Keraia
Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:16

Woe to David’s City · Isaiah 29:1–16
Read Isaiah 29

Translations

Modern
You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”?
Traditional
Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
Literal
You have turned things upside down! Shall the potter be considered like clay? Shall the thing made say of the one making it “He did not make me”? Or the thing formed say of the one forming it “He does not understand”?
Latin
Perversa est hæc vestra cogitatio; quasi si lutum contra figulum cogitet, et dicat opus factori suo: Non fecisti me; et figmentum dicat fictori suo: Non intelligis.

Original

Hebrew
English
You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”?

Notes

Isaiah 29:16

  • potter … clay: This picture shows that the Lord has full authority over his creation. A potter has the right to shape clay as he chooses. In the same way, God has the right to guide and rule his people.

    Scripture does not forbid people from asking God honest and difficult questions. However, it does not allow people to resist or reject God’s will (see Isaiah 10:15; 45:9; 64:8; Romans 9:20).

  • He did not make me?: When people speak this way about God, they refuse to admit that God created them. They deny that God is closely involved in every part of their lives.

Isaiah 29:15–24

This threat of coming judgment is the third of the six woes (see study note on Isaiah 28:1–33:24). It begins with judgment but moves to a vision of creation being renewed and of the wicked coming to an end.

Theme notes and profiles

Isaiah Darkness and Light Salvation in Isaiah

Events

Parallels

Luke 19:41–44

Glossary

Isaiah, Book of

Topics

Blasphemy: General Scriptures Concerning Clay used by Potter Formalism: General Scriptures Concerning God: Knowledge of Hypocrisy: General Scriptures Concerning Hypocrites: God Knows and Detects Infidelity: General Scriptures Concerning Isaiah: Prophecies, Reproofs, and Exhortations of Denounces the Hypocrisy of the Jews Presumption: General Scriptures Concerning Wisdom: Worldly Worship: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To