Isaiah 41:29 (ASV)

Passage

Behold, all of them, their works are vanity [and] nought; their molten images are wind and confusion.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 41:27 [I am the] first [that saith] unto Zion, Behold, behold them; and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

Isaiah 41:28 And when I look, there is no man: even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

Isaiah 41:29 Behold, all of them, their works are vanity [and] nought; their molten images are wind and confusion.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "works", "vanity", "nought", "molten", "images", "wind", and "confusion". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "works", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And when I look there is no...", giving immediate footing for "behold" and "works". In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "works" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.