New International VersionIn that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
New Living TranslationOn that day of judgment they will abandon the gold and silver idols they made for themselves to worship. They will leave their gods to the rodents and bats,
English Standard VersionIn that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
Berean Standard BibleIn that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold—the idols they made to worship.
King James BibleIn that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
New King James VersionIn that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats,
New American Standard BibleOn that day people will throw away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship,
NASB 1995In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship,
NASB 1977In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship,
Legacy Standard BibleIn that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship,
Amplified BibleIn that day men will throw away to the moles and to the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves [as objects] to worship,
Christian Standard BibleOn that day people will throw their worthless idols of silver and gold, which they made to worship, to the moles and the bats.
Holman Christian Standard BibleOn that day people will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made to worship, to the moles and the bats.
American Standard VersionIn that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
Contemporary English VersionOn that day everyone will throw to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold they made to worship.
English Revised VersionIn that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for him to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
GOD'S WORD® TranslationOn that day people will throw to the moles and the bats the silver and gold idols that they made for themselves to worship.
Good News TranslationWhen that day comes, they will throw away the gold and silver idols they have made, and abandon them to the moles and the bats.
International Standard VersionAt that time, mankind will throw their silver and gold idols that their fingers have made as objects of worship to the moles and to the bats.
NET BibleAt that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
New Heart English BibleIn that day, people will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold to the rodents and to the bats, which have been made for themselves to worship;
Webster's Bible TranslationIn that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIn that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold—the idols they made to worship.
World English BibleIn that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIn that day man casts his idols of silver, "" And his idols of gold, "" That they have made for him to worship, "" To moles, and to bats,
Young's Literal Translation In that day doth man cast his idols of silver, And his idols of gold, That they have made for him to worship, To moles, and to bats,
Smith's Literal TranslationIn that day man shall cast the nothings of his silver and the nothings of his gold which they made for him to worship, to the digging of moles and to bats. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIn that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which he had made for himself to adore, moles and bats.
Catholic Public Domain VersionIn that day, man shall cast aside his idols of silver and his images of gold, which he had made for himself, as if to reverence the moles and the bats.
New American BibleOn that day people shall throw to moles and bats their idols of silver and their idols of gold which they made for themselves to worship.
New Revised Standard VersionOn that day people will throw away to the moles and to the bats their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIn that day a man shall cast away to the moles and to the bats his idols of gold and his idols of silver, which they made each one for themselves to worship,
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedIn that day men shall throw idols of gold and of silver, that they had made for themselves to worship, to nothingness and to the bats OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917In that day a man shall cast away His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship, To the moles and to the bats;
Brenton Septuagint TranslationFor in that day a man shall cast forth his silver and gold abominations, which they made in order to worship vanities and bats;
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Day of Reckoning… 19Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. 20In thatdaymenwill cast awayto the molesand batstheir idolsof silverandgold—the idolsthey madeto worship.21They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.…
Cross References Revelation 6:15-16Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Ezekiel 7:19They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.
Hosea 10:8The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Matthew 24:29-30Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Zephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 9:20Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
Jeremiah 16:19-20O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all. / Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!”
Micah 5:13-14I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands. / I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.
2 Kings 17:15-16They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. / They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.
Isaiah 31:7For on that day, every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold that your own hands have sinfully made.
1 Kings 12:28-30After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” / One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. / And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.
Psalm 115:4-8Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...
Revelation 18:11-17And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— / cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; / of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves. ...
Isaiah 30:22So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”
Habakkuk 2:18-19What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it—or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. / Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”
