New International VersionBut you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable.
New Living TranslationBut no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves.
English Standard VersionBehold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.
Berean Standard BibleBehold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
King James BibleBehold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
New King James VersionIndeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.
New American Standard BibleBehold, you are less than nothing, And your work is less than nothing! He who chooses you is an abomination.
NASB 1995Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.
NASB 1977Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.
Legacy Standard BibleBehold, you are nothing, And your work is non-existent; He who chooses you is an abomination.
Amplified BibleHear this! You [idols] are less than nothing, And your work is worthless; The worshiper who chooses you [as a god] is repulsive.
Christian Standard BibleLook, you are nothing and your work is worthless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
Holman Christian Standard BibleLook, you are nothing and your work is worthless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.”
American Standard VersionBehold, ye are of nothing, and your work is of nought; an abomination is he that chooseth you.
Contemporary English VersionYou idols are nothing, and you are powerless. To worship you would be disgusting.
English Revised VersionBehold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationYou are nothing! You can't do anything! Whoever chooses you is disgusting.
Good News TranslationYou and all you do are nothing; those who worship you are disgusting!
International Standard Version"Look! You and your work are less than nothing; whoever finds you pleasing is disgusting."
NET BibleLook, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.
New Heart English BibleLook, you are of nothing, and your work is of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
Webster's Bible TranslationBehold, ye are of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination is he that chooseth you. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBehold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
World English BibleBehold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBehold, you [are] of nothing, and your work of nothing, "" An abomination—it fixes on you.
Young's Literal Translation Lo, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought, An abomination -- it fixeth on you.
Smith's Literal TranslationBehold, ye are from nothing, and your work no more: an abomination he will choose in you. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBehold, you are of nothing, and your work of that which hath no being: he that hath chosen you is an abomination.
Catholic Public Domain VersionBehold, you exist out of nothing, and your work is from what does not exist; he who has chosen you is an abomination.
New American BibleWhy, you are nothing and your work is nought; to choose you is an abomination!
New Revised Standard VersionYou, indeed, are nothing and your work is nothing at all; whoever chooses you is an abomination. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBehold, you are nothing, and your works are corrupt; choosing you is an abomination.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedBehold, you are nothing, you and your works! From corruption and abomination you are chosen OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Behold, ye are nothing, And your work a thing of nought; An abomination is he that chooseth you.
Brenton Septuagint Translationwhence ye are, and whence is your works: they have chosen you an abomination out of the earth.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Meaningless Idols… 23Tell us the things that are to come, so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something good or evil, that we may look on together in dismay. 24Behold,youare nothingand your workis of no value.Anyone who choosesyouis detestable.25I have raised up one from the north, and he has come—one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.…
Cross References Deuteronomy 32:21They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
Jeremiah 10:5Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”
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; ...
1 Kings 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
1 Corinthians 10:19-20Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
Psalm 135:15-18The idols of the nations 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; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...
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.”
1 Corinthians 1:19-20For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” / Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Isaiah 44:9-10All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
Romans 1:21-23For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Jeremiah 2:11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
1 Corinthians 3:19-20For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” / And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
Isaiah 46:5-7To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike? / They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. / They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
Acts 17:29-30Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. / Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
Treasury of Scripture Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you. ye are Isaiah 41:29 Behold, theyare all vanity; their worksare nothing: their molten imagesare wind and confusion. Isaiah 44:9,10 They that make a graven imageare all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and theyare their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed… Psalm 115:8 They that make them are like unto them;so is every one that trusteth in them. of nothing. Isaiah 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Deuteronomy 7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it:but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for itis a cursed thing. Deuteronomy 27:15 Cursedbe the man that makethany graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and puttethit ina secretplace. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. Jump to Previous AbominationAccountAmountsChoosesChoosethDetestableFixethFoolishGodsLessNaughtNoughtUtterlyValueWorkWorksWorthlessJump to Next AbominationAccountAmountsChoosesChoosethDetestableFixethFoolishGodsLessNaughtNoughtUtterlyValueWorkWorksWorthlessIsaiah 41 1.God expostulates with his people, about his mercies to the church.10.About his promises21.And about the vanity of idols.Behold, you are nothingThis phrase is a direct address to the idols and false gods that the people of Israel were tempted to follow. In the context of Isaiah, God is contrasting His power and sovereignty with the impotence of idols. The use of "behold" serves as a call to attention, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the futility of these idols. Biblically, this echoes the theme found in Psalm 115:4-8, where idols are described as having mouths but not speaking, eyes but not seeing, highlighting their lifelessness and ineffectiveness. and your work is of no value
The "work" refers to the actions and supposed miracles attributed to these idols, which are ultimately worthless. Historically, the surrounding nations of Israel, such as Babylon and Assyria, were known for their idol worship, often attributing their military and economic successes to these deities. However, God declares these works as having no real value or power. This is consistent with the biblical narrative that true power and creation belong to God alone, as seen inGenesis 1:1, where God is the sole creator of the heavens and the earth. Anyone who chooses you is detestable
Choosing idols over God is described as detestable, indicating a moral and spiritual corruption. This aligns with the first commandment inExodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before Me," underscoring the exclusivity of worship that God demands. The term "detestable" is often used in the Old Testament to describe practices that are abominable to God, such as idolatry and child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31). This phrase serves as a warning to the Israelites and a call to remain faithful to the covenant relationship with God, who is the only true source of life and blessing. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied to the Kingdom of Judah during a time of moral and spiritual decline. 2. IdolsThe context of Isaiah 41 addresses the futility of idol worship. Idols are man-made objects that people in ancient times worshipped as gods, which Isaiah critiques as powerless and worthless. 3. The NationsIsaiah often addresses the surrounding nations, warning them of God's judgment and calling them to recognize the sovereignty of the God of Israel. 4. The LORD (Yahweh)The one true God, who contrasts Himself with the idols and false gods worshipped by the nations. 5. The People of IsraelThe primary audience of Isaiah's prophecies, called to trust in God rather than in idols or foreign powers. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryIdols, whether physical or metaphorical, hold no real power or value. Trusting in anything other than God is ultimately futile. God's SovereigntyThe passage highlights God's supreme authority and power over all creation, contrasting with the impotence of idols. The Call to DiscernmentBelievers are called to discern what they place their trust in, ensuring it aligns with God's truth and not the empty promises of the world. The Danger of Misplaced TrustTrusting in idols or false ideologies leads to spiritual and moral decay, as they cannot provide true guidance or salvation. The Importance of Exclusive WorshipWorship should be directed solely to God, as He alone is worthy and capable of fulfilling His promises. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 41
What does 'kingdom of God suffers violence' mean?
In Genesis 31:24, why would God communicate with Laban if Laban worshipped other gods, and how does this align with other biblical passages about idolatry?
Proverbs 24:10-12: Does this claim about rescuing those in peril conflict with stories of inaction or injustice found elsewhere in the Bible?
What is the circumference of the Earth?(24) Behold, ye are of nothing.--This is thesumming up of the prophet, speaking as in the Judge's name. The idol was "nothing in the world" ( 1Corinthians 8:4). The demonic view of the gods of the heathen does not appear, as in St. Paul's argument ( 1Corinthians 10:20), side by side with that of their nothingness. Verse 24. - A pause may be supposed between vers. 23 and 24, during which the idol-gods are given the opportunity of "bringing, forth their strong reasons," and, in one way or other, proving their Divinity. But they are stricken dumb; they say nothing. Accordingly, "judgment goes against them by default" (Cheyne), and Jehovah breaks out upon them with words of contempt and contumely, Behold, ye are of nothing, etc. "Ye are utterly vain and futile."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Behold,הֵן־(hên-)Interjection
Strong's 2005:Lo! behold!youאַתֶּ֣ם(’at·tem)Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859:Thou and thee, ye and youare nothingמֵאַ֔יִן(mê·’a·yin)Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369:A non-entity, a negative particleand your workוּפָעָלְכֶ֖ם(ū·p̄ā·‘ā·lə·ḵem)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6467:Doing, deed, workis of no value.מֵאָ֑פַע(mê·’ā·p̄a‘)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 659:A breath, nothingAnyone who choosesיִבְחַ֥ר(yiḇ·ḥar)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 977:To try, selectyou is detestable.תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה(tō·w·‘ê·ḇāh)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8441:Something disgusting, an abhorrence, idolatry, an idol
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 41:24 Behold you are of nothing and your (Isa Isi Is) |
