Isaiah 2:20
Verse
Context
The Day of Reckoning
19Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. 20In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold— the idols they made to worship. 21They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.
Sermons
Robert B. Thompson
David Wilkerson
Thomas BrooksThomas Brooks
Harriet N. CookSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Which they made each one for himself to worship "Which they have made to worship" - The word לו lo, for himself, is omitted by two ancient MSS., and is unnecessary. It does not appear that any copy of the Septuagint has it, except MS. Pachom, and MS. 1. D. II., and they have ἑαυτοις, להם lahem, to themselves. To the moles - They shall carry their idols with them into the dark caverns, old ruins, or desolate places, to which they shall flee for refuge; and so shall give them up, and relinquish them to the filthy animals that frequent such places, and have taken possession of them as their proper habitation. Bellonias, Greaves, P. Lucas, and many other travelers, speak of bats of an enormous size, as inhabiting the Great Pyramid. See Harmer, Obs., vol. ii., 455. Three MSS. express חפרפרות chapharperoth, the moles as one word.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
Isa 2:20 forms the commencement to the fourth strophe: "In that day will a man cast away his idols of gold and his idols of silver, which they made for him to worship, to the moles and to the bats." The traditional text separates lachpor peroth into two words, (Note: Abulwali=d Parchon and others regard the double word as the singular of a substantive, applied to a particular bird (possibly a woodpecker), as a pecker of fruit (peroth). Kimchi would rather take lachpor as an infinitive (as in Jos 2:2), to dig pits; and compares with it the talmudic word pēr, a pit or grave. No one adopts the rendering "into mouse-holes," simply because pērah, a mouse (from an Arabic word fa'ara, to dig, or root up), was not a Hebrew word at all, but was adopted at a later period from the Arabic (hence the Hebraeo-Arabic purah, a mousetrap).) though without its being possible to discover what they are supposed to mean. The reason for the separation was simply the fact that plurilitera were at one time altogether misunderstood and regarded as Composita: for other plurilitera, written as two words, compare Isa 61:1; Hos 4:18; Jer 46:20. The prophet certainly pronounced the word lachparpâroth (Ewald, 157, c); and Chapharpârâh is apparently a mole (lit. thrower up of the soil), talpa, as it is rendered by Jerome and interpreted by Rashi. Gesenius and Knobel, however, have raised this objection, that the mole is never found in houses. But are we necessarily to assume that they would throw their idols into lumber-rooms, and not hide them in holes and crevices out of doors? The mole, the shrew-mouse, and the bat, whose name (atalleph) is regarded by Schultens as a compound word (atal-eph, night-bird), are generically related, according to both ancient and modern naturalists. Bats are to birds what moles are to the smaller beasts of prey (vid., Levysohn, Zoologie des Talmud, p. 102). The lxx combine with these two words l'hishtachavoth (to worship). Malbim and Luzzatto adopt this rendering, and understand the words to mean that they would sink down to the most absurd descriptions of animal worship. But the accentuation, which does not divide the v. at עשׂוּ־לו, as we should expect if this were the meaning, is based upon the correct interpretation. The idolaters, convinced of the worthlessness of their idols through the judicial interposition of God, and enraged at the disastrous manner in which they had been deceived, would throw away with curses the images of gold and silver which artists' hands had made according to their instructions, and hide them in the holes of bats and in mole-hills, to conceal them from the eyes of the Judge, and then take refuge there themselves after ridding themselves of this useless and damnable burden.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
moles--Others translate "mice." The sense is, under ground, in darkness. bats--unclean birds (Lev 11:19), living amidst tenantless ruins (Rev 11:13).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,.... "From that man" (y), meaning antichrist, the man of sin; who is but a mere man, a poor, frail, mortal man; though he sits in the temple of God, as if he was God, showing himself to be God, by taking that to himself which belongs to the Deity. This is advice to the followers of antichrist, to cease from going after him, and worshipping him, seeing he is not the living God, but a dying man: for wherein is he to be accounted of? The Targum is, "for he is alive today, and tomorrow he is not, and he is to be accounted as nothing;'' and much less as Peter's successor, as head of the church, and vicar of Christ, and as having all power in heaven, earth, and hell. It may be applied to men in general, in whom no confidence is to be placed, even the greatest of men, Psa 118:8 and particularly the Egyptians, in whom the Jews were apt to trust, who were men, and not God; and whose horses were flesh, and not spirit, Isa 31:3 so Vitringa; but the first sense is best. (y) . Next: Isaiah Chapter 3
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment.
