Isaiah 31:7
For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is that the idols aren't just objects; they are described as "which your own hands have made for you for a sin." This emphasizes that the creation and worship of these idols were not just a mistake, but an active, intentional act of sin, a perversion of their own skill and resources. It highlights the deeply personal and willful nature of their rebellion against God.
This verse comes as a consequence of God's judgment against Judah for seeking help from Egypt instead of relying on Him. The prophet has just condemned their reliance on military might and foreign alliances, contrasting it with God's power. Following this condemnation, Isaiah foresees a day of reckoning and repentance when the people will finally abandon their idols, recognizing the futility and sinfulness of their man-made gods.
Why do people finally abandon their false hopes? It's often when they hit rock bottom.
Isaiah 31:7 speaks of a future day when people will cast aside their silver and gold idols. This isn't just a casual decision; it's a profound shift born out of realizing these idols offer no real help. The commentaries highlight that this day of abandonment is tied to the 'day of trial' or 'day of discomfiture.'
The Failure of Idols
When the Assyrian threat looms, or any crisis hits, the people had looked to their idols for protection. But these idols, made by human hands, proved useless. This experience forces a re-evaluation. It's in the face of undeniable failure that the people will finally say, 'These things are worthless!'
A Different Motivation
Interestingly, one commentary points out a difference between this act of discarding idols and a similar one mentioned earlier in Isaiah (2:20). While both involve discarding idols, this instance in chapter 31 springs from a place of repentance that leads to hope, rather than terror and despair.
The verse calls idols 'which your hands have sinfully made.' What does this 'sinful making' really mean?
Isaiah 31:7 doesn't just say people made idols; it emphasizes they made them 'sinfully.' This points to a deep truth about idolatry: it's not just about faulty worship, but about a fundamental perversion of creation and human responsibility.
God's Creation, Man's Distortion
These idols of silver and gold were crafted by human hands. They represent resources and skills that God, the ultimate Creator, provided. Yet, instead of honoring God with these gifts, they distorted them into objects of worship. The commentaries note that 'sin' here can refer to the act of making idols itself, or that the idols become symbols of their own sinfulness.
The Source of Guilt
Understand the original words
eliyl · Hebrew Noun
Physical representations of false gods or objects of worship that rival the LORD. Biblically, they are considered non-entities that lead people into spiritual adultery and away from the Creator.
chata' · Hebrew Adverb
To miss the mark or violate the law of God; it characterizes actions that are contrary to God’s holy standards and nature.
This verse speaks to a future day of repentance and salvation for Judah, directly contrasting their reliance on idols with God's promised deliverance from the Assyrian threat, specifically during Sennacherib's invasion.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire Dominates
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, was a superpower, expanding its territory and influence throughout the Near East, including the region of Israel and Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Campaign Against Judah
Assyrian King Sennacherib invaded Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event is a key historical backdrop for Isaiah's prophecies.
c. 701 BC
Jerusalem's Deliverance
Despite the siege, Jerusalem was miraculously delivered from the Assyrian army, often attributed to divine intervention, which validated Isaiah's prophecies about God's protection.
Late 7th century BC
Rise of Babylon
The Babylonian Empire began to assert its power, eventually leading to the decline of Assyrian dominance.
This passage describes the same act of casting away idols, but Isaiah 31:7 distinguishes the motivation: here it's repentance leading to hope, whereas in Isaiah 2:20 it's terror and despair.
Ezekiel 14:6This passage strongly condemns idolatry and emphasizes the need to turn away from idols, paralleling the rejection of idols in Isaiah 31:7 as a necessary step towards seeking the Lord.
Hosea 2:13This verse describes God causing the cessation of idolatrous festivals and ornaments, highlighting how God himself orchestrates the removal of the means of sin, much like Isaiah 31:7 depicts the people themselves casting away their idols.
1 John 5:21This verse serves as a powerful New Testament parallel, warning believers to 'keep yourselves from idols,' echoing the Old Testament call in Isaiah 31:7 to abandon the sinfully made objects of worship.
cambridgeIsaiah 31:7: "For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin."
7 . Comp. Isaiah 30:22 , Isaiah 17:8 , Isaiah 2:8 and esp. Isaiah 2:20 .
barnesIsaiah 31:7: "For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin."
For in that day - That is, in the invasion of Sennacherib, and the events that shalt be consequent thereon. Every man shall cast away his idols - (see the note at Isaiah 30:22; compare the note at Isaiah 2:20). For a sin - Or rather, the sin which your own hands have made. The sense is, that the making of those idols had been a sin, or sin itsel…
What's easy to miss here is that the idols aren't just objects; they are described as "which your own hands have made for you for a sin." This emphasizes that the creation and worship of these idols were not just a mistake, but an active, intentional act of sin, a perversion of their own skill and resources. It highlights the deeply personal and willful nature of their rebellion against God.
This verse comes as a consequence of God's judgment against Judah for seeking help from Egypt instead of relying on Him. The prophet has just condemned their reliance on military might and foreign alliances, contrasting it with God's power. Following this condemnation, Isaiah foresees a day of reckoning and repentance when the people will finally abandon their idols, recognizing the futility and sinfulness of their man-made gods.
This verse comes as a consequence of God's judgment against Judah for seeking help from Egypt instead of relying on Him. The prophet has just condemned their reliance on military might and foreign alliances, contrasting it with God's power. Following this condemnation, Isaiah foresees a day of reckoning and repentance when the people will finally abandon their idols, recognizing the futility and sinfulness of their man-made gods.
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'Which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.' This phrase can be understood in a couple of ways, both pointing to profound guilt:
Either way, the verse makes it clear that idolatry is not a neutral act but a direct affront to God, a perversion of human creativity, and a source of deep guilt.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon
The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile of the Judean population.
"For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you." — What's easy to miss here is that the idols aren't just objects; they are described as "which your own hands have made for you for a sin." This emphasizes that the creation and worship of these idol…
