Isaiah 45:9
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“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’?”
A short, plain-language explanation of Isaiah 45:9 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“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’?”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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?”
King James Version · Public Domain“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?”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“Woe <FI>to<Fi> 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?'”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Isaiah 45:9 — 18 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 9:16But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
- Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
- Job 9:12If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
- Job 10:9Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
- Job 15:24Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
- Job 40:2“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
- Job 40:8Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
- Psalms 2:2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
- Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Ecclesiastes 6:10Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
- Isaiah 10:15Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it, or a staff lifting him who is not wood!
- Isaiah 29:16You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”?
- Isaiah 64:7No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
- Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.
- Jeremiah 18:6“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.
- Jeremiah 50:24I laid a snare for you, O Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it. You were found and captured because you challenged the LORD.
- Romans 9:20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
- 1 Corinthians 10:22Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).