Isaiah 40:18-20
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The question "To whom then will you liken God?" isn't just about finding a similar object; it’s about finding a comparable essence. The verse challenges us to recognize that anything humans can make or compare will inevitably fall short because God's infinite nature can't be contained or replicated by finite creation.
To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from describing God's immense power in creating and sustaining the universe, Isaiah turns to challenge the absurdity of idolatry. He asks who could possibly be compared to such a God, setting up the stark contrast with the man-made idols that people were tempted to worship, especially during their exile in Babylon. This sets the stage for the prophet's sarcastic description of idol-making in the verses that follow.
Ever felt overwhelmed by something magnificent? Isaiah asks a question that should leave us speechless, pointing to a reality far grander than anything we can imagine.
This verse bursts forth as a powerful declaration following Isaiah's magnificent descriptions of God's power and sovereignty in the preceding verses (like bringing down mountains and leveling valleys). The prophet isn't asking a genuine question seeking an answer; he's using rhetorical questions to underscore a profound truth: God is utterly unique.
An Unanswerable Question
'To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?' (Isaiah 40:18).
This isn't a puzzle to solve. It's a statement meant to silence all comparisons. When we look at the created world, even its most stunning features, they pale in comparison to the Creator. This truth is meant to evoke awe and wonder, reminding us that our God is on a plane of existence entirely beyond our comprehension or representation.
The Folly of Idolatry
The immediate context for this question is the absolute folly of idolatry. Making an image of God, whether from gold, silver, wood, or stone, is presented as a laughable absurdity. How can something crafted by human hands possibly capture the essence of the One who is hands, who formed all of creation?
We often think of idolatry as something ancient or foreign. But Isaiah's words cut deeper, revealing a tendency within all of us.
Ask a follow-up
Isaiah's questions aren't just about physical statues; they target the heart's tendency to create God in our own image. The surrounding verses (19-20) sarcastically describe the process of making an idol – a craftsman carves wood, hammers metal, fastens it down. This highlights the utter inadequacy of human creation to represent the infinite Creator.
Beyond Physical Images
While the immediate target is literal idolatry, the principle extends to anything we elevate above God:
Preserving Faith in Exile
The context of Isaiah’s prophecy, potentially during or leading up to the Babylonian exile, makes this message crucial. The people were tempted by the dazzling idolatry of surrounding nations. God, through Isaiah, provides a powerful antidote: remember who your God truly is – incomparable, all-powerful, and the sole object of worship.
Understand the original words
El · Hebrew Noun
The supreme, covenant-keeping Creator and Sovereign of the universe. The name denotes His power, authority, and unique "otherness" that separates Him from all created beings and false deities.
pesel · Hebrew Noun
A physical image or representation of a deity, fashioned by human hands. Scripture consistently condemns idol-making as a violation of the commandment against graven images, highlighting the spiritual blindness and futility of trusting in objects made by humans.
charash · Hebrew Noun
A person who designs, shapes, or fashions materials (wood, stone, metal) into a desired form. In the context of idolatry, it emphasizes the human origin of false gods, proving they are products of human ingenuity rather than divine reality.
misken · Hebrew Adjective
One who is destitute, needy, or lacking the resources to afford a standard sacrifice. It underscores the contrast between the costly nature of true worship and the desperate, futile measures humans take to secure "divine" favor through idols.
During the Babylonian exile, facing the powerful idols and empires of Babylon, the prophet Isaiah powerfully asserts that no created thing, no idol, can possibly compare to the one true God. This message was a vital reminder to the exiles, strengthening their faith and identity in a time of profound loss and temptation to adopt foreign gods.
Late 8th century BC
Reign of Hezekiah and Josiah
This period saw intense religious reforms to purge idolatry, followed by a resurgence of it during King Manasseh's reign, leading to significant spiritual decline.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar begins deporting Jews, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile, a period of intense spiritual testing for the people of Judah.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys Solomon's Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event deeply impacted Jewish identity and theology.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus unites the Persian tribes and begins his conquests, setting the stage for the eventual fall of Babylon and the return of the exiles.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon. This event fulfills prophecies and opens the door for the Jewish people to return to their homeland.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's question, highlighting the absurdity of thinking God could be represented by human-made objects like gold, silver, or stone.
Romans 1:22-23This New Testament passage speaks to the same folly of exchanging the truth of God for a lie, specifically by claiming to be wise while becoming fools and exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images constructed by human hands.
Psalm 115:4-8This psalm offers a vivid description of idols as lifeless, man-made objects that cannot see, hear, or speak, directly contrasting their impotence with the living power of God that Isaiah is pointing to.
Isaiah 44:9-20This section of Isaiah continues the theme by sarcastically detailing the process of making an idol, emphasizing how utterly incapable such a creation is of being compared to the Creator God.
cambridgeIsaiah 40:18: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"
18–20 . “To whom will ye liken God?” This question introduces the second distinct theme of the argument, the folly of idolatry. Although the prophet has in his mind the difficulties of Jews impressed by the fascinations of idolatry, his words are addressed not to them directly, but to men in general. The error he exposes is not the worshipping of Jehovah by images, but the universal error of thinking that…
bensonIsaiah 40:18: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"
Isaiah 40:18 . To whom then will ye liken God? — This is a proper inference from the foregoing discourse of God’s infinite greatness; from whence he takes occasion to show both the folly of those that make mean and visible representations of God, and the utter inability of men or idols to give any opposition to God. And this discourse, concerning the madness of idolaters, prosecuted both here and in the f…
The question "To whom then will you liken God?" isn't just about finding a similar object; it’s about finding a comparable essence. The verse challenges us to recognize that anything humans can make or compare will inevitably fall short because God's infinite nature can't be contained or replicated by finite creation.
Fresh from describing God's immense power in creating and sustaining the universe, Isaiah turns to challenge the absurdity of idolatry. He asks who could possibly be compared to such a God, setting up the stark contrast with the man-made idols that people were tempted to worship, especially during their exile in Babylon. This sets the stage for the prophet's sarcastic description of idol-making in the verses that follow.
Fresh from describing God's immense power in creating and sustaining the universe, Isaiah turns to challenge the absurdity of idolatry. He asks who could possibly be compared to such a God, setting up the stark contrast with the man-made idols that people were tempted to worship, especially during their exile in Babylon. This sets the stage for the prophet's sarcastic description of idol-making in the verses that follow.
"To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. He who is too impoverished for an offering…" — The question "To whom then will you liken God?" isn't just about finding a similar object; it’s about finding a comparable essence. The verse challenges us to recognize that anything humans can *…
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Last reviewed October 2026
