Isaiah 41:24 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

The Lord, by the prophet, here repeats the challenge to idolaters to make out the pretentions of their idols: ?Produce your cause (Isa. 41:21) and make your best of it; bring forth the strongest reasons you have to prove that your idols are gods, and worthy of your adoration.? Note, There needs no more to show the absurdity of sin than to produce the reasons that are given in defence of it, for they carry with them their own confutation. I. The idols are here challenged to bring proofs of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:24

Behold, ye are of nothing ,.... Not as to the matter of them, for they were made of gold, silver, brass, &c.; but as to the divinity of them: there was none in them, they were of no worth and value; they could do nothing, either good or evil, either help their friends, or hurt their enemies; yea, they were less than nothing; for the words may be rendered by way of comparison, "behold, ye are less than nothing"; F1 א־תאם מאין "vos minus quam nihil estis ", Junius &... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:24

Your work of naught "Your operation is less than naught" - For מאפע meepha , read מאפס meephes ; so the Chaldee and Vulgate. A manifest error of the text; compare Isaiah 40:17 . The rabbins acknowledge no such error, but say that the former word signifies the same with the latter, by a change of the two letters ס samech and ע ain . - Sal ben Melec in loc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:17-29

The claims of Jehovah. The thought seems to resume the thread broken off at the beginning of the chapter. Jehovah appeals to what he has done and to what he is. I. HIS MERCIFUL DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE . The scene and state of exile is brought before us. They are dwelling in the "tents of Kedar." They are in the midst of a flourishing commercial empire; yet it is to them as a desert where no water is (cf. Psalms 63:1 ). The true desert is the soul without the sense of God's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

JEHOVAH 'S CONTROVERSY WITH THE NATIONS AND THEIR IDOL - GODS . The argument is now taken up from Isaiah 41:1-4 . Jehovah and his worshippers are on the one side; the idol-gods and their votaries on the other. The direct challenge, however, is given by Jehovah himself to the idols: 1 . What predictions of their own can they bring forward as proofs of supernatural knowledge? 2 . What indications can they give of power either to do good or to do evil ( Isaiah 41:22 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

The futility and absurdity of false systems do not prevent them from keeping their hold on men. At the present day, men are apt to find it strange that the prophets should spend so much time, employ so many words, in confuting idolatry and showing it to be utter and absolute folly. To us of the present age the absurdity seems palpable and gross—therefore not worth arguing against. But systems of religion or of irreligion, whenever they have become established and have got possession of men's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

A true test of Divinity. When these words were written the question to be solved was—Which god, of all the rival deities, is worthy of human trust and worship? The question now is—What is the authority to which we shall submit our judgment and in which we shall rest?—is it human nature, or is it the forces of the material world, or is it the Lord God? The verses before us suggest to us that one criterion in this state of inquiry is to be found in the consideration that we cannot find rest in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:24

A pause may be supposed between Isaiah 41:23 and Isaiah 41:24 , 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." read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 41:24

Behold, ye are of nothing - Margin, ‘Worse than nothing.’ This refers to idols; and the idea is, that they were utterly vain and powerless; they were as unable to render aid to their worshippers as absolute nothingness would be, and all their confidence in them was vain and foolish.And your work - All that you do, or all that it is pretended that you do.Of nought - Margin, ‘Worse than a viper.’ The word used here in the common Hebrew text (אפע 'epa‛) occurs in no other place. Gesenius supposes... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 41:21-24

Isaiah 41:21-24. Produce your cause He renews his challenge to the idolaters to plead the cause of their idols, and give convincing proof of their divinity: see on Isaiah 41:1. Bring forth your strong reasons Hebrew, הגישׁו עצמותיכם , which Bishop Lowth renders, “Produce these your mighty powers;” and Jerome, “Accedant idola vestra, quæ putatis esse fortissima,” let those of your idols, whom you think most powerful, approach. “I prefer this,” says the bishop, “to all other... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:24

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:17-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:21-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:24

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 41:24

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 41:21-24

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