Isaiah 2:20
The Day of Reckoning
19Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. 20In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold— the idols they made to worship. 21They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Making a Real Soldier
By Robert B. Thompson5901:18:00EXO 4:2ISA 2:20MAT 24:442TI 4:10REV 19:11In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of fully committing oneself to serving God. He shares a personal experience of realizing that the people in the church were not ready to be part of God's army. The speaker encourages listeners to make a conscious decision to no longer be of this world and to belong to Jesus. He highlights the difference between being a church member and being a disciple, stating that disciples are focused on growing in their relationship with Christ and serving Him, rather than pursuing worldly success.
The Only Place of Safety
By David Wilkerson0Faith in GodDivine ProtectionISA 2:20ISA 26:11ISA 28:15David Wilkerson emphasizes that throughout history, many have believed they can withstand calamities without faith in God, likening them to the spiritually blind described by Isaiah. He warns that reliance on wealth will prove futile when divine judgment comes, as seen in the historical context of John Owen's prophecies that were fulfilled in catastrophic events. Wilkerson urges listeners to recognize the current times as similar to Owen's, where the only true safety lies in faith in Jesus Christ, the 'ark of safety.' He reassures that despite dangers, believers are protected by God and can face challenges with confidence and peace. Ultimately, he calls for a return to faith as the foundation for enduring trials.
A Secret Virtue and Power
By Thomas Brooks0Communion with GodIdolatry and SinEXO 32:19ISA 2:20ISA 30:22HOS 14:82CO 10:4Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of private communion with God, illustrating how such intimacy leads to a profound hatred for sin and idolatry. He argues that true fellowship with God ignites a fierce indignation against one's cherished sins, compelling believers to cast away their idols, much like the Israelites did with their golden calf. Brooks highlights that through secret prayer, Christians gain strength to confront and overcome their most beloved sins, ultimately finding greater joy and satisfaction in God than in any earthly treasure. He encourages believers to seek this communion, as it is the key to spiritual victory and deeper understanding of God's truth. The sermon calls for a radical rejection of sin, urging that nothing is worth sacrificing one's eternal destiny.
To the Moles and to the Bats!
By Thomas Brooks0IdolatryTransformation in ChristPSA 97:7ISA 2:20EZK 14:6MAT 6:24ROM 12:22CO 6:17GAL 5:24COL 3:5JAS 4:41JN 5:21Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of God in the lives of His people, illustrating how, in a day of divine exaltation, believers will reject their idols—symbolized by silver and gold—with such fervor that they will cast them away into dark and filthy places, akin to the homes of moles and bats. This act signifies a deep disdain for their former sins and a desire to abandon all that distracts from holiness and grace. The sermon calls for a radical rejection of anything that stands in the way of a true relationship with Christ, urging believers to embrace purity and righteousness.
