Isaiah 44:20

Wycliffe Bible

A part therof is aische; an vnwijs herte schal worschipe it, and he schal not delyuere his soule, nether he schal seie, A strong leesyng is in my riythond.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He feeds on ashes.His deceived mind has led him astray,and he cannot rescue himself,or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

Hebrew Names Version
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

King James Version
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

English Standard Version
He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

New American Standard Bible
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

New Century Version
He doesn't know what he is doing; his confused mind leads him the wrong way. He cannot save himself or say, "This statue I am holding is a false god."

Amplified Bible
That kind of man (the idolater) feeds on ashes [and is satisfied with ashes]! A deceived mind has led him astray, so that he cannot save himself, or ask, "Is this thing [that I am holding] in my right hand not a lie?"

World English Bible
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Geneva Bible (1587)
He feedeth of ashes: a seduced heart hath deceiued him, that he cannot deliuer his soule, nor say, Is there not a lye in my right hand?

Legacy Standard Bible
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver his soul, and he cannot say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Berean Standard Bible
He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

Contemporary English Version
How can anyone be stupid enough to trust something that can be burned to ashes? No one can save themselves like that. Don't they realize that the idols they hold in their hands are not really gods?

Complete Jewish Bible
He is relying on ashes! A deceived heart has led him astray; so that now he won't save himself, just won't say, "This thing in my hand is a fraud!"

Darby Translation
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Easy-to-Read Version
Someone like that is deceived. They don't know what they are doing. They cannot save themselves, and they will not admit, "This statue I am holding is a lie!"

George Lamsa Translation
Their imagination is dull; they are surely gone astray, and cannot deliver themselves, nor say, Our right hand has wrought falsehood.

Good News Translation
It makes as much sense as eating ashes. His foolish ideas have so misled him that he is beyond help. He won't admit to himself that the idol he holds in his hand is not a god at all.

Lexham English Bible
He feeds on ashes; a deceived mind misleads him. And he cannot save himself, and he cannot say, "Is this not an illusion in my right hand?"

Literal Translation
Feeding on ashes, a deceived heart turns him aside, and he does not deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The kepinge of dust, and folishnesse of herte hath turned them a syde: so that none of them can haue a fre conscience to thinke: maye not I erre?

American Standard Version
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Bible in Basic English
As for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
He striveth after ashes, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say: 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'

King James Version (1611)
He feedeth of ashes: a deceiued heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliuer his soule, nor say; Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus doth he but lose his labour, and his heart whiche is deceaued doth turne hym aside, so that none of them can haue a free conscience to thinke, Do not I erre?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Know thou that their heart is ashes, and they err, and no one is able to deliver his soul: see, ye will not say, There is a lie in my right hand.

English Revised Version
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Update Bible Version
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Webster's Bible Translation
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?

New English Translation
He feeds on ashes; 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?'

New King James Version
He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

New Living Translation
The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?"

New Life Bible
He eats ashes! A false idea in his heart has led him the wrong way. And he cannot save himself or say, "Is not what I have here in my right hand a lie?"

New Revised Standard
He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He is feeding on ashes, A deluded heart, hath turned him aside, - And he cannot deliver his own soul nor say, Is there not a falsehood in my right hand?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Part thereof is ashes: his foolish heart adoreth it, and he will not save his soul, nor say: Perhaps there is a lie in my right hand.

Revised Standard Version
He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Young's Literal Translation
Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, It hath turned him aside, And he delivereth not his soul, nor saith: `Is there not a lie in my right hand?'

THE MESSAGE
This lover of emptiness, of nothing, is so out of touch with reality, so far gone, that he can't even look at what he's doing, can't even look at the no-god stick of wood in his hand and say, "This is crazy."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Contextual Overview

⁹ Alle the fourmeris of an idol ben no thing, and the moost louyd thingis of hem schulen not profite; thei ben witnessis of tho, that tho seen not, nether vndurstonden, that thei be schent. ¹⁰ Who fourmyde a god, and yetide an ymage, not profitable to ony thing? ¹¹ Lo! alle the parteneris therof schulen be schent; for the smythis ben of men. Whanne alle schulen come, thei schulen stonde, and schulen drede, and schulen be schent togidere. ¹² A smith wrouyte with a file; he fourmyde it in coolis, and in hameris, and he wrouyte with the arm of his strengthe. He schal be hungri, and he schal faile; he schal not drynke watre, and he schal be feynt. ¹³ A carpenter stretchide forth a reule, he fourmyde it with an adese; he made it in the corner places, and he turnede it in cumpas; and he made the ymage of a man, as a fair man, dwellynge in the hous. ¹⁴ He kittide doun cedris, he took an hawthorn, and an ook, that stood among the trees of the forest; he plauntide a pyne apple tre, which he nurschide with reyn, ¹⁵ and it was maad in to fier to men. He took of tho, and was warmed, and he brente, and bakide looues; but of the residue he wrouyte a god, and worschipide it, and he made a grauun ymage, and he was bowid bifore that. ¹⁶ He brente the myddil therof with fier, and of the myddil therof he sethide fleischis, and eet; he sethide potage, and was fillid; and he was warmed, and he seide, Wel! ¹⁷ Y am warmed; Y siy fier. Forsothe the residue therof he made a god, and a grauun ymage to hym silf; he is bowide bifore that, and worschipith that, and bisechith, and seith, Delyuere thou me, for thou art my god. ¹⁸ Thei knewen not, nether vndurstoden, for thei han foryete, that her iye se not, and that thei vndurstonde not with her herte.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

feedeth: Job 15:2, Psalms 102:9, Proverbs 15:14, Hosea 12:1, Luke 15:16

a deceived: 1 Kings 22:20-23, Job 15:31, Hosea 4:12, Romans 1:20-22, Romans 1:28, 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:13, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 13:14, Revelation 18:23, Revelation 20:3

Is there: Isaiah 28:15-17, Jeremiah 16:19, Habakkuk 2:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11, 1 Timothy 4:2

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 11:16 - your heart Judges 17:13 - General 1 Kings 22:23 - the Lord Job 31:27 - my heart Psalms 14:4 - Have Psalms 119:29 - Remove Psalms 119:118 - their deceit Psalms 144:8 - their right hand Ecclesiastes 4:8 - For Isaiah 17:8 - the work Isaiah 27:11 - therefore Isaiah 40:21 - General Isaiah 44:9 - their own Isaiah 44:18 - have not Isaiah 55:2 - do ye Jeremiah 8:5 - they hold Ezekiel 16:17 - and didst Hosea 11:12 - compasseth Amos 2:4 - and their Habakkuk 2:6 - ladeth Matthew 13:15 - their eyes Acts 14:15 - from Romans 1:25 - into a lie Romans 7:11 - deceived 1 Corinthians 3:18 - deceive 2 Timothy 3:13 - being Titus 3:3 - deceived Hebrews 3:13 - the deceitfulness James 1:14 - when James 1:22 - deceiving James 1:26 - but

Cross-References

Genesis 35:18
Forsothe while the soule yede out for sorew, and deeth neiyede thanne, she clepide the name of hir sone Bennony, that is, the sone of my sorewe; forsothe the fadir clepide hym Beniamyn, that is the sone of the riyt side.

Genesis 37:3
Forsothe Israel louyde Joseph ouer alle hise sones, for he hadde gendrid hym in eelde; and he made to Joseph a cote of many colours.

Genesis 37:19
thei thouyten to sle hym, and spaken to gidere, Lo! the dremere cometh, come ye,

Genesis 42:13
And thei seiden, `We twelue britheren, thi seruauntis, ben sones of o man in the lond of Canaan; the leeste is with oure fadir, an other is not `on erthe.

Genesis 42:36
the fadir Jacob seide, Ye han maad me to be with out children; Joseph is not alyue, Symeon is holdun in bondis, ye schulen take a wey fro me Beniamyn; alle these yuels felden in me.

Genesis 42:38
And Jacob seide, My sone schal not go doun with you; his brother is deed, he aloone is left; if ony aduersite schal bifalle `to hym in the lond to which ye schulen go, ye schulen lede forth myn hoore heeris with sorewe to hellis.

Genesis 44:7
Whiche answeriden, Whi spekith oure lord so, that thi seruauntis han do so greet trespas?

Genesis 44:8
We brouyten ayen to thee fro the lond of Chanaan the monei which we founden in the hiynesse of sackis, and hou is it suynge that we han stole fro `the hows of thi lord gold ether siluer?

Genesis 44:27
To whiche thingis the fadir answeride, Ye witen that my wiif childide twei sones to me;

Genesis 44:30
Therfor if Y entre to thi seruaunt, oure fadir, and the child faile, sithen his lijf hangith of the lijf of the child,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He feedeth of ashes,.... That is, the idolater delights in his idol, pleases himself with seeks comfort and satisfaction from it, fills and feeds himself with hopes and expectations of being helped and delivered by it; but this is all vain hope, a mere delusion; it is as if a man fed on ashes instead of food; it is feeding on that which has no savour nor substance, can yield no nourishment, but, on the contrary, is pernicious and hurtful; and it is like Ephraim's feeding on wind, Hosea 12:1 or on chaff instead of wheat, Jeremiah 23:28 and so such who feed upon and delight themselves in sinful lusts, or false doctrines, may be said to feed on the same sort of food: and here it may be true of the idol in a literal sense; part of the wood of which it was made being reduced to ashes, to which some respect may be had, Isaiah 44:15, and that itself was capable of the same fate. The Targum is,

"behold his god, part of it is ashes;''

so the Vulgate Latin version: "a deceived heart hath turned him aside" from the true God, and the right worship of him, unto idolatry; the heart of man is deceitful, and desperately wicked; a man needs no other to entice him, and draw him away into any sin, and from the living God, than his own evil heart; which, being deceived itself, deceives him, and leads him to the commission of such things as are contrary to reason and common sense: and he is so infatuated with them, and possessed with a strong belief of them,

that he cannot deliver his soul: divest himself of his erroneous and wicked principles, and leave his idolatrous practices, or be persuaded that he is in the wrong:

nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand? that the idol, which his right hand has made, is a lie, a mere vanity, not to be depended upon and trusted in: or which is in, or "at his right hand" m; and worshipped by him, and is highly esteemed and loved as his right hand; this he cannot be persuaded to believe, and say that it is a falsehood and a work of errors; such is the force and fascination of idolatry, when once persons are ensnared and entangled with it.

m בימיני "[quod est] in dextera mea", Piscator; "ad dexteram meam", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He feedeth on ashes - There have been various interpretations of this. Jerome renders it, ‘A part of it is ashes;’ the Chaldee, ‘Lo! half of the god is reduced to ashes;’ the Septuagint, ‘Know thou that their heart is ashes.’ The word rendered here ‘feedeth’ (רעה ro‛eh) means properly “to feed, graze, pasture”; and then, figuratively, to delight, or take pleasure in any person or thing Proverbs 13:20; Proverbs 15:14; Proverbs 28:7; Proverbs 29:3. In Hosea 12:1, ‘Ephraim feedeth on wind,’ it means to strive after something vain or unprofitable; to seek that which will prove to be vain and unsatisfactory. So here it means, that in their idol-service they would not obtain that which they sought. It would be like a man who sought for food, and found it to be dust or ashes; and the service of an idol compared with what man needed, or compared with the true religion, would be like ashes compared with nutritious and wholesome diet. This graphic description of the effect of idolatry is just as true of the ways of sin, and of the pursuits of the world now. It is true of the frivolous and the fashionable; of those who seek happiness in riches and honors; of all those who make this world their portion, that they are feeding on ashes - they seek that which is vain, unsubstantial, unsatisfactory, and which will yet fill the soul itself with disgust and loathing.

A deceived heart hath turned him aside - This is the true source of the difficulty; this is the fountain of all idolatry and sin. The heart is first wrong, and then the understanding, and the whole conduct is turned aside from the path of truth and duty (compare Romans 1:28).

A lie in my right hand - The right hand is the instrument of action. A lie is a name often given to an idol as being false and delusive. The sense is, that that which they had been making, and on which they were depending, was deceitful and vain. The work of their right hand - the fruit of their skill and toil, was deceptive, and could not save them. The doctrine is, that that which sinners rely on to save their souls; that which has cost their highest efforts as a scheme to save them, is false and delusive. All schemes of religion of human origin are of this description: and all will be alike deceptive and ruinous to the soul.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 44:20. He feedeth on ashes — He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment; a proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labour to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." Hosea 12:1.