Isaiah 17:8 · Bible study
Isaiah 17:8 Commentary: The Turn from Handmade Idols to the Maker
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 17:8 describes the remnant turning from altars made by human hands, Asherah poles and sun-images, to look to the Holy One of Israel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The repentant remnant stops trusting in handmade idols and no longer looks to them as sources of security or worship.
- Key words: sha’ah (look, gaze), ra’ah (see, regard), yad/etzba (hand/finger), ’asherim (Asherah poles), chammanim (sun-images).
- Main debate: Whether the altars refer specifically to Ahaz’s Damascus-style altar (Barnes) or are a general condemnation of all idolatrous worship (Gill, Calvin).
- Theological theme: True repentance is a reorientation from human works to God as Creator and Saviour; idolatry is fundamentally a misdirection of trust.
- Best use: Preaching or teaching on idolatry, repentance, the place of judgment in purifying worship, and the nature of the remnant in Scripture.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They will not look to the altars they have fashioned with their hands or to the Asherahs and incense altars they have made with their fingers.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they respect that which their fingers have made, either the Asherah poles or the incense altars.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they have respect to that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he looketh not unto the altars. The work of his own hands, And that which his own fingers made He seeth not--the shrines and the images.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, nor have regard to what his fingers have made, neither the Asherahs nor the sun-images.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he shall not look to the altars which his hands made; and he shall not have respect to the things that his fingers wrought, such as groves and temples.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y no mirará á los altares que hicieron sus manos, ni mirará á lo que hicieron sus dedos, ni á los bosques, ni á las imágenes del sol.
E não dará atenção aos altares, obra de suas próprias mãos, nem olharão para o que seus próprios dedos fizeram, nem para os mastros de Aserá, nem para os altares de incenso.
Il ne regardera plus vers les autels,
und wird sich nicht halten zu den Altären, die seine Hände gemacht haben, und nicht schauen auf das, was seine Finger gemacht haben, weder auf Ascherabilder noch Sonnensäulen.
En hij zal niet aanschouwen de altaren, het werk zijner handen, ook hetgeen zijn vingeren gemaakt hebben, zal hij niet aanzien, noch de bossen, noch de zonnebeelden.
e non volgerà più lo sguardo verso gli altari, opera delle sue mani; e non guarderà più a quel che le sue dite han fatto, agl’idoli d’Astarte e alle colonne solari.
A nie obejrzy się na ołtarze, sprawę rąk swoich, ani na to, co uczyniły palce jego, patrzyć będzie, ani na gaje poświęcone, ani na obrazy słoneczne.
и не взглянет на жертвенники, на дело рук своих, и не посмотрит на то, что сделали персты его, на кумиры Астарты и Ваала.
他們必不 仰望 祭壇，就是自己手 所 築的，也不 重看 自己指頭 所 做的，無論是木偶 是日像。
He will not be looking to the altars, the work of his hands, or to the wood pillars or to the sun-images which his fingers have made.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 17:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Isaiah 17:8 describes the positive outcome of the repentance first announced in verse 7. Calvin calls the verse a “contrast” that shows how “looking” to God drives out all sinful confidence. The altars here are not just any altars, Gill notes that even God’s altar was built by hands, so the prophet specifies these are idolatrous. The repeated phrase “work of his hands” is deliberate; Barnes and Calvin both stress that Isaiah intends to shame Israel by reminding them that their gods are handmade. The specific objects named, Asherah poles and sun-images (chammanim), were central to Canaanite and syncretistic worship in both Israel and Judah (Cambridge Bible, JFB). The verse thus depicts the fruit of genuine repentance: a complete reorientation from what humans make to the Maker himself.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- General idolatry interpretation: The verse condemns all worship of man-made objects, applying broadly to any time (Gill, Wesley, Calvin).
- Historical-specific interpretation: The altars refer specifically to the Damascus-style altar of Ahaz and the high places of the Northern Kingdom (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch).
- Symbolic interpretation: The objects symbolize all human effort to control or earn God's favor; repentance means resting in Christ alone (Gill's application to works-righteousness).
What is clear: The verse teaches that genuine repentance leads to a complete turning away from trusting in any human-made object of worship, and a reorientation toward the Creator.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Altars as 'work of his hands' | Commentators agree the altars in view are idolatrous, not the legitimate altar of God. | Barnes links them specifically to the Damascus-style altar Ahaz built (2 Kings 16). Gill and Calvin treat them more generally as any idolatrous altar. Cambridge Bible questions whether such a specific reference fits the date of the prophecy. |
| Asherah poles | They were cultic objects, often wooden poles or trees, set up beside altars in Canaanite worship. | Whether they represent a goddess (Astarte/Asherah) or are purely aniconic symbols of the divine. Cambridge Bible notes the debate, citing Robertson Smith; JFB connects them to the 'host of heaven'. |
| Sun-images (chammanim) | These were stone pillars or images associated with sun worship and placed at high places. | Gesenius proposes a Persian origin; JFB links them to Baal as sun god; Cambridge Bible connects them to the Phoenician deity Baal-Hammon. The exact form and function are uncertain. |
| Repentance as 'not looking' | True repentance results in a complete disregard for former objects of trust and worship. | Calvin emphasizes a once-for-all removal of obstacles; Matthew Henry sees it as the ongoing character of the remnant. Some traditions see this as an event (initial conversion), others as a pattern (daily turning). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 17 is an oracle against Damascus and the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim), set against the backdrop of the Syro-Ephraimite War (734, 732 BC) and the rising Assyrian threat. After a series of judgments described in verses 4, 6, the glory of Jacob wasted like a harvested field, a small remnant remains (v.6). Verse 7 gives the turning point: “In that day, people will look to their Maker.” Verse 8 then describes what that looking does not include: looking to the altars of human hands.
The “altars” likely refer to the many high places where Israel offered sacrifice to Baal and other gods. Barnes specifically connects them to the Damascus-style altar that King Ahaz constructed in Jerusalem after seeing one in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-13). Whether Ahaz’s altar is directly in view or not, the verse reflects a culture saturated with syncretistic worship. Asherah poles (Hebrew ’asherim) were wooden cult objects representing the Canaanite goddess; they stood beside altars in violation of the command in Exodus 34:13. The “sun-images” (chammanim; see also Leviticus 26:30; 2 Chronicles 34:4) were stone pillars dedicated to the sun god Baal-Hammon, possibly of Phoenician origin (Cambridge Bible; JFB).
Literarily, the verse completes a two-verse unit (vv.7, 8) that contrasts two kinds of “looking”: to the Holy One of Israel and to the work of human hands. The repetition of “look” (sha’ah in v.7, ra’ah in v.8) drives home the exclusivity of true worship. Healing comes not by adding God to a roster of idols, but by abandoning them entirely.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 17:8. The Cambridge Bible suggests that the final phrases (“the altars … the groves or the images”) may be explanatory glosses added later, but this does not affect the verse’s meaning. The Hebrew text is well preserved across manuscripts.
Reception History
Isaiah 17:8 has been consistently used by Christian commentators to illustrate the nature of true repentance. John Calvin in his commentary saw it as proof that no one can serve God and idols together; the obstacles of superstition must be removed to approach God. Matthew Henry applied the verse to the remnant under judgment, emphasizing that those who are saved are those who cease to look to their own works. In Reformed and Puritan preaching, Isaiah 17:8 became a call to examine one’s heart for hidden ‘altars’, trust in self-made righteousness or religious busyness. The verse’s contrast between the work of human hands and the Holy One of Israel remains a central theological theme in discussions of idolatry and worship.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Shame of Man-Made Gods, The phrase “work of his hands” exposes the absurdity of worshipping something we have produced. Calvin calls it an “exciting abhorrence”, the prophet holds the idols up so Israel sees their folly.
- The Removal of Idols, Repentance is not just stopping bad habits; it is “not looking” at altars any longer. The verb sha’ah implies a settled gaze. What was once trusted now gets no attention.
- The Complete Turn to the Maker, Verse 7 shows the positive side. The remission of idolatry opens the way for looking to God alone. Salvation is not reformation but reorientation.
Five-point outline
- Judgment strips away false security (vv.4, 6).
- A remnant returns, not through effort but through grace (v.6).
- The turning begins when people look to the Holy One of Israel (v.7).
- The proof of that turning is that they no longer look to altars they made (v.8a).
- Specific idols, Asherah poles and sun-images, are named to make the break concrete (v.8b).
Illustration hooks
- A child builds a sandcastle with great care, then watches the tide wash it away. Once she sees the sea, she does not go back to building. The contrast between the temporary and the true reorders her attention.
