KJV King James Version
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Isaiah 45:9
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
WEB World English Bible
Woe to him who strives with his Maker—a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands?’
ASV American Standard Version
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
Woe to him who is striving with his Former, (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Doth clay say to its Framer, ‘What dost thou?’ And thy work, ‘He hath no hands?’
Surrounding context — Isaiah 45
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10 Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ה֗וֹיH1945 · hoywoe!רָ֚בH7378 · rivto contendאֶת־H854 · etwithיֹ֣צְר֔וֹH3335 · ya.tsarto form: formedחֶ֖רֶשׂH2789 · che.re.searthenwareאֶת־H854 · etwithחַרְשֵׂ֣יH2789 · che.re.searthenwareאֲדָמָ֑הH127 · a.da.mahland: soilהֲיֹאמַ֨רH559 · a.marto sayחֹ֤מֶרH2563 · cho.merclayלְיֹֽצְרוֹ֙H3335 · ya.tsarto form: formedמַֽה־H4100 · mahwhat?תַּעֲשֶׂ֔הH6213 · a.sahto make: doוּפָעָלְךָ֖H6467 · po.alworkאֵין־H369 · a.yinnothingיָדַ֥יִםH3027 · yadhandלֽוֹ׃ סH9033 · ohim
Cross-references
Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand.Romans 9:20-21Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?Isaiah 10:15Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? [or] shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake [itself] against them that lift it up, [or] as if the staff should lift up [itself, as if it were] no wood.Jeremiah 18:6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter’s hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.Isaiah 29:16Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?Proverbs 21:30[There is] no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.Psalm 2:2-9The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying],Job 40:8-9Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?1 Corinthians 10:22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?Jeremiah 50:24I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.Exodus 9:16-17And in very deed for this [cause] have I raised thee up, for to shew [in] thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.Job 15:24-26Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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