Devine Scripture

Isaiah 41:29

What does Isaiah 41:29 mean?

A plain-English look at Isaiah 41:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Isaiah 41:29 means

The chapter concludes with a definitive judgment on the idols: "Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought; their molten images are wind and confusion." This powerful summary dismisses all idolatrous practices as utterly empty, valueless, and ultimately meaningless. The images are likened to "wind and confusion"—insubstantial and unreliable. This final pronouncement reiterates the core message of the chapter: God alone is real, powerful, and worthy of trust, while all human-made gods are entirely worthless.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought; their molten images are wind and confusion.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought; their molten images are wind and confusion.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Truly they are all nothing, their works are nothing and of no value: their metal images are of no more use than wind.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Lo, all of them <FI>are<Fi> vanity, Nought <FI>are<Fi> their works, Wind and emptiness their molten images!'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Behold they are all in the wrong, and their works are vain: their idols are wind and vanity.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Behold, they are all vanity, their works are nought, their molten images are wind and emptiness.

Context

This verse serves as the concluding summary of the entire chapter, offering a definitive and final judgment on the idols and their works. It directly follows God's observation that no true counsel exists among them, providing the ultimate verdict that their existence and efforts are empty and futile. This strong conclusion reinforces the chapter's overarching theme of God's unparalleled sovereignty and the vanity of all false worship.

v.28And when I look, there is no man: even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

v.29This passage

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 41:24

    Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work is of nought; an abomination is he that chooseth you.

  • Jeremiah 5:13

    and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.

  • Psalms 135:15

    The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.

  • Jeremiah 10:2

    thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.

  • Habakkuk 2:18

    What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

  • Isaiah 44:9

    They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.

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