The Mole
By Harriet N. Cook0ISA 2:20Harriet N. Cook discusses the significance of the mole as mentioned in the Bible, particularly in Isaiah, where idols are cast to the moles and bats, symbolizing the abandonment of false gods for the true God. She draws parallels between the eradication of idols in the Sandwich Islands before the arrival of missionaries and the future global abandonment of idol worship. Cook emphasizes the divine preparation of hearts to receive the message of salvation. Furthermore, she delves into the unique characteristics of moles, highlighting God's intricate design in creating them for their subterranean lifestyle.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Which they made each one for himself to worship "Which they have made to worship" - The word לו lo, for himself, is omitted by two ancient MSS., and is unnecessary. It does not appear that any copy of the Septuagint has it, except MS. Pachom, and MS. 1. D. II., and they have ἑαυτοις, להם lahem, to themselves. To the moles - They shall carry their idols with them into the dark caverns, old ruins, or desolate places, to which they shall flee for refuge; and so shall give them up, and relinquish them to the filthy animals that frequent such places, and have taken possession of them as their proper habitation. Bellonias, Greaves, P. Lucas, and many other travelers, speak of bats of an enormous size, as inhabiting the Great Pyramid. See Harmer, Obs., vol. ii., 455. Three MSS. express חפרפרות chapharperoth, the moles as one word.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
Isa 2:20 forms the commencement to the fourth strophe: "In that day will a man cast away his idols of gold and his idols of silver, which they made for him to worship, to the moles and to the bats." The traditional text separates lachpor peroth into two words, (Note: Abulwali=d Parchon and others regard the double word as the singular of a substantive, applied to a particular bird (possibly a woodpecker), as a pecker of fruit (peroth). Kimchi would rather take lachpor as an infinitive (as in Jos 2:2), to dig pits; and compares with it the talmudic word pēr, a pit or grave. No one adopts the rendering "into mouse-holes," simply because pērah, a mouse (from an Arabic word fa'ara, to dig, or root up), was not a Hebrew word at all, but was adopted at a later period from the Arabic (hence the Hebraeo-Arabic purah, a mousetrap).) though without its being possible to discover what they are supposed to mean. The reason for the separation was simply the fact that plurilitera were at one time altogether misunderstood and regarded as Composita: for other plurilitera, written as two words, compare Isa 61:1; Hos 4:18; Jer 46:20. The prophet certainly pronounced the word lachparpâroth (Ewald, 157, c); and Chapharpârâh is apparently a mole (lit. thrower up of the soil), talpa, as it is rendered by Jerome and interpreted by Rashi. Gesenius and Knobel, however, have raised this objection, that the mole is never found in houses. But are we necessarily to assume that they would throw their idols into lumber-rooms, and not hide them in holes and crevices out of doors? The mole, the shrew-mouse, and the bat, whose name (atalleph) is regarded by Schultens as a compound word (atal-eph, night-bird), are generically related, according to both ancient and modern naturalists. Bats are to birds what moles are to the smaller beasts of prey (vid., Levysohn, Zoologie des Talmud, p. 102). The lxx combine with these two words l'hishtachavoth (to worship). Malbim and Luzzatto adopt this rendering, and understand the words to mean that they would sink down to the most absurd descriptions of animal worship. But the accentuation, which does not divide the v. at עשׂוּ־לו, as we should expect if this were the meaning, is based upon the correct interpretation. The idolaters, convinced of the worthlessness of their idols through the judicial interposition of God, and enraged at the disastrous manner in which they had been deceived, would throw away with curses the images of gold and silver which artists' hands had made according to their instructions, and hide them in the holes of bats and in mole-hills, to conceal them from the eyes of the Judge, and then take refuge there themselves after ridding themselves of this useless and damnable burden.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
moles--Others translate "mice." The sense is, under ground, in darkness. bats--unclean birds (Lev 11:19), living amidst tenantless ruins (Rev 11:13).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,.... "From that man" (y), meaning antichrist, the man of sin; who is but a mere man, a poor, frail, mortal man; though he sits in the temple of God, as if he was God, showing himself to be God, by taking that to himself which belongs to the Deity. This is advice to the followers of antichrist, to cease from going after him, and worshipping him, seeing he is not the living God, but a dying man: for wherein is he to be accounted of? The Targum is, "for he is alive today, and tomorrow he is not, and he is to be accounted as nothing;'' and much less as Peter's successor, as head of the church, and vicar of Christ, and as having all power in heaven, earth, and hell. It may be applied to men in general, in whom no confidence is to be placed, even the greatest of men, Psa 118:8 and particularly the Egyptians, in whom the Jews were apt to trust, who were men, and not God; and whose horses were flesh, and not spirit, Isa 31:3 so Vitringa; but the first sense is best. (y) . Next: Isaiah Chapter 3
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment.