Background
Chapter 44 sits at the center of Isaiah’s argument against idolatry and at the turning point toward Cyrus. It holds the longest and funniest idol satire in the Bible (verses 9–20), and it ends with the first mention of Cyrus by name (verse 28).
For the exiles, idols were not an abstraction. Babylon was full of temples, and its great religious festivals, especially the New Year (akītu) festival, paraded divine statues through the streets. Those statues were believed to be more than symbols. In Mesopotamian religion a newly made cult image underwent an elaborate ritual called mīs pî, “washing of the mouth,” which transformed it into the living presence of the god. In the course of the ritual, the craftsmen who had made the statue ritually disowned their work, swearing that they had not made it; the god had. Isaiah’s satire aims precisely at what that ritual tried to hide.
Many scholars think verses 9–20 were composed separately and inserted here; they are more prosaic in rhythm than the surrounding poetry, and some modern Bibles print them as prose. Whether or not that is so, the passage fits its setting perfectly. It sits between two declarations that the Lord “formed” Israel (verses 2, 21, 24), and it is about people who “form” gods (verses 9–10).
The thread through the chapter
Isaiah 44 asks who makes whom?
The chapter begins with the Lord who “made thee, and formed thee from the womb” (verse 2). He promises to pour His Spirit on Israel’s children, who will spring up like willows by streams, and people will proudly write on their hands, “The LORD’s” (verses 3–5). The Lord is the first and the last, the Rock besides whom there is no other (verses 6–8).
Then comes the satire. A blacksmith sweats and grows faint making a god (verse 12). A carpenter measures and carves a human figure, “that it may remain in the house” (verse 13). And a man cuts down a tree, uses half of it to bake bread and roast meat, warms himself, says “Aha, I am warm,” and then carves the rest into a god and prays to it: “Deliver me; for thou art my god” (verses 15–17). He never stops to ask, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (verse 20).
The idol-maker forms his god. Israel’s God forms His people. The difference is the whole difference between idolatry and faith. An idol is a god you make, and so it can do nothing for you that you couldn’t do yourself. The living God makes you, and He can save you.
So the chapter ends with the Maker at work. He blots out sins like a morning cloud (verse 22), sets the heavens singing (verse 23), and announces a series of acts that climax in a name: Cyrus, “my shepherd,” who will say to Jerusalem, “Thou shalt be built” (verse 28).
Tap any highlighted phrase to open a note beneath its versein the margin.
Water on the thirsty, Spirit on the children
But now listen, Jacob My servant, Israel whom I have chosen. This is what the Lord says, who made you and formed you in the womb and will help you: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob My servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants and My blessing on your children. They will spring up like grass among the waters, like willows beside flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord.’ Another will call himself by the name of Jacob. Another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and take the name of Israel.”
1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the LORD’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
No other Rock
This is what the Lord says, Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but Me. Who is like Me? Let him say so and prove it to Me, since I established My ancient people. Let them announce what is coming and what will happen. Don’t be terrified or afraid. Didn’t I tell you long ago and announce it? You are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me? There is no other Rock; I don’t know of any.”
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
The idol-maker
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses don’t see or know anything, so they will be put to shame. Who would shape a god or cast an idol that can’t do anything? All its devotees will be put to shame. The craftsmen are only human. Let them all gather and take their stand; they will be terrified and ashamed together.
The blacksmith works it over the coals with his tools and shapes it with hammers, working with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He doesn’t drink water and grows faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line and marks the outline with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels and marks it with a compass. He makes it in the form of a man, with human beauty, to live in a shrine. He cuts down cedars, or takes a cypress or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. It becomes fuel for people. He takes some of it to warm himself; he builds a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god from it and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. He burns half of it in the fire, and over that half he roasts meat and eats until he’s full. He warms himself and says, “Ah! I’m warm; I can see the fire.” From the rest he makes a god, his idol. He bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
Such people don’t know or understand, for their eyes are smeared shut so they can’t see, and their minds so they can’t understand. No one stops to think. No one has the sense to say, “I burned half of it in the fire. I baked bread on its coals and roasted meat and ate it. Should I make something detestable with the rest of it? Should I bow down to a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes. His deceived heart has led him astray. He can’t save himself or say, “Isn’t this thing in my right hand a lie?”
9 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.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 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.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 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?
