Isaiah 17:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.

NIV: They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made.

NASB: And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made, Even the Asherim and incense altars.

CSB: They will not look to the altars they made with their hands or to the Asherahs and shrines they made with their fingers.

NLT: They will no longer look to their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or worship at the pagan shrines they have built.

KJV: And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

NKJV: He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.

Following the Lord's judgment on Israel, through the devastation of Assyria's army, the survivors in Israel will finally look to their Maker for help. This is the greater point of God's judgment of Israel: to bring His people back to relying on Him for all they need (Isaiah 17:7). The prophet Isaiah says that on that day they will look to the One who made them. Israel will stop looking for help from the work of their own hands. They will stop turning to the altars and idols and false gods for help. This is likely because it will be so obvious in that moment that those gods did not do anything to save them from the Assyrian destruction.

Isaiah specifically mentions "Asherim." Asherah was a central god in the Canaanite religion. She was said to be the consort of the high god El. She also figured prominently into the fertility cults who worshiped her alongside Baal, often in groves of trees or standing poles. Worshiping Asherah and Baal in this way was meant to please them, hoping they would give their followers fertility and abundance.

One of the Lord's chief complaints throughout Israel's history was their continued return to worshiping of gods of other nations (Judges 2:16–19). The kept going to these gods of the nations that surrounded them in hopes of gaining more abundance. His judgment was meant to show, in part, how worthless these hand-made gods were to provide anything.

Isaiah 17:1–14 begins as a prophecy of the destruction of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Israel will nearly be wiped out along with it. Survivors of both nations will exist on scraps. The remnant of Israel will finally look to their Maker for help instead of praying to false idols. This remnant will experience grief and pain because they have forgotten the God of their salvation. Still, the Lord God has the power to drive away enemies like dust against a strong wind.

What begins as an oracle against Damascus becomes a description of the consequences of Israel's faithlessness As well as the Lord's ability to save them. Damascus will become a heap of ruins. Ephraim will be nearly wiped out along with it. The glory of both will be wasted away like a once healthy man starving and living on scraps. Finally, Israel will look to their Maker instead of to idols they have made with their hands. They forgot the God of their salvation, the One who can chase away the storms of the enemy nations.

Prior chapters included prophecies against various nations, such as Assyria, Babylon, and Moab (Isaiah 13—16). Chapter begins as another oracle against one of Israel's hostile neighbors. However, this one is set much earlier in time. Damascus will become ruins and Israel will be nearly wiped out along with it. Survivors will gather scraps just to survive. The remnant in Israel will finally look to their Maker for help, instead of to idols. Still, the Lord can drive away the roaring nations who have come against Israel. Further oracles follow, beginning with a prophecy about Cush (Isaiah 18).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).