The idols will completely vanish - Click Isaiah 2:8 for discussion of idols including passages that take us to the end of this age when Babylon the mother of idolatry will be finally and fully destroyed!

Related Resources: Greek Word studies on - Idols = eidolon; