The Absurdity of Idolatry

44:6 This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says,

their protector,7 the Lord who commands armies:

“I am the first and I am the last,

there is no God but me.

44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim!8

Let him announce it and explain it to me—

since I established an ancient people—9

let them announce future events!10

44:8 Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid!11

Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it?

You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me?

There is no other sheltering rock;12 I know of none.

44:9 All who form idols are nothing;

the things in which they delight are worthless.

Their witnesses cannot see;

they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.

44:10 Who forms a god and casts an idol

that will prove worthless?13

44:11 Look, all his associates14 will be put to shame;

the craftsmen are mere humans.15

Let them all assemble and take their stand!

They will panic and be put to shame.

44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool16

and forges metal over the coals.

He forms it17 with hammers;

he makes it with his strong arm.

He gets hungry and loses his energy;18

he drinks no water and gets tired.

44:13 A carpenter takes measurements;19

he marks out an outline of its form;20

he scrapes21 it with chisels,

and marks it with a compass.

He patterns it after the human form,22

like a well-built human being,

and puts it in a shrine.23

44:14 He cuts down cedars

and acquires a cypress24 or an oak.

He gets25 trees from the forest;

he plants a cedar26 and the rain makes it grow.

44:15 A man uses it to make a fire;27

he takes some of it and warms himself.

Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

Then he makes a god and worships it;

he makes an idol and bows down to it.28

44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire—

over that half he cooks29 meat;

he roasts a meal and fills himself.

Yes, he warms himself and says,

‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’

44:17 With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol;

he bows down to it and worships it.

He prays to it, saying,

‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’

44:18 They do not comprehend or understand,

for their eyes are blind and cannot see;

their minds do not discern.30

44:19 No one thinks to himself,

nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:

‘I burned half of it in the fire—

yes, I baked bread over the coals;

I roasted meat and ate it.

With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol?

Should I bow down to dry wood?’31

44:20 He feeds on ashes;32

his deceived mind misleads him.

He cannot rescue himself,

nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’33

44:21 Remember these things, O Jacob,

O Israel, for you are my servant.

I formed you to be my servant;

O Israel, I will not forget you!34

44:22 I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud,

the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud.35

Come back to me, for I protect36 you.”

44:23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes;37

shout out, you subterranean regions38 of the earth.

O mountains, give a joyful shout;

you too, O forest and all your trees!39

For the Lord protects40 Jacob;

he reveals his splendor through Israel.41