Logos Bible Study

Isaiah 45:9–12

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The Lord Gives a Warning

45:9One who argues with his creator is in grave danger,21

one who is like a mere22 shard among the other shards on the ground!

The clay should not say to the potter,23

“What in the world24 are you doing?

Your work lacks skill!”25

45:10Danger awaits one who says26 to his father,

“What in the world27 are you fathering?”

and to his mother,

“What in the world are you bringing forth?”28

45:11This is what the Lord says,

the Holy One of Israel,29 the one who formed him,

concerning things to come:30

“How dare you question me31 about my children!

How dare you tell me what to do with32 the work of my own hands!

45:12I made the earth,

I created the people who live33 on it.

It was me—my hands34 stretched out the sky,35

I give orders to all the heavenly lights.36

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Footnotes

  1. 21 Heb “Woe [to] the one who argues with the one who formed him.”
  2. 22 The words “one who is like a mere” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and clarification.
  3. 23 Heb “Should the clay say to the one who forms it?” The rhetorical question anticipates a reply, “Of course not!”
  4. 24 The words “in the world” are supplied in the translation to approximate in English idiom the force of the sarcastic question.
  5. 25 Heb “your work, there are no hands for it,” i.e., “your work looks like something made by a person who has no hands.”
  6. 26 Heb “Woe [to] one who says” ( and both similar); “How terrible it will be.”
  7. 27 see the note at v. . This phrase occurs a second time later in this verse.
  8. 28 Verses 9–10 may allude to the exiles’ criticism that the Lord does not appear to know what he is doing.
  9. 29 See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in .
  10. 30 The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotséro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9–10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”
  11. 31 Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
  12. 32 Heb “Do you command me about …?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
  13. 33 The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  14. 34 Heb “I, even my hands”; “I stretched out … with My hands”; “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.
  15. 35 Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
  16. 36 Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at .

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,

a pot among earthen pots!

Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’

or ‘Your work has no handles’?

Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’

or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ ”

Thus says the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:

“Ask me of things to come;

will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

I made the earth

and created man on it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,

those who are nothing but potsherds

among the potsherds on the ground.

Does the clay say to the potter,

‘What are you making?’

Does your work say,

‘The potter has no hands’?

Woe to the one who says to a father,

‘What have you begotten?’

or to a mother,

‘What have you brought to birth?’

“This is what the Lord says—

the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:

Concerning things to come,

do you question me about my children,

or give me orders about the work of my hands?

It is I who made the earth

and created mankind on it.

My own hands stretched out the heavens;

I marshaled their starry hosts.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Woe to the one who argues with his Maker—

one clay pot among many.

Does clay say to the one forming it,

‘What are you making?’

Or does your work say,

‘He has no hands’?

Woe to the one who says to his father,

‘What are you fathering?’

or to his mother,

‘What are you giving birth to?’ ”

This is what the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel and its Maker, says:

“Ask me what is to happen to my sons,

and instruct me about the work of my hands.

I made the earth,

and created humans on it.

It was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded everything in them.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.

Does a clay pot argue with its maker?

Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,

‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’

Does the pot exclaim,

‘How clumsy can you be?’

How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,

‘Why was I born?’

or if it said to its mother,

‘Why did you make me this way?’ ”

This is what the Lord says—

the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:

“Do you question what I do for my children?

Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?

I am the one who made the earth

and created people to live on it.

With my hands I stretched out the heavens.

All the stars are at my command.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Woe to the one who strives with his maker,

a potsherd among potsherds of earth!

Does the clay say to the one who fashions it,

‘What are you making?’

and ‘Your work has no hands’?

Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What you are begetting?’

or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ ”

Thus says Yahweh, the holy one of Israel,

and its maker:

“Ask me of the things to come about my children,

and you command me about the work of my hands.

I myself made the earth,

and I created humankind upon it.

I, my hands, stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!

Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth.

Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?

Or thy work, He hath no hands?

Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou?

Or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker,

Ask me of things to come concerning my sons,

And concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

I have made the earth,

And created man upon it:

I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens,

And all their host have I commanded.

Public Domain