Isaiah 31:7
For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.
Original Language Analysis
כִּ֚י
H3588
כִּ֚י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 14
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
בַּיּ֣וֹם
For in that day
H3117
בַּיּ֣וֹם
For in that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 14
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַה֔וּא
H1931
הַה֔וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
3 of 14
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
יִמְאָס֗וּן
shall cast away
H3988
יִמְאָס֗וּן
shall cast away
Strong's:
H3988
Word #:
4 of 14
to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear
אִ֚ישׁ
every man
H376
אִ֚ישׁ
every man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
5 of 14
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
וֶאֱלִילֵ֖י
and his idols
H457
וֶאֱלִילֵ֖י
and his idols
Strong's:
H457
Word #:
6 of 14
good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol
כַסְפּ֔וֹ
of silver
H3701
כַסְפּ֔וֹ
of silver
Strong's:
H3701
Word #:
7 of 14
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
וֶאֱלִילֵ֖י
and his idols
H457
וֶאֱלִילֵ֖י
and his idols
Strong's:
H457
Word #:
8 of 14
good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol
זְהָב֑וֹ
of gold
H2091
זְהָב֑וֹ
of gold
Strong's:
H2091
Word #:
9 of 14
gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e., yellow), as oil, a clear sky
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
10 of 14
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עָשׂ֥וּ
have made
H6213
עָשׂ֥וּ
have made
Strong's:
H6213
Word #:
11 of 14
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
Cross References
Isaiah 30:22Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.Isaiah 2:20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;Ezekiel 36:25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.Deuteronomy 7:25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.Hosea 14:8Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
Historical Context
Hezekiah's reforms included destroying idols and high places (2 Kings 18:4). Josiah later intensified this idol-purge (2 Kings 23). At individual and national levels, repentance required physically destroying false gods. In Acts, new converts in Ephesus burned valuable magic books (Acts 19:19). True turning to God requires turning from idols—not merely mental assent but concrete renunciation.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'silver and gold idols'—valuable but false objects of trust—do you need to 'cast away'?
- How does recognizing that we create our own idols ('your hands made them') expose the folly of idolatry?
- What would it look like for you to physically, practically renounce and destroy your functional idols?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold (כִּי בַיּוֹם הַהוּא יִמְאָסוּן אִישׁ אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ, ki vayom hahu yim'asun ish eleley kaspo ve'eleley zehavo)—each אִישׁ (ish, man) will מָאַס (ma'as, reject, despise, cast away) his אֱלִילִים (elilim, idols, worthless things). Which your own hands have made unto you for a sin (אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לָכֶם יְדֵיכֶם חֵטְא, asher asu lakhem yedekhem chet)—which your יָדַיִם (yadayim, hands) made as חֵטְא (chet, sin).
True repentance involves idol-abandonment. The irony: humans fashion gods from precious metals, then worship their own handicraft. Isaiah repeatedly mocks idol-making folly (Isaiah 44:9-20). The idols are expensive (כֶּסֶף, kesef, silver and זָהָב, zahav, gold) but worthless (אֱלִיל, elil, can mean 'nothing, worthless'). Repentance means recognizing that what you made, trusted, and invested in is fundamentally חֵטְא (chet, sin). Conversion involves renouncing former idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9)—whether literal statues or metaphorical false-trust objects (money, success, approval, comfort).