Isaiah 44:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 44:9-20

Often before, God, by the prophet, had mentioned the folly and strange sottishness of idolaters; but here he enlarges upon that head, and very fully and particularly exposes them to contempt and ridicule. This discourse is intended, 1. To arm the people of Israel against the strong temptation they would be in to worship idols when they were captives in Babylon, in compliance with the custom of the country (they being far from the city of their own solemnities) and to humour those who were now... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:20

He feedeth on ashes - He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment; a proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labor to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." Hosea 12:1 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:6-20

A FURTHER CONTRAST OF GOD WITH IDOLS . The captive Jews, dwelling scattered in a land the inhabitants of which were, one and all, idolaters, and having by hereditary taint an inclination to idolatry, would be easily tempted, during the long and weary period of the Captivity, to put away the worship and even the thought of Jehovah, who had allowed their subjugation, and conform to the religion of their conquerors. Hence the repeated contrasts in these later chapters—specially... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:6-28

Jehovah and the images. I. SELF - MANIFESTATION OF JEHOVAH . He is the First and the Last, Alpha and Omega. Existing before the creation, he will endure when it shall have passed away ( Isaiah 48:12 ). It is a thought which strikes us at once by its sublimity, anal, what is better, with its truth. Men sometimes speak of the material world as real, of the world of faith and imagination as dreamy. Not so the greatest prophets and poets. Shakespeare describes the globe and all its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:9-20

The uniqueness of God having been set forth, the prophet now turns to the images and the image-makers, overwhelming them with his scorn and ridicule. The passage may be compared with Jeremiah 10:3-10 and Baruch 6:8-72. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:9-20

The utter folly of all kinds of idolatry. Idolatry proper—the actual worship of images—is felt by modern Englishmen to be so extreme a folly that they have a difficulty in believing it to have at any time been, or still anywhere to be, the actual religion of a people. Their inclination is to regard it as a symbolism—coarse and ill-judged, perhaps—but yet a well-meaning symbolism, expressive of the truths of natural religion. But research into the past history of mankind, and investigation of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

He feedeth on ashes ; i.e. on vanity—on what can give no support or sustenance (comp. Proverbs 15:14 ; Hosea 12:1 ). A deceived heart . Either self-deceived, or imposed upon by illusions from without; e.g. the seeming power of the idols, as seen in the victories and conquests of their worshippers. He cannot deliver his soul . The deceived soul is bound in trammels, which it feels to be irksome, and from which it would fain be free. But it cannot deliver itself. Deliverance must... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

True and false bread. "He feedeth on ashes." Man does not understand himself. Feed he must: the question is, on what? There are cravings of heart which cannot be repressed. Men are hungry for fame, applause, wealth, honour. Full many a time they taste this fruit; but each apple has ashes at the heart of it. What a picture of contrast is given us by Christ! He tells us of the true bread—the living bread, the bread which cometh down from heaven. I. THE TABLE OF THE MEN OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The vanity of irreligion. In a few vigorous touches the prophet sketches the utter Vanity and the condemnation of idolatry. The idolatrous man: 1 . Is relying on that which will miserably disappoint him; what he takes for food turns out to be nothing better than "ashes." 2 . Is misled into the most grievous error; he has been "turned aside" from the highway of truth. 3 . Is continually enacting a falsehood; there is "a lie in his right hand." Idolatry is the supreme mistake as... read more

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