Treasury of Scripture In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; cast Isaiah 30:22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Isaiah 31:7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto youfor a sin. Isaiah 46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriageswere heavy loaden;they are a burden to the wearybeast. his idols of silver. Isaiah 46:6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance,and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. each one for himself to. Jump to Previous BeastsCastDarkForthGoldIdolsImagesKeepingSilverThemselvesThrowWorshipJump to Next BeastsCastDarkForthGoldIdolsImagesKeepingSilverThemselvesThrowWorshipIsaiah 2 1.Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ's kingdom6.Wickedness is the cause of God's forsaking10.He exhorts to fear, because of the powerful effects of God's majestyIn that dayThis phrase often refers to a future time of divine intervention or judgment. In the context of Isaiah, it points to the Day of the Lord, a time when God will execute judgment and establish His kingdom. This eschatological theme is prevalent throughout the prophetic books, emphasizing a future period of reckoning and restoration. men will cast away The act of casting away signifies a complete rejection and renunciation. This imagery suggests a dramatic change in values and priorities, where people will abandon what they once held dear. It reflects a moment of realization and repentance, where the futility of idolatry becomes apparent. to the moles and bats Moles and bats are creatures associated with darkness and uncleanliness in biblical times. The choice of these animals underscores the worthlessness and impurity of the idols. It suggests that the idols, once revered, will be discarded into places of obscurity and insignificance, highlighting their ultimate powerlessness. their idols of silver and gold Silver and gold were materials commonly used in the creation of idols, signifying wealth and human craftsmanship. The mention of these precious metals emphasizes the misplaced trust in material wealth and human-made objects. This critique of idolatry is a recurring theme in the Bible, where reliance on physical objects is contrasted with faith in the living God. the idols they made to worship This phrase highlights the human origin of the idols, underscoring their inadequacy as objects of worship. It reflects the biblical condemnation of idolatry, where the creation is wrongly elevated above the Creator. The futility of idol worship is a central message in the prophetic literature, calling people back to the worship of the one true God. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah's ministry spanned the reigns of several kings of Judah. He is known for his prophecies concerning both judgment and redemption. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, often the focus of Isaiah's prophecies. The people of Judah were frequently admonished for their idolatry and lack of faithfulness to God. 3. IdolsObjects made of silver and gold that the people of Judah worshipped instead of the one true God. These idols symbolize the misplaced trust and spiritual adultery of the people. 4. Moles and BatsCreatures that dwell in darkness, symbolizing the worthlessness and obscurity to which the idols will be relegated. 5. In that dayA prophetic phrase often used by Isaiah to refer to a future time of divine intervention, judgment, or restoration. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryIdols, no matter how precious or ornate, are ultimately worthless and powerless. They cannot save or protect. God's SovereigntyThe casting away of idols signifies the recognition of God's ultimate authority and power over all creation. Repentance and RenewalTrue repentance involves not only turning away from sin but also discarding the objects and practices associated with it. Spiritual BlindnessIdolatry is often linked to spiritual blindness, where people fail to see the truth of God's supremacy and the emptiness of their false gods. Preparation for JudgmentThe phrase "in that day" serves as a reminder to live in readiness for God's judgment, ensuring our lives are free from idolatry and aligned with His will. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 2
Isaiah 2:6-8 condemns idolatry among the people of Judah, yet archaeological findings show idol use throughout Israelite history; does this undermine the text's portrayal of reform?
How do the references to idols in Isaiah 44:9-20 align with Israel's historical and archeological record of worship practices?
(Habakkuk 2:18-19) How does the critique of idols align with accounts elsewhere that depict different perspectives or tolerances toward idol worship?
Micah 1:7 - How does the text's condemnation of idol worship align with other passages that appear to offer different perspectives or degrees of tolerance for pagan practices?(20) A man shall cast his idols of silver. . .--The picture of the earthquake is still continued. The men who have taken refuge in the caves fling away the idols, that they have found powerless to help them, to the moles and bats which had their dwelling there. It is perhaps significant that the animals thus named were proverbial for their blindness and love of darkness. Such, the prophet seems to say, were the fit custodians of the idols whom none could worship except those that hated the light and were spiritually blind. Which they made each one for himself.--Better,which they(the carvers of the idol)made for him(the worshipper). Verse 20. - In that day a man shall cast, etc, When the idols disappoint their worship-pets, and prove to be unable to save them, they are treated with scorn and ignominy. The African beats his fetish on such occasions. The Israelites would fling theirs to the moles and the bats. Idols of silver... idols of gold (comp. Exodus 20:23; Psalm 115:4: 135:15; Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 31:7; Hosea 8:4; Hosea 13:2). A passage of Habakkuk ( Habakkuk 2:19) shows that sometimes the main bulk of the idol was of stone, which was overlaid with a coating of one or other of the two precious metals; but it would seem that ordinarily the entire image was either of gold or silver (comp. Exodus 32:4, 24; 1 Kings 12:28). No doubt it was thought that the god worshipped through the image was more honored, and therefore better pleased, by the more costly material. Which they made each one for himself; rather, which they ( i.e. the manufacturers) have made for him. Idol-making was a trade, as we see by the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 19:24-27). To the moles; literally, to the dig-holes. The metaphor must not be pressed. They would throw the idols into holes and corners, pits and caverns, where moles and bats might be expected to be the only visitants. Some idea of the blindness implied in any regard for idols may have prompted the imagery.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew In thatהַהוּא֙(ha·hū)Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, aredayבַּיּ֤וֹם(bay·yō·wm)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3117:A daymenהָאָדָ֔ם(hā·’ā·ḏām)Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120:Ruddy, a human beingwill cast awayיַשְׁלִ֣יךְ(yaš·lîḵ)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7993:To throw out, down, awaytheir idolsאֱלִילֵ֣י(’ĕ·lî·lê)Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 457:Good for, nothing, by anal, vain, vanity, an idolof silverכַסְפּ֔וֹ(ḵas·pōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3701:Silver, moneyandוְאֵ֖ת(wə·’êṯ)Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casegold—זְהָב֑וֹ(zə·hā·ḇōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2091:Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky[the idols]אֲשֶׁ֤ר(’ă·šer)Pronoun - relative Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatthey madeעָֽשׂוּ־(‘ā·śū-)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213:To do, maketo worship—לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֔ת(lə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wōṯ)Preposition-l | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct Strong's 7812:To depress, prostrateaway to the molesלַחְפֹּ֥ר(laḥ·pōr)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 2661:A burrower, a ratand bats.וְלָעֲטַלֵּפִֽים׃(wə·lā·‘ă·ṭal·lê·p̄îm)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 5847:A bat
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 2:20 In that day men shall cast away (Isa Isi Is) |