Isaiah 44:20

Isaiah 44:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Context of Isaiah 44:20

18They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern. 19No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves: ‘I burned half of it in the fire – yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’ He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’ 21Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you! 22I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud, the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. Come back to me, for I protect you.”

Isaiah 44:20 word by word

רֹעֶ֣ה אֵ֔פֶר לֵ֥ב הוּתַ֖ל הִטָּ֑הוּ וְלֹֽא־יַצִּ֤יל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ וְלֹ֣א יֹאמַ֔ר הֲל֥וֹא שֶׁ֖קֶר בִּימִינִֽי׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He feedethרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• on ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665
• a deceivedתָּלַלhâthal · to deceiveH2048
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• hath turned him asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• that he cannot deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• nor sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• not a lieשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• in my right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225

Cross-references for Isaiah 44:20

• Job 15:2“Does a wise man answer with blustery knowledge, or fill his belly with the east wind?
• Psalms 102:9For I eat ashes as if they were bread, and mix my drink with my tears,
• Proverbs 14:15A naive person believes everything, but the shrewd person discerns his steps.
• Hosea 12:1Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.
• Luke 15:16He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
• 1 Kings 22:20The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that.
• Job 15:31Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.
• Hosea 4:12They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God.
• Romans 1:20For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:11Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.
• 2 Timothy 2:13If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself.
• Revelation 12:9So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.
• Revelation 13:14and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
• Revelation 18:23Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells!
• Revelation 20:3The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)
• Isaiah 28:15For you say, “We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”

Commentaries on Isaiah 44:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He 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." Hosea 12:1.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He feedeth on ashes - There have been various interpretations of this. Jerome renders it, A part of it is ashes;‘ the Chaldee, Lo! half of the god is reduced to ashes;‘ the Septuagint, Know thou that their heart is ashes.‘ The word rendered here feedeth‘ (רעה ro‛eh ) means properly “to feed, graze, pasture”; and then, figuratively, to delight, or take pleasure in any person or thing Proverbs 13:20; Proverbs 15:14; Proverbs 28:7; Proverbs 29:3. In Hosea…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-20Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-20This passage uses the form of a trial speech to press God’s argument that disgrace comes to all who trust in idols and false gods.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 44:20

• Blindness
• Idolatry
• Minister, Christian
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Ashes
• Consider
• Fit
• Idol
• Pleasure
• Surname
• God
• Idolatry
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to

Commentaries on Isaiah 44

• 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