Biblical Hebrew Forum

[kenneth greifer <greifer AT hotmail.com>]

Bryant,
 
I think you are saying. He makes a god (from a tree) and worships it, and he 
makes it (a tree)  into an idol and bows, so both are saying the same thing.
 
I guess I wasn't sure what the "it" referred to.
 
Kenneth Greifer 
> From: bjwvmw AT com-pair.net
> To: greifer AT hotmail.com; b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 44:15
> Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:58:13 -0800
> 
> Dear Kenneth,
> 
> The passage of Isaiah 44:9-20 is an expository sermon on the making of 
> idols by
> those who have turned from the Living God to "ones of their own making." The
> passage is divided into 2 sections:
> 44:9-11 The nothingness and shamefulness of making idols.
> 44:12-17 The process of making idols and their worship
> 44:18-20 The condemnation of these idols.
> 
> Note that 44:14 tells of the man who cuts down a cedar or other type of 
> hardwood
> and nourishes it as a woodman would do. Then he describes how the very tree 
> that
> is used by the man for fuel for heating, cooking, etc., is the same tree 
> that
> the man makes into an idol. Vss 18-20 condemns this practice.
> 
> 44:15 (RSV) a Then it becomes fuel for man;
> b he takes apart of it and warms himself,
> c he kindles a fire and bakes bread;
> d also he makes a god and worships it,
> e he makes it a graven image and falls down before it.
> 
> You will notice the parallelism is being used in this verse (that is why I 
> broke
> it into clauses). 44:15a is paralleled by 15b & c; while 15d & e parallel 
> one
> another. "make a god" = "make a graven image" ; "worships it" = "falls down
> before it." These two clauses are used by Isaiah to show how the 1st, 2nd 
> and
> 3rd Commandments were broken by Judah. I will let you make the modern
> application.
> 
> Rev. Bryant J. Williams III
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "kenneth greifer" <greifer AT hotmail.com>
> To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 8:19 PM
> Subject: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 44:15
> 
> 
> >
> > I don't understand Isaiah 44:15. It says he makes a god and worships, and 
> > then
> if I understand correctly it says he makes it an idol and bows to it or to 
> them.
> If he made a god (an idol), why would he make it (the idol) an idol. Is that
> what it is saying? I guess making a god means to make an idol, unless it 
> could
> mean to make up a non-physical god and then to make it an idol.
> >
> > I don't know if anyone will be willing to answer this question, but I 
> > will ask
> anyway. Please do not answer me off-list. If you don't want to answer me
> on-list, please don't answer me.
> >
> > Kenneth Greifer
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