New Living Translation
Isaiah 44:20
20The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”
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
18Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. 19The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?” The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?” 21“Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. 22I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”
Read all of Isaiah 44Isaiah 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“A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk! You are nothing but a windbag.
- Psalms 102:9I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink
- Proverbs 14:15Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.
- Hosea 12:1The people of Israel feed on the wind; they chase after the east wind all day long. They pile up lies and violence; they are making an alliance with Assyria while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.
- Luke 15:16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
- 1 Kings 22:20And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ “There were many suggestions,
- Job 15:31Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches, for emptiness will be their only reward.
- Hosea 4:12They ask a piece of wood for advice! They think a stick can tell them the future! Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute, serving other gods and deserting their God.
- Romans 1:20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:11So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.
- 2 Timothy 2:13If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.
- Revelation 12:9This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
- Revelation 13:14And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life.
- Revelation 18:23The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The happy voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
- Revelation 20:3The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.
- Isaiah 28:15You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”
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
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
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