or run into unbelief…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 44:9-20 →

Isaiah 44:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רֹעֶ֣הro.'Eh[he is] feedingH7462
אֵ֔פֶר'E.ferash[es]H665
לֵ֥בleva heartH3820
הוּתַ֖לhu.Tal[which] it is deceivedH2048
הִטָּ֑הוּhi.Ta.huit has turned aside himH5186
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
יַצִּ֤ילya.Tzilhe will deliverH5337
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
נַפְשׁוֹ֙naf.Shoself hisH5315
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יֹאמַ֔רyo.Marhe will sayH559
הֲל֥וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
שֶׁ֖קֶרShe.ker[is] falsehoodH8267
בִּימִינִֽי\׃\ \סbi.mi.Niin right [hand] myH3225

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 44:20

  • Hosea 12:1

    Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

  • Psalms 102:9

    For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

  • Romans 1:28

    And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

  • Job 15:31

    Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

  • Romans 1:25

    Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

  • 2 Timothy 2:13

    If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

  • Hosea 4:12

    My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

  • Revelation 12:9

    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

  • 1 Kings 22:20-23

    And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth–gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

  • Revelation 18:23

    And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

  • Isaiah 28:15-17

    Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

  • Proverbs 15:14

    The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
feedeth.
Job 15:2; Ps 102:9; Pr 15:14; Ho 12:1; Lu 15:16
a deceived.
1Ki 22:20-23; Job 15:31; Ho 4:12; Ro 1:20-22,28; 2Th 2:11
2Ti 2:13; Re 12:9; 13:14; 18:23; 20:3
Is there.
28:15-17; Jer 16:19; Hab 2:18; 2Th 2:9-11; 1Ti 4:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 44:19

    And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

  • Isaiah 44:20

    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 44:21

    Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

Read all of Isaiah 44

Isaiah 44:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
De ceniza se apacienta; su corazón engañado le desvía, para que no libre su alma, ni diga: ¿No hay una mentira á mi mano derecha?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Il se repaît de cendres; un cœur abusé l’a détourné; et il ne délivre pas son âme, et ne dit pas: N’ai-je pas un mensonge dans ma main droite?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wer der Asche nachgeht-ein betörtes Herz hat ihn irregeführt, so daß er seine Seele nicht errettet und sagt: Ist nicht Lüge in meiner Rechten?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Pars ejus cinis est; cor insipiens adoravit illud, et non liberabit animam suam: neque dicet: Forte mendacium est in dextera mea.