The Meaning of Isaiah 17:8 Explained

Isaiah 17:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 17:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 17

1  Syria and Israel are threatened
6  A remnant shall forsake idolatry
9  The rest shall be plagued for their impiety
12  The woe of Israel's enemies

What do the individual words in Isaiah 17:8 mean?

And not He will look to the altars the work of his hands and what have made his fingers not He will respect nor the wooden images nor the incense altars
וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁעֶ֔ה אֶל־ הַֽמִּזְבְּח֖וֹת מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֔ה וְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים וְהָחַמָּנִֽים

וְלֹ֣א  And  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִשְׁעֶ֔ה  He  will  look 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁעָה  
Sense: to look at or to, regard, gaze at or about.
הַֽמִּזְבְּח֖וֹת  the  altars 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יָדָ֑יו  of  his  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר  and  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשׂ֤וּ  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙  his  fingers 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
יִרְאֶ֔ה  He  will  respect 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים  nor  the  wooden  images 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
וְהָחַמָּנִֽים  nor  the  incense  altars 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַמָּן  
Sense: incense altar, sun-pillar, idol, image.