Isaiah 2:8

ESV Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

NIV Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

NASB Their land has also been filled with idols; They worship the work of their hands, That which their fingers have made.

CSB Their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their hands, what their fingers have made.

NLT Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands.

KJV Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

NKJV Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made.

What does Isaiah 2:8 mean?

Isaiah is making a long list (Isaiah 2:6–8) explaining why God has rejected His people, including those living in the land of Judah. The Israelites are heavily influenced by the spiritual beliefs of their neighboring nations, including participating in fortune-telling (Isaiah 2:6).

Their deal-making with foreigners has made the Israelites extremely wealthy in gold, silver, treasure, horses, and chariots (Isaiah 2:7). Do they believe the false gods they serve have provided this wealth to them? The number of idols in Judah suggests that's exactly what they believe.

Isaiah adds here that the land is filled with idols they have made with their own hands. He is mocking the fact that his countrymen bow down to what they themselves have crafted, believing it could provide something for them (Psalm 115:4–8; Habakkuk 2:18–19). It makes no sense to believe idols made by human hands could have any power to provide wealth and security.

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Context Summary
Isaiah 2:6–22 begins with stunning words: the Lord has "rejected" His people Israel. Instead of trusting Him, they worship false idols and practice fortune-telling. They believe these things and their deal-making have brought them wealth and security. The day of the Lord, though, will result in the abandonment of their homemade idols. He will bring low every great thing they trust instead of the Lord. The people will try to escape the Lord's majesty in the darkness of caves as He terrifies the earth. Isaiah finishes this section with telling His people to stop esteeming human beings.

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Chapter Summary
Isaiah describes Israel's far future as a time when all the nations of the earth will recognize Israel's God as the Lord. They will come to Jerusalem to learn from Him how to live. Isaiah tells his people to walk in the light of the Lord now. Instead, they worship false gods, follow fortune tellers, and make deals. Their great wealth, military might, and endless homemade idols will not save them from the God's judgment on day of the Lord. Human arrogance will be brought low as the Lord is exalted. Isaiah summarizes the chapter with a warning not to trust fallible people, instead of God.

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