New Living Translation
Isaiah 44:15
15Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it!
Isaiah 44:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
- New International Version (NIV)It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
Context of Isaiah 44:15
13Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine. 14He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! 16He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says, “Ah, that fire feels good.” 17Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. “Rescue me!” he says. “You are my god!”
Read all of Isaiah 44Isaiah 44:15 word by word
וְהָיָ֤ה לְאָדָם֙ לְבָעֵ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֵהֶם֙ וַיָּ֔חָם אַף־יַשִּׂ֖יק וְאָ֣פָה לָ֑חֶם אַף־יִפְעַל־אֵל֙ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ עָשָׂ֥הוּ פֶ֖סֶל וַיִּסְגָּד־לָֽמוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then shall it be for a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- to burnבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
- for he will takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- thereof, and warmחָמַםchâmam · to warmH2552
- himself; yea, he kindlethשָׂלַקnâώaq · to kindleH5400
- and bakethאָפָה'âphâh · to bakeH644
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- yea, he makethפָּעַלpâ‛al · to workH6466
- a godאֵל'êl · godH410
- and worshippethשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- he makethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- it a graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
- and falleth downסָגַדsâgad · to prostrateH5456
Cross-references for Isaiah 44:15
- Isaiah 44:10Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit?
- Isaiah 45:20“Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!
- Judges 2:19But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
- 2 Chronicles 25:14When King Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought with him idols taken from the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down in front of them, and offered sacrifices to them!
- Revelation 9:20But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!
Commentaries on Isaiah 44:15
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Then shall it be for a man to burn - It will afford materials for a fire. The design of this verse and the following is, to ridicule the idea of a man‘s using parts of the same tree to make a fire to cook his victuals, to warm himself, and to shape a god. Nothing could be more stupid than the conduct here referred to, and yet it is common all over the pagan world. It shows the utter debasement of the race, that they thus of the same tree make a fire, cook…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. 15-17He takes some of it to warm himself … He also fashions it into a god and worships it: This description of making an idol is full of sarcasm and mocks the foolishness of idol worshipers (see also Isaiah 44:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. The same tree that furnishes the material for the god is in part used as fuel for a fire to cook his meals and warm himself! thereto--rather, "he falleth down before them," that is, such images [Maurer].Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 44:15
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries