Isaiah 17:8

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, nor will they regard what their fingers have made, neither the Asherim nor the incense altars.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁעֶ֔ה אֶל־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֖וֹת מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֔ה וְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים וְהָחַמָּנִֽים׃

Transliteration

wə-lōʾ yišʿeh to-ha-mizbəḥôṯ maʿăśēh yāḏāyw wa-ʾăšer ʿāśû ʾeṣbəʿōṯāyw lōʾ yirʾeh wə-hā-ʾăšērîm wə-hā-ḥammānîm

Grammar Details

• *wə-lōʾ*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
• *yišʿeh*: verb, Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will look/gaze
• to-*ha-mizbəḥôṯ*: preposition אֶל + definite article + noun, feminine plural - to the altars
• *maʿăśēh*: noun, masculine singular construct - work of
• *yāḏāyw*: noun, feminine dual + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his hands
• *wa-ʾăšer*: conjunction + relative particle - and which/that which
• *ʿāśû*: verb, Qal perfect, 3rd common plural - made
• *ʾeṣbəʿōṯāyw*: noun, feminine plural + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his fingers
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *yirʾeh*: verb, Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he will see/regard
• *wə-hā-ʾăšērîm*: conjunction + definite article + noun, feminine plural - and the Asherim/sacred poles
• *wə-hā-ḥammānîm*: conjunction + definite article + noun, masculine plural - and the sun pillars/incense altars

Word Meanings

• *mizbəḥôṯ*: altars/sacrificial places
• *ʾăšērîm*: Asherim/sacred poles/images of Asherah
• *ḥammānîm*: sun pillars/incense altars/sun images

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall he respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves or the images.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And they shall not look{H8159} to the altars,{H4196} the work{H4639} of their hands;{H3027} neither shall they have respect{H7200} to that which their fingers{H676} have made,{H6213} either the Asherim,{H842} or the sun-images.{H2553}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he shall not look{H8159}{(H8799)} to the altars{H4196}, the work{H4639} of his hands{H3027}, neither shall respect{H7200}{(H8799)} that which his fingers{H676} have made{H6213}{(H8804)}, either the groves{H842}, or the images{H2553}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And shal not turne to the aulters that are ye worke of his owne hodes, nether shal he loke vpon groaues & ymages, which his fyngers haue wrought.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And hee shall not looke to the altars, the workes of his owne hands, neither shall he looke to those thinges, which his owne fingers haue made, as groues and images.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  As for the aulters which are his owne handy worke he shal not regarde them, and the thynges that his fingers hath made, as groues and images, those shal he not cast his eye vnto.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect [that] which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  They shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they have respect to that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he looketh not unto the altars. The work of his own hands, And that which his own fingers made He seeth not -- the shrines and the images.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they have respect to that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they have respect to that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  He will not be looking to the altars, the work of his hands, or to the wood pillars or to the sun-images which his fingers have made.

• World English Bible (2000)

  They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they respect that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the incense altars.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  They will no longer trust in the altars their hands made, or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made.

Referenced Verses

• Isa 30:22 : 22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, 'Away with you!'
• Isa 27:9 : 9 By this, the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed chalk stones, and no Asherah poles or incense altars will stand.
• Isa 2:8 : 8 Their land is filled with idols. They bow down to the work of their own hands, to what their fingers have made.
• Mic 5:13-14 : 13 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you and demolish your cities. 14 In anger and wrath, I will execute vengeance on the nations that have not obeyed.
• Zeph 1:3 : 3 I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, along with the ruins and the wicked. I will remove mankind from the face of the earth—this is the Lord’s declaration.
• Zech 13:2 : 2 On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will remove the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. Moreover, I will eliminate the false prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.
• Isa 2:18-21 : 18 The idols will completely vanish. 19 People will go into caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, fleeing from the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to terrify the earth. 20 On that day, people will throw away their silver idols and their gold idols, which they made to worship, to the moles and bats. 21 They will go into the crevices of the rocks and the clefts of the crags, hiding from the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to terrify the earth.
• Exod 34:13 : 13 Instead, you must destroy their altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles.
• 2 Chr 14:5 : 5 He built fortified cities in Judah because the land was at peace. There was no war during those years, for the Lord had given him rest.
• 2 Chr 34:4 : 4 In his presence, they tore down the altars of the Baals, and he cut down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast idols, crushing them into powder, and he scattered the dust over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
• 2 Chr 34:6-7 : 6 He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around. 7 He tore down the altars and the Asherah poles, smashed the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
• Isa 1:29 : 29 You will be ashamed because of the terebinths that you desired, and you will blush because of the gardens you have chosen.
• Isa 31:6-7 : 6 Return to the One you have so deeply rebelled against, O sons of Israel. 7 For on that day each of you will reject the idols of silver and gold that your hands have sinfully made.
• Isa 44:15 : 15 It becomes fuel for a man; he takes part of it to warm himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
• Isa 44:19-20 : 19 No one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, 'Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals, roasted meat, and ate. Now, should I make an abomination of the rest? Should I bow down to a block of wood?' 20 He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, 'Isn't there a lie in my right hand?'
• Ezek 36:25 : 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
• Hos 8:4-6 : 4 They set up kings, but not by me; they appointed leaders, but I did not know of it. With their silver and gold, they made idols for themselves, to their own destruction. 5 Your calf idol is rejected, Samaria! My anger burns against them. How long will they be unable to attain innocence? 6 This calf comes from Israel! A craftsman made it; it is not God. It will be shattered into pieces—this calf of Samaria.
• Hos 10:1-2 : 1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more abundant his fruit, the more altars he built. The richer his land, the more he adorned sacred pillars. 2 Their hearts are divided; now they must bear their guilt. He will tear down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.
• Hos 13:1-2 : 1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died. 2 Now they continue to sin and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully crafted from their silver, all of it the work of artisans. They say about them, 'Those who sacrifice kiss the calves!'
• Hos 14:8 : 8 Those who live in his shade will return; they will flourish like grain, blossom like the vine, and their fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.