- Someone spends years trusting a carefully crafted career, reputation, or financial plan to give security. When those fail or are revealed as shaky, they stop “looking” at them as ultimate. The shift is not just adjusting risk, it is a change of center.
- Think of how hard it is to delete a phone app you have customized for years. The “work of your fingers” becomes familiar and trusted. To stop using it feels like a loss, until you realise what you were trusting it for.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am really repenting, or just rearranging my idols?
- What are the “altars” in my life, things I build with my hands or energy that take the place of God?
- Can I turn to God without also tearing down the things I have made that give me a false sense of security?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 17:8 shows the fruit of genuine repentance: we stop looking to our own creations for salvation. The verse is the negative side of a two-verse picture: first we look to our Maker (v.7), then we no longer look to the altars we made (v.8). This group guide helps your group examine the nature of idolatry and the shape of real turning.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read Isaiah 17:7, 8 together. What contrast does the prophet draw between the two verses? Which verbs tell you that “looking” is the key action?
- Interpretation: Why does the prophet repeatedly mention “the work of his hands” and “his fingers have made”? What does that phrasing suggest about the nature of these objects?
- Interpretation: The specific idols named are Asherah poles and sun-images. Based on the cross-references (Exodus 34:13, 2 Chronicles 34:4), what do these represent in the worship of Israel?
- Application: What are the “altars” and “Asherah poles” in your life today? How might something made by your own effort, career, family, reputation, a personal goal, become an object of trust?
- Application: Verse 8 says the person “will not look” to these objects. What would it mean, practically, to stop looking at a particular form of false security? What might that look like in daily habits?
- Reflection: Have you experienced a time when a disappointment or failure caused you to look at something you trusted as less ultimate? How did that moment affect your relationship with God?
- Prayer: How can your group help each other identify and remove the “altars” that compete for your attention and trust?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 34:13 | but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles; |
| II Chronicles 14:5 | Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
| II Chronicles 34:4 | They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. |
| II Chronicles 34:6 | He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins. |
| II Chronicles 34:7 | He broke down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, then returned to Jerusalem. |
| Isaiah 1:29 | For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen. |
| Isaiah 2:8 | Their land also is full of idols. They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. |
| Isaiah 2:18 | The idols shall utterly pass away. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies a common mistranslation: the phrase does not mean altars that are the work of human hands, but altars dedicated to idols, which are themselves the work of human hands. The Hebrew grammar connects "the work" to "altars" in a possessive sense, not as a description of the altars.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the altars, groves, and images as specific artifacts of Israel's actual idolatrous history, not generic symbols. He ties the verse to Ahaz copying a pagan altar from Damascus and to the sun images (chamanim) that derived from Persian sun worship.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that turning to God requires clearing away every false hope and idol, which he bluntly calls "the work of their hands" to expose their shame. He distinguishes the Jerusalem altar from pagan altars because it was built by God's command, not human invention, so it does not compete with faith in God alone.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Notes observes that in that day people will no longer turn to the altars and images they made with their own hands. The point is clear: human-crafted objects of worship lose all their appeal when God truly confronts the soul.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes two meanings: literal idol altars made by human hands, and the inner tendency to treat one's own good works as altars that atone for sin. A godly person rejects both. He will not look to anything he has made, whether carvings or pious deeds, to shelter him from wrath. He looks only to Christ.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the groves as symbolical trees tied to Assyrian worship, representing the hosts of heaven and linked to Ashteroth or Astarte, the queen of heaven. The images are images to the sun, offered to Baal, who corresponds to the sun as Astarte does to the heavenly hosts.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch identifies the remnant principle as the fixed law of Israel's history: judgment reduces the nation to a tiny gleaning, but that purified remnant then looks only to its Creator. They specify that
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the prophecy as tracing Ephraim's decline to near extinction through three images, but the point is the remnant that survives. That tiny gleaning, not the destruction, is the focus because it will turn to God and abandon idols, a process he says still continues.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees a note of mercy hidden even within judgment: a tiny, protected remnant will survive the fall of the northern kingdom. These few are like the highest olives left after harvest, out of reach of the destroyer. No earthly judgment is total, he reminds us, only the final one.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp line between human inventions and true worship. He explains "not look" as not trusting idols or the worship offered to them, and identifies "groves" and "images" as man-made places and objects devised for false gods — human devices, not divine commands.