Blotted out like a cloud
“Remember these things, Jacob, and you, Israel, for you are My servant. I formed you; you are My servant, Israel. I will not forget you. I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist. Come back to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this. Shout, you depths of the earth. Break out into song, you mountains, you forests and every tree in them. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and He displays His glory in Israel.
21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
“He is my shepherd”
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: “I am the Lord, who made everything, who stretched out the heavens by Myself and spread out the earth alone. I make the omens of false prophets fail and make fools of fortune-tellers. I overturn the wisdom of the wise and turn their knowledge into nonsense. I confirm the word of My servant and fulfill the plan of My messengers. I say of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt; I will restore their ruins.’ I say to the deep, ‘Dry up! I will dry up your rivers.’ I say of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he will accomplish everything I want.’ He will say of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Seeing Christ in Isaiah 44
The Lord who speaks in Isaiah 44 calls Himself the King of Israel, its Redeemer, the first and the last, and the Rock besides whom there is no other. The New Testament gives each of those titles to Jesus, and Helaman taught his sons to build on “the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ” (Hel. 5:12).
Cyrus, named as the Lord’s “shepherd” and, in the next chapter, His “anointed,” is a type of the greater Deliverer. Cyrus freed the captives and ordered the temple rebuilt. Jesus, the Good Shepherd and the true Anointed One (Messiah, Christ), frees captives from sin and death and makes His people a temple (1 Cor. 3:16). But Cyrus never knew the Lord (Isa. 45:4). Jesus is the Lord.
Most of all, the chapter shows the difference between a god we make and the God who makes us. Jesus is not a god of our own design. He forms us, pours His Spirit on our children, and blots out our sins like a morning cloud.
Liken it to yourself
- What in my life takes all my strength to keep standing? Is that a sign of something I’ve made into a god?
- “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” What am I holding that I haven’t questioned?
- Would I be willing to write “The LORD’s” on my hand? What would the modern equivalent be?
- The Lord offers forgiveness before asking me to return (verse 22). What keeps me from coming back?
- The Lord used Cyrus, who didn’t know Him. Whom might He be using around me that I’ve dismissed?
Worth exploring next
- The idol satires. Read Isa. 40:18–20, Isa. 41:6–7, Isa. 44:9–20, and Isa. 46:1–7, then compare Ps. 115:4–8 and Jer. 10:1–16.
- Cyrus. Read Isa. 44:24–45:13, 2 Chr. 36:22–23, Ezra 1:1–4, and a translation of the Cyrus Cylinder.
- The Rock. Trace the title through Deut. 32, Ps. 18:2, 1 Cor. 10:4, Hel. 5:12, and D&C 50:44.
- Named in advance. Compare 1 Kgs. 13:2 with 2 Kgs. 23:15–16, and 2 Ne. 3:6–15.
- Adoption into Israel. Read Isa. 56:3–8, Abr. 2:9–11, Gal. 3:26–29, and 3 Ne. 30:2.
This chapter elsewhere in scripture
- Ezra 1:1–4 — Cyrus’s decree allowing the Jews to return and rebuild the temple.
- 2 Chr. 36:22–23 — The last verses of the Hebrew Bible, announcing Cyrus’s decree.
- Ps. 115:4–8 — A psalm that mocks idols that cannot see, hear, or walk.
- Jer. 10:1–16 — Jeremiah’s parallel satire on idols made by craftsmen.
Sources & further reading
- Claus Westermann, Isaiah 40–66: A Commentary, Old Testament Library. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969.
- Shalom M. Paul, Isaiah 40–66: Translation and Commentary, Eerdmans Critical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012.
- Brevard S. Childs, Isaiah, Old Testament Library. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2001.
- Joseph Blenkinsopp, Isaiah, Anchor Bible, 3 vols. New York: Doubleday, 2000–2003.
- Christopher Walker and Michael B. Dick, The Induction of the Cult Image in Ancient Mesopotamia: The Mesopotamian mīs pî Ritual, State Archives of Assyria Literary Texts 1. Helsinki: Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, 2001.
- “Cyrus”, Bible Dictionary.
- “Idol”, Bible Dictionary.
- The Cyrus Cylinder, British Museum, London, museum no. 90920.
- Spencer W. Kimball, “The False Gods We Worship”, Ensign, June 1976.
- Chapter 16: The God of Israel and the Nations (Isaiah 36–47), Old Testament Student Manual: 1 Kings–Malachi (2003).