Isaiah 44 · Verse 9

Isaiah 44:9

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
Isaiah 44:9, King James Version

Isaiah 44:9 in other translations

BSBAll makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
WEBEveryone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
ASVThey that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.
YLTFramers of a graven image are all of them emptiness, And their desirable things do not profit, And their own witnesses they are, They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.
DARBYThey that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; — that they may be ashamed.
BBEThose who make a pictured image are all of them as nothing, and the things of their desire will be of no profit to them: and their servants see not, and have no knowledge; so they will be put to shame.
WebsterThey that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

What does Isaiah 44:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. (Is 40:18, 20; 41:29). delectable things--the idols in which they take such pride and delight. not profit--(Ha 2:18). they are their own witnesses--contrasted with, "Ye are My witnesses" (Is 44:8). "They," that is, both the makers and the idols, are witnesses against themselves, for the idols palpably see and know nothing (Psa 115:4-8). that they may be ashamed--the consequence deducible from the whole previous argument, not merely from the words immediately preceding, as in Is 28:13; 36:12. I say all this to show that they are doomed to perish with shame, which is their only fitting end.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 That they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god "That every one may be ashamed, that he hath formed a god" - The Bodleian MS., one of the first extant for its antiquity and authority, instead of מי mi, at the beginning of the tenth verse, has כי ki, which greatly clears up the construction of a very obscure passage. Doederlein approves of this reading. The Septuagint likewise closely connect in construction the end of Isa 44:9 with the beginning of Isa 44:10; and wholly omit the interrogative מי mi, which embarrasses the sentence: Αισχυνθησονται οἱ πλασσοντες Θεον, και γλυφοντες παντες ανωφελη· "But they shall be confounded that make a god; and they who engrave unprofitable things;" agreeably to the reading of the MS. above mentioned.

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, superstition, or any false system, they feed on ashes. A heart deceived by pride, love of sin, and departure from God, turns men aside from his holy truth and worship. While the affections are depraved, a man holds fast the lie as his best treasure. Are our hearts set upon the wealth of the world and its pleasures? They will certainly prove a lie. If we trust to outward professions and doings, as if those would save us, we deceive ourselves. Self-suspicion is the first step towards self-deliverance. He that would deliver his soul, must question his conscience, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Isaiah 44:9 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.

יֹֽצְרֵי\־yo.tze.rei-[those who] formH3335
פֶ֤סֶלFe.sel<of> an idolH6459
כֻּלָּם֙ku.Lamall of themH3605
תֹּ֔הוּTo.hu[are] nothingnessH8414
וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖םva.cha.mu.dei.Hemand desired [things] theirH2530
בַּל\־bal-notH1077
יוֹעִ֑ילוּyo.'I.luthey confer profitH3276
וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣םve.'e.dei.Hemand witnesses theirH5707
הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄHe.mahtheyH1992
בַּל\־bal-notH1077
יִרְא֛וּyir.'Uthey seeH7200
וּבַל\־u.val-and notH1077
יֵדְע֖וּye.de.'Uthey knowH3045
לְמַ֥עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
יֵבֹֽשׁוּ\׃ye.Vo.shuthey may be ashamedH954

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

Cross references for Isaiah 44:9

  • Isaiah 41:24

    Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

  • Jeremiah 10:14-15

    Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

  • Habakkuk 2:18-20

    What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

  • Psalms 97:7

    Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

  • Isaiah 41:29

    Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

  • Jeremiah 2:27-28

    Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

  • Jeremiah 16:19-20

    O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?

  • Psalms 115:8

    They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

  • Psalms 135:18

    They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

  • Daniel 5:23

    But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

  • 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 45:20

    Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
make.
41:24,29; De 27:15; Ps 97:7; Jer 10:3-8,14,15
and their.
2:20,21; 37:18-20; 46:1,2,6,7; Jud 10:14; 1Ki 18:26-40
Jer 2:11,27,28; 14:22; 16:19,20; Da 5:23; Ho 8:4-6; Hab 2:18-20
1Co 8:4
delectable. Heb. desirable.
Da 11:38
their own.
18,20; 42:18; 43:8; 45:20; Ps 115:8; 135:18; Ro 1:22; 2Co 4:4
Eph 4:18; 5:8

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

Context

  • Isaiah 44:8

    Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

  • Isaiah 44:9

    They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

  • Isaiah 44:10

    Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

Read all of Isaiah 44

Isaiah 44:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los formadores de imágenes de talla, todos ellos son vanidad, y lo más precioso de ellos para nada es útil; y ellos mismos para su confusión son testigos, que ellos ni ven ni entienden.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ceux qui forment une image taillée sont tous un néant, et leurs choses désirables ne sont d’aucun profit; et ils en sont eux-mêmes les témoins: ils ne voient pas, et ils ne connaissent pas, afin qu’ils soient honteux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Bildner geschnitzter Bilder sind allesamt nichtig, und ihre Lieblinge nützen nichts; und die für sie zeugen, sehen nicht und haben keine Erkenntnis, damit sie beschämt werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Plastæ idoli omnes nihil sunt, et amantissima eorum non proderunt eis. Ipsi sunt testes eorum, quia non vident, neque intelligunt, ut confundantur.