The Meaning of Isaiah 44:9 Explained

Isaiah 44:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 44:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet began by stating his premise. Idol makers engage in futile (Heb. tohu) activity because the idols they make do not profit people. Those who promote idol worship do not see the folly of idolatry themselves, and they will be ashamed by the failure of their gods.

Context Summary

Isaiah 44:1-11 - "besides Me There Is No God"
What gracious promises are given throughout Scripture, not only to God's children, but to their seed! Here the thirsty soul, longing for love, sympathy, God, is promised an abundant supply. See John 4:13-14; Revelation 22:17. But notice the extreme beauty of the further response, which shall be made by the young followers of our Lord:
One shall say, I am the Lord's, Isaiah 44:5. What ecstasy such a declaration causes to a parent's heart! Young friends, do not be satisfied till you have confessed Christ. Say, I am the Lord's. Another shall write on his hand, unto the Lord; that is, he shall dedicate his hand to do God's work in the world. Oh, to write a similar declaration on every member of our body! Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; that is, shall write these words on a blank sheet of paper, and his own name beneath them.
Again we have the conflict with the idols of the heathen, Isaiah 44:6-11. But what chance have their votaries when confronted by the glad and assured testimony of those who have seen the King in His beauty! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 44

1  God comforts the church with his promises
7  The vanity of idols
9  And folly of idol makers
21  He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence

What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:9 mean?

Those who make an image all of them [are] useless and their precious things not shall profit and their own witnesses they [are] neither they see nor know that they may be ashamed
יֹֽצְרֵי־ פֶ֤סֶל כֻּלָּם֙ תֹּ֔הוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם בַּל־ יוֹעִ֑ילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣ם הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄ‪‬ בַּל־ יִרְא֛וּ וּבַל־ יֵדְע֖וּ לְמַ֥עַן יֵבֹֽשׁוּ

יֹֽצְרֵי־  Those  who  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
פֶ֤סֶל  an  image 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּסֶל  
Sense: idol, image.
כֻּלָּם֙  all  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
תֹּ֔הוּ  [are]  useless 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֹּהוּ  
Sense: formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness.
וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם  and  their  precious  things 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חָמַד 
Sense: to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in.
יוֹעִ֑ילוּ  shall  profit 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָעַל  
Sense: (Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail.
וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣ם  and  their  own  witnesses 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
הֵׄ֗מָּׄהׄ‪‬  they  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
בַּל־  neither 
Parse: Adverb
Root: בַּל 
Sense: not, hardly, else.
יִרְא֛וּ  they  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וּבַל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: בַּל 
Sense: not, hardly, else.
יֵדְע֖וּ  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
לְמַ֥עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יֵבֹֽשׁוּ  they  may  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.