Isaiah 41:24

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22 “Let^a them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the ^bformer things, what they were,
That we may¹ consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.

23 ^aShow the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, ^bdo good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.

24 Indeed ^ayou are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.

25 “I have raised up one from the¹ north,
And he shall come;
From the rising of the sun ^ahe shall call on My name;
^bAnd he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.

26 ^aWho has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Isaiah 41:23

Isaiah 41:25 >>

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 ( 'epa‛ ) occurs in no other place. Gesenius supposes that this is a corrupt reading for 'epes (nothing), and so our translators have regarded it, and in this opinion most expositors agree. Hahn has adopted this reading in his Hebrew Bible. The Jewish rabbis suppose generally that the word 'epa‛ is the same word as 'eph‛eh , a viper, according to the reading in the margin. But this interpretation is contrary to the connection, as well as the ancient versions. The Vulgate and Chaldee render it, ' Of nought.' The Syriac renders it, ' Your works are of the sword.' This is probably one of the few instances in which there has been a corruption of the Hebrew text (compare Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 41:12, Isaiah 41:19).

An abomination is he that chooseth you - They who select idols as the object of worship, and offer to them homage, are regarded as abominable by God.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Isaiah 41:24:**

Psalms 24:4
Isaiah 41:1

<< Isaiah 41:23

Isaiah 41:25 >>

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