Isaiah 41:24

Isaiah 41:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
• New International Version (NIV)But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.

Context of Isaiah 41:24

22“Bring ⌞your idols⌟ so they can tell us what’s going to happen. Explain past events that your idols told you about so that we may consider them and know what their outcome will be. Tell us about future events. 23Tell us what’s going to happen so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something, good or evil, to intimidate us and make us afraid. You are nothing! You can’t do anything! Whoever chooses you is disgusting. 25“I have raised up someone from the north, and he has come. He will call on my name from the east. He will attack rulers as if they were mud, as if he were treading on clay like a potter. 26Who revealed this from the beginning so that we could know it? Who revealed this from the past so that we could say that he was right? No one revealed it. No one announced it. No one heard your words.

Isaiah 41:24 word by word

הֵן־אַתֶּ֣ם מֵאַ֔יִן וּפָעָלְכֶ֖ם מֵאָ֑פַע תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה יִבְחַ֥ר בָּכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• of nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• and your workפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
• of noughtאֶ֫פַע'êpha‛ · worthlessH659
• an abominationתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
• choosethבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977

Cross-references for Isaiah 41:24

• Isaiah 41:29All of them are nothing. They can’t do anything. Their statues are nothing but air.”
• Isaiah 44:9All who make idols are nothing. Their precious treasures are worthless. Their own witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame.
• Psalms 115:8Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.
• Jeremiah 10:8They are complete idiots. They learn nonsense from wooden idols.
• Jeremiah 51:17Everyone is stupid and ignorant. Metalsmiths are put to shame by their idols. Their statues are false ⌞gods⌟.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4Now about eating food that was offered to false gods: We know that the false gods in this world don’t really exist and that no god exists except the one God.
• Isaiah 66:24Then they will go out and look at the corpses of those who have rebelled against me. The worms that eat them will not die. The fire that burns them will not go out. All humanity will be disgusted by them.
• Deuteronomy 7:26Never bring a disgusting idol into your house. If you do, you and the idol will be destroyed. Consider it detestable and disgusting. It must be destroyed.”
• Deuteronomy 27:15“Whoever has a carved or metal statue, anything disgusting to the Lord that was made by a craftsman, and sets it up in secret will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
• Revelation 17:5A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth.

Commentaries on Isaiah 41:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Your work of naught "Your operation is less than naught" - For מאפע meepha, read מאפס meephes ; so the Chaldee and Vulgate. A manifest error of the text; compare Isaiah 40:17. The rabbins acknowledge no such error, but say that the former word signifies the same with the latter, by a change of the two letters ס samech and ע ain . - Sal ben Melec in loc.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Behold, ye are of nothing - Margin, Worse than nothing.‘ This refers to idols; and the idea is, that they were utterly vain and powerless; they were as unable to render aid to their worshippers as absolute nothingness would be, and all their confidence in them was vain and foolish. And your work - All that you do, or all that it is pretended that you do. Of nought - Margin, Worse than a viper.‘ The word used here in the common Hebrew text (אפע 'epa‛ )…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-29This trial scene develops the Lord’s case against idolatry. Idols are nothing but a human creation, whereas God is the Creator of all things. Idols cannot speak, act, accomplish anything, or save their worshipers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. of nothing--(See on Is 40:17). The Hebrew text is here corrupt; so English Version treats it. abomination--abstract for concrete: not merely abominable, but the essence of whatever is so (De 18:12). chooseth you--as an object of worship.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 41:24

• Condescension of God
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Produce
• Gods
• Isaiah
• Nothing
• Nought
• Omniscience
• Philosophy
• Divination

Commentaries on Isaiah 41

• 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