Isaiah 45:10
Isaiah 45:10 in Multiple Translations
Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘What have you brought forth?’”
Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Woe unto him that saith unto a father, What begettest thou? or to a woman, With what travailest thou?
Cursed is he who says to a father, To what are you giving life? or to a woman, What are you in birth-pains with?
How bad it would be if you said to your father, “Why did you have me?” or to your mother, “Why was I ever born?”!
Woe vnto him that sayeth to his father, What hast thou begotten? or to his mother, What hast thou brought foorth?
Woe [to] him who is saying to a father, 'What dost thou beget?' Or to a wife, 'What dost thou bring forth?
Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you given birth to?’”
Woe to him that saith to his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Woe to him that saith to his father: Why begettest thou? and to the woman: Why dost thou bring forth?
And it would be terrible if an unborn baby would say to its father, ‘Why are you [RHQ] causing me to be born?’ or if it said to its mother, ‘The result of your labor pains will be useless?’”
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 45:10
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 45:10 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
ה֛וֹי
אֹמֵ֥ר
לְ/אָ֖ב
מַה
תּוֹלִ֑יד
וּ/לְ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
מַה
תְּחִילִֽי/ן
ה֛וֹי
hôwy
H1945
woe!
Part
אֹמֵ֥ר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
V-Qal
לְ/אָ֖ב
ʼâb
H1
father
Prep | N-ms
מַה
mâh
H4100
what?
Part
תּוֹלִ֑יד
yâlad
H3205
to beget
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms
וּ/לְ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
Conj | Prep | N-fs
מַה
mâh
H4100
what?
Part
תְּחִילִֽי/ן
chûwl
H2342
to twist
V-Qal-Imperf-2fs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 45:10
ה֛וֹי
hôwy
H1945
"woe!"
Part
Hoy is an expression of sadness or pain, like saying oh or woe. It's used to show strong emotions, and is often translated as alas or woe in the KJV Bible. This word conveys a sense of lament or regret.
Definition: ah!, alas!, ha!, ho!, O!, woe!
Usage: Occurs in 47 OT verses. KJV: ah, alas, ho, O, woe. See also: 1 Kings 13:30; Jeremiah 22:18; Isaiah 1:4.
אֹמֵ֥ר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
V-Qal
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
לְ/אָ֖ב
ʼâb
H1
"father"
Prep | N-ms
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
מַה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
תּוֹלִ֑יד
yâlad
H3205
"to beget"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 30:19; 2 Samuel 21:22.
וּ/לְ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
Conj | Prep | N-fs
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.
מַה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
תְּחִילִֽי/ן
chûwl
H2342
"to twist"
V-Qal-Imperf-2fs | Suff
This Hebrew word means to twist or whirl, and can describe dancing, pain, or fear. It is used to convey strong emotions or physical struggles, such as childbirth or great fear.
Definition: : tremble/fear 1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to dance 1a2) to twist, writhe 1a3) to whirl, whirl about 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to dance 1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth 1b3) to wait anxiously 1c) (Pulal) 1c1) to be made to writhe, be made to bear 1c2) to be brought forth 1d) (Hophal) to be born 1e) (Hithpolel) 1e1) whirling (participle) 1e2) writhing, suffering torture (participle) 1e3) to wait longingly 1f) (Hithpalpel) to be distressed
Usage: Occurs in 56 OT verses. KJV: bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded. See also: Genesis 8:10; Proverbs 8:24; Psalms 10:5.
Study Notes — Isaiah 45:10
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 45:10 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 45:10
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 45:10
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 45:10
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 45:10
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
- Sermons on Isaiah 45:10
Context — God Calls Cyrus
8Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.
9Woe 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’?
10Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘What have you brought forth?’”
11Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “Concerning things to come, do you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands? 12It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 27:16 | ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ |
| 2 | Hebrews 12:9 | Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? |
| 3 | Malachi 1:6 | “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ |
Isaiah 45:10 Summary
This verse is warning us against questioning God's plan and wisdom, just like a child would not question their parents. It's about trusting that God knows what He is doing, even when we don't understand, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6. We need to remember that God is our Creator and has a good plan for our lives, as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. By trusting God, we can have peace and confidence in His sovereignty, just like the Bible encourages us in Romans 8:28 and Psalm 23:4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to question one's parents in this verse?
In Isaiah 45:10, questioning one's parents is a metaphor for questioning God's sovereignty and wisdom in creation, as seen in Isaiah 29:16 and Romans 9:20-21, where the clay pot is not to question the potter.
Is this verse only talking about literal parents and children?
No, this verse uses the parent-child relationship to illustrate our relationship with God as our Creator, similar to how God is described as a Father in Psalm 103:13 and Isaiah 64:8.
What is the warning in this verse?
The warning is against rebelling against God's plan and purpose for our lives, which is a theme also found in Acts 5:38-39 and 1 Peter 1:2, where we are called to trust in God's sovereignty.
How does this verse relate to trusting God's sovereignty?
This verse reminds us to trust God's wisdom and plan, even when we do not understand, as also encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Jeremiah 29:11, where we are called to trust in God's goodness and plan for our lives.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in your life where you are struggling to trust God's sovereignty and plan?
- How can you apply the principle of not questioning God's wisdom, as seen in this verse, to your daily life and decisions?
- In what ways can you demonstrate trust in God's goodness and plan, even when faced with uncertainty or difficulties, as seen in Habakkuk 3:17-19 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4?
- What does this verse teach you about the importance of humility and recognizing God's authority in your life, as also seen in 1 Peter 5:6-7 and Psalm 95:6-7?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 45:10
Woe unto him that saith unto his father, what begettest thou?.... That quarrels with him, and complains of him, because he was not of the other sex, or not so wise, or so rich, or so handsome, as
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 45:10
Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? Woe unto him that saith unto (his) father, What begettest thou?
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
As it were an absurd and impudent thing for a child to quarrel with his parents, either simply for begetting him, or for begetting him of this or that sex, contrary to his desire; no better is it for any persons to quarrel with God the Maker and Father of all things, as God is called, , for disposing of them and their affairs by his providence as he sees fit, and otherwise than they desire or expect; as. the Jews quarrelled with God for bringing them into captivity, and the Babylonians for translating the empire from them to the Persians.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
Isaiah 45:10 Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?Ver. 10. Woe unto him that saith to his father.] Are these fit words to a father? Is it not an impious morosity to talk unto him in this sort, Why hast thou begotten me at all? or if at all, why not rich, fair, wise? &c. And to the woman,] i.e., To his mother, but such as he can hardly find in his heart to call mother.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
(10) Woe unto him . . .—The implied argument is that men accept the accident of birth without questioning father or mother as to that which lay beyond the control of either. Should they not a fortiori accept what God orders for nations and individual men?
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 45:10
10. The impropriety of contending with God exhibited in a still more repellent light. The words “his” and “the” are not expressed in Hebrew; simply “a father,” “a woman.” “The rudest and most outrageous intrusion into an unspeakably delicate and sacred relationship” (Delitzsch).
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 45:10
Wo unto him that saith unto his father ... - It is wicked and foolish for a son to complain of his father or mother in regard to his birth, or of his rank and condition of life.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 45:10
9, 10. The Lord chooses Cyrus — an outsider to the covenant — to be his servant and medium for forwarding mankind’s redemption, and he is both right and wise in so doing.
Sermons on Isaiah 45:10
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Taranaki Bible Conference January 19-2012 - 3 of 5 Sermons by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the consequences of finding Christ in a home. He emphasizes the importance of free will and how it can affect one's relationship with God. Th |
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Spiritual Olympics by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of the prodigal son and relates it to the journey of a Christian. He emphasizes the importance of patience and endurance in the Chr |
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Disciplines to Maturity by J. Oswald Sanders | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the mysterious ways in which God works and how we should trust in His grace rather than relying on our own understanding. He uses examples fr |
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(In the Word) 14 - Healing (Continued) the Word in the Church by Milton Green | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of following the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. They urge the listeners to listen to the entire series of tape |
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A Son That Brings Shame by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the speaker shares his experiences of preaching the word of God and traveling across the nation. He recalls a powerful encounter with a man who commended him for fe |
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An Hour With Norman Grubb by Norman Grubb | Norman Grubb explores the profound questions of life: what it is, how to live it, and why we live it, emphasizing that true humanity is found in self-forgetfulness and spontaneous |
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"All Life's Problems Are Basically Theological" by A.W. Tozer | A.W. Tozer emphasizes that all of life's problems are fundamentally theological, rooted in our relationship with God. He argues that understanding our origin as creations made in G |