Isaiah 2:20

Isaiah 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
• New International Version (NIV)In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
• New King James Version (NKJV)In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats,

Context of Isaiah 2:20

18All the useless idols will be there no more. 19People will run away to the caves in the hills. They will try to hide in holes in the ground. They will try to escape from the great power of the Lord, when he comes to judge everyone. They will see that he rules with great authority. People will be very afraid when he comes to punish the people on earth. At that time, people will throw away their silver idols and their gold idols. They made those idols so that they could worship them. But now they will throw them into caves where rats and bats live. 21The people themselves will look for caves and holes in the rocks where they can hide. They will try to escape from the Lord's punishment. They will see that he rules with great authority. They will be afraid when he comes to judge the people on earth. 22Do not trust people to help you. They are weak and they will all die one day. They are not strong enough to help you.

Isaiah 2:20 word by word

בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ יַשְׁלִ֣יךְ הָאָדָ֔ם אֵ֚ת אֱלִילֵ֣י כַסְפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת אֱלִילֵ֣י זְהָב֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָֽשׂוּ־לוֹ֙ לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֔ת לַחְפֹּ֥ר פֵּר֖וֹת וְלָעֲטַלֵּפִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• shall castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
• his idolsאֱלִיל'ĕlîyl · idolH457
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• of goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• for himselfעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• to worshipשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
• to the molesפֵּרָהpêrâh · moleH6512
• to the molesחֲפֹרchăphôr chapharpêrâh · moleH2661
• and to the batsעֲטַלֵּף‛ăţallêph · batH5847

Cross-references for Isaiah 2:20

• Isaiah 30:22Then you will destroy your idols and your images of false gods. You used silver or gold to make them beautiful. But now you will throw them away like a piece of dirty cloth. You will tell them, ‘Go away!’
• Isaiah 31:7The time will come when everyone must throw away their gold and silver idols. It was a sin for you to make them for yourselves.
• Isaiah 46:1Bel bends down to the ground. Nebo lies down low. Their images are heavy loads on the backs of animals. The animals become tired and weak as they carry them away.
• Hosea 14:8People of Ephraim, do not let me see your idols any more! I will answer your prayers. I will take care of you. I am like a strong green tree. All the good things that you have come from me.’
• Philippians 3:7All those ideas seemed very important to me then. But now they are worth nothing to me, because I trust in Christ.
• Isaiah 46:6Some people make idols for themselves. They pour out gold coins from their purse. They weigh silver on their scales. They pay a worker with special skill to use the silver and the gold to make a god. Then they bend down low in front of it, and they worship it!

Commentaries on Isaiah 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Which they made each one for himself to worship "Which they have made to worship" - The word לו lo, for himself, is omitted by two ancient MSS., and is unnecessary. It does not appear that any copy of the Septuagint has it, except MS. Pachom, and MS. 1. D. II., and they have ̔, להם lahem, to themselves. To the moles - They shall carry their idols with them into the dark caverns, old ruins, or desolate places, to which they shall flee for refuge; and so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20In that day - That is, in the time when God would come forth to inflict punishment. Probably the day to which the prophet refers here was the time of the captivity at Babylon. A man shall cast … - That is, “all” who have idols, or who have been trusting in them. Valuable as they may be - made of gold and silver; and much as he may “now” rely on them or worship them, yet he shall then see their vanity, and shall cast them into dark, obscure places, or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 The taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans seems first meant here, when idolatry among the Jews was done away; but our thoughts are led forward to the destruction of all the enemies of Christ. It is folly for those who are pursued by the wrath of God, to think to hide or shelter themselves from it. The shaking of the earth will be terrible to those who set their affections on things of the earth. Men's haughtiness will be brought down, either…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21Animals such as rodents and bats live in dark, underground places. They avoid the light and stay hidden. In the same way, those who worship idols will try to hide from the Lord’s judgment. They will seek dark places instead of turning to God in repentance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. moles--Others translate "mice." The sense is, under ground, in darkness. bats--unclean birds (Le 11:19), living amidst tenantless ruins (Re 11:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 2:20

• Bat
• Fear of God
• Idol
• Idolatry
• Isaiah
• Mole

In the dictionaries

• That Day
• Abolish
• Bat
• Lofty
• Mole
• Prophecy
• Proportion
• Teach
• Terribly
• Armor; Arms

Commentaries on Isaiah 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings