Isaiah 2:20

20 In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.

Isaiah 2:20 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
New Living Translation (NLT)
20 On that day of judgment they will abandon the gold and silver idols they made for themselves to worship. They will leave their gods to the rodents and bats,
The Message Bible (MSG)
20 On that Day men and women will take the sticks and stones They've decked out in gold and silver to look like gods and then worshiped, And they will dump them in any ditch or gully,
American Standard Version (ASV)
20 In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
20 On that day people will throw to the moles and the bats the silver and gold idols that they made for themselves to worship.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
20 On that day people will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made to worship, to the moles and the bats.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
20 Men had made some statues of gods out of silver. They had made others out of gold. Then they worshiped them. But when the LORD comes, they will throw the statues away to the rodents and bats.

Isaiah 2:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 2:20

In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his
idols o[ gold
Being frightened at the terrible shaking of the earth, and at the glory and majesty of Christ, which will be seen in his witnesses and people, at the time of his spiritual coming, and the destruction of antichrist; insomuch that they shall cast away their idols, and relinquish their idolatrous practices, and give glory to the God of heaven, ( Revelation 11:11-13 ) : which they made [each one] for himself to worship;
everyone having their peculiar idol, the work of their own hands; which shows their gross ignorance and wretched stupidity: to the moles, and to the bats;
that is, either they shall leave them to persons as blind and ignorant as moles and bats; or rather they shall cast them into the holes which moles make, and bats have recourse unto. The Targum makes these the objects of worship, rendering the words,

``that they may worship the idols and images;''
and the Jewish writers interpret them of images worshipped in the form of moles and bats; though we never read of those creatures being worshipped, Moles were sacrificed to Neptune F23. Kimchi refers this text to the times of the Messiah; and some of their ancient writers F24 apply it to the Messiah, and to his arising and appearing in the land of Galilee.
FOOTNOTES:

F23 Phurnutus de Natura Deorum, p. 59.
F24 Zohar in Exod. fol. 3. 3. &. in Numb. fol. 99. 3.

Isaiah 2:20 In-Context

18 and the idols will totally disappear.
19 People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.
20 In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.
22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?

Cross References 4

  • 1. S ver 11
  • 2. Leviticus 11:19
  • 3. S Job 22:24; Ezekiel 36:25; Revelation 9:20
  • 4. Ezekiel 7:19-20; Ezekiel 14:6
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