Isaiah 44:9

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or know anything, so they are put to shame.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
All who make idols are nothing,and what they treasure benefits no one.Their witnesses do not see or know anything,so they will be put to shame.

Hebrew Names Version
Those who fashion an engraved image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses don't see, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

King James Version
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

English Standard Version
All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame.

New American Standard Bible
Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

New Century Version
Some people make idols, but they are worth nothing. People treasure them, but they are useless. Those people are witnesses for the statues, but those people cannot see. They know nothing, so they will be ashamed.

Amplified Bible
All who make carved idols are nothing. Their precious objects are worthless [to them], and their own witnesses (worshipers) fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

World English Bible
Those who fashion an engraved image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses don't see, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

Geneva Bible (1587)
All they that make an image, are vanitie, and their delectable things shall nothing profite: & they are their owne witnesses, yt they see not nor know: therefore they shalbe confounded.

Legacy Standard Bible
Those who form a graven image are all of them futile, and their desirable things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

Contemporary English Version
The Lord said: Those people who make idols are nothing themselves, and the idols they treasure are just as worthless. Worshipers of idols are blind, stupid, and foolish.

Complete Jewish Bible
All idol-makers amount to nothing; their precious productions profit no one; and their witnesses, to their own shame, neither see nor understand.

Darby Translation
They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know;—that they may be ashamed.

Easy-to-Read Version
Some people make idols, but they are worthless. They love their statues, which are useless. Those who serve as witnesses for these statues cannot even see. They don't know enough to be ashamed.

George Lamsa Translation
The makers of images are all of them vanity; and there is no profit in the works which they desire to make; the craftsmen who make them are witnesses, for they see not, nor hear, nor know.

Good News Translation
All those who make idols are worthless, and the gods they prize so highly are useless. Those who worship these gods are blind and ignorant—and they will be disgraced.

Lexham English Bible
All those who form an idol are nothing, and their delightful things do not profit. And their witnesses do not see or know, so they will be ashamed.

Literal Translation
Those who form a carved image are all of them vanity. And their delights do not profit; and they are their own witnesses. They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore all caruers of Idols are but vayne, and their laboure lost. They must beare recorde them selues, that (seinge they can nether se ner vnderstonde) they shalbe confounded.

American Standard Version
They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

Bible in Basic English
Those who make a pictured image are all of them as nothing, and the things of their desire will be of no profit to them: and their servants see not, and have no knowledge; so they will be put to shame.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

King James Version (1611)
They that make a grauen image are all of them vanitie, and their delectable things shall not profit, and they are their owne witnesses, they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
All caruers of images are but vayne, and the carued images that they loue can do no good: they must beare recorde them selues, that seeing they can neither see nor vnderstande, they shalbe confounded.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But they that framed false gods did not then hearken; and they that graved images are all vain, performing their own desires, which shall not profit them, but they shall be ashamed

English Revised Version
They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit: and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Alle the fourmeris of an idol ben no thing, and the moost louyd thingis of hem schulen not profite; thei ben witnessis of tho, that tho seen not, nether vndurstonden, that thei be schent.

Update Bible Version
Those that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses don't see, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

Webster's Bible Translation
They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

New English Translation
All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.

New King James Version
Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.

New Living Translation
How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame.

New Life Bible
All who make objects to worship are for nothing. The things they think are worth much are worth nothing. Those who speak for them do not see or know, so they will be put to shame.

New Revised Standard
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know. And so they will be put to shame.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The fashioners of an image - all of them, are emptiness, And, the things they delight in, cannot profit, - And, their, witnesses, they, neither see nor know, That they may be ashamed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed.

Revised Standard Version
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame.

Young's Literal Translation
Framers of a graven image [are] all of them emptiness, And their desirable things do not profit, And their own witnesses they [are], They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.

THE MESSAGE
All those who make no-god idols don't amount to a thing, and what they work so hard at making is nothing. Their little puppet-gods see nothing and know nothing—they're total embarrassments! Who would bother making gods that can't do anything, that can't "god"? Watch all the no-god worshipers hide their faces in shame. Watch the no-god makers slink off humiliated when their idols fail them. Get them out here in the open. Make them face God-reality.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

Contextual Overview

⁹All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or know anything, so they are put to shame.¹⁰Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? ¹¹Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ¹²The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and his strength fails; he fails to drink water and grows faint. ¹³The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. ¹⁴He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. ¹⁵It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread; he even fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶He burns half of it in the fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. Indeed, he warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire." ¹⁷From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, "Save me, for you are my god." ¹⁸They cannot comprehend or understand, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see, and closed their minds so they cannot understand.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

make: Isaiah 41:24, Isaiah 41:29, Deuteronomy 27:15, Psalms 97:7, Jeremiah 10:3-8, Jeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 10:15

and their: Isaiah 2:20, Isaiah 2:21, Isaiah 37:18-20, Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Isaiah 46:6, Isaiah 46:7, Judges 10:14, 1 Kings 18:26-40, Jeremiah 2:11, Jeremiah 2:27, Jeremiah 2:28, Jeremiah 14:22, Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 16:20, Daniel 5:23, Hosea 8:4-6, Habakkuk 2:18-20, 1 Corinthians 8:4

delectable: Heb. desirable, Daniel 11:38

their own: Isaiah 44:18, Isaiah 44:20, Isaiah 42:18, Isaiah 43:8, Isaiah 45:20, Psalms 115:8, Psalms 135:18, Romans 1:22, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 4:18, Ephesians 5:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 2:25 - ashamed Exodus 20:4 - General Exodus 32:4 - fashioned Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall Deuteronomy 4:28 - neither see Judges 17:3 - a graven image 1 Samuel 12:21 - cannot profit 1 Kings 14:9 - thou hast gone 1 Kings 16:7 - with the work 1 Kings 20:6 - pleasant 2 Kings 17:16 - molten images 2 Kings 17:29 - made gods 2 Kings 19:18 - for they were 1 Chronicles 16:26 - all the gods 2 Chronicles 25:15 - which could Psalms 135:15 - idols Isaiah 37:19 - no gods Isaiah 45:16 - General Jeremiah 2:5 - and are Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns Jeremiah 3:23 - in vain Jeremiah 10:5 - do evil Hosea 5:5 - testify Hosea 8:6 - the workman Hosea 10:6 - receive Zechariah 10:2 - the idols Acts 7:41 - rejoiced Acts 14:15 - from Acts 17:29 - we ought Romans 1:21 - but became Galatians 4:8 - ye did Revelation 9:20 - and idols

Cross-References

Genesis 31:32
If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.

Genesis 43:18
But the men were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph's house. "We have been brought here because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time," they said. "They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys."

Genesis 44:3
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

Genesis 44:5
Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!'"

Genesis 44:16
"What can we say to my lord?" Judah replied. "How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord's slaves-both we and the one who was found with the cup."

Acts 25:11
If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity,.... They show themselves to be vain men, by making such vain things as graven images are; both images, makers, and worshippers of them are all vain, yea vanity itself:

and their delectable things shall not profit; their idols made of gold and silver, or covered with them, and adorned with precious stones, and so delightful and desirable, are of no manner of profit and advantage, unless the matter they are made of, and the ornaments about them, were converted to other uses; yet not as gods, and worshipped as such, who can be of no service to their worshippers to help them in distress, or save them from ruin:

and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know that they may be ashamed; they that made them must be witnesses against themselves, and the idols they have made; they must be convicted in their own consciences that they cannot be gods; they must be sensible that they have no sight nor knowledge of persons and things; that they cannot see, nor know their worshippers, nor their wants, and cannot give them relief; and this they ought to acknowledge to their own shame that made them, and that their worshippers of them might be ashamed also.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They that make a graven image - A graven image is one that is cut, or sculptured out of wood or stone, in contradistinction from one that is molten, which is made by being cast. Here it is used to denote an image, or an idol-god in general. God had asserted in the previous verses his own divinity, and he now proceeds to show, at length, the vanity of idols, and of idol-worship. This same topic was introduced in Isaiah 40:18-20 (see the notes at that passage), but it is here pursued at greater length, and in a tone and manner far more sarcastic and severe. Perhaps the prophet had two immediate objects in view; first, to reprove the idolatrous spirit in his own time, which prevailed especially in the early part of the reign of Manasseh; and secondly, to show to the exile Jews in Babylon that the gods of the Babylonians could not protect their city, and that Yahweh could rescue his own people. He begins, therefore, by saying, that the makers of the idols were all of them vanity. Of course, the idols themselves could have no more power than their makers, and must be vanity also.

Are all of them vanity - (See the note at Isaiah 41:29).

And their delectable things - Margin, ‘Desirable.’ The sense is, their valued works, their idol-gods, on which they have lavished so much expense, and which they prize so highly.

Shall not profit - Shall not be able to aid or protect them; shall be of no advantage to them (see Habakkuk 2:18).

And they are their own witnesses - They can foretell nothing; they can furnish no aid; they cannot defend in times of danger. This may refer either to the worshippers, or to the idols themselves - and was alike true of both.

They see not - They have no power of discerning anything. How can they then foresee future events?

That they may be ashamed - The same sentiment is repeated in Isaiah 44:11, and in Isaiah 45:16. The sense is, that shame and confusion must await all who put their trust in an idol-god.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 44:9-10. That they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god - "That every one may be ashamed, that he hath formed a god"] The Bodleian MS., one of the first extant for its antiquity and authority, instead of מי mi, at the beginning of the tenth verse, has כי ki, which greatly clears up the construction of a very obscure passage. Doederlein approves of this reading. The Septuagint likewise closely connect in construction the end of Isaiah 44:9 with the beginning of Isaiah 44:10; and wholly omit the interrogative מי mi, which embarrasses the sentence: Αισχυνθησονται οἱ πλασσοντες Θεον, και γλυφοντες παντες ανωφελη· "But they shall be confounded that make a god; and they who engrave unprofitable things;" agreeably to the reading of the MS. above mentioned.