Their land is full of idols;(A)
    they bow down(B) to the work of their hands,(C)
    to what their fingers(D) have made.

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20 In that day(A) people will throw away
    to the moles and bats(B)
their idols of silver and idols of gold,(C)
    which they made to worship.(D)

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They will not look to the altars,(A)
    the work of their hands,(B)
and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles[a](C)
    and the incense altars their fingers(D) have made.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 17:8 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah

For in that day(A) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(B) your sinful hands have made.(C)

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24 But you are less than nothing(A)
    and your works are utterly worthless;(B)
    whoever chooses you is detestable.(C)

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29 See, they are all false!
    Their deeds amount to nothing;(A)
    their images(B) are but wind(C) and confusion.

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All who make idols(A) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.(B)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(C)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.(D)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(E)
    which can profit nothing?(F)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(G)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(H)

12 The blacksmith(I) takes a tool
    and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
    he forges it with the might of his arm.(J)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(K)
13 The carpenter(L) measures with a line
    and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
    and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(M)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(N)
14 He cut down cedars,
    or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
    or planted a pine,(O) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(P) for burning;
    some of it he takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(Q) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(R) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(S)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(T)
He prays(U) to it and says,
    “Save(V) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(W) nothing;
    their eyes(X) are plastered over so they cannot see,
    and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
    no one has the knowledge or understanding(Y) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(Z)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(AA) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(AB)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(AC) a deluded(AD) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(AE)

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Some pour out gold from their bags
    and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(A) to make it into a god,
    and they bow down and worship it.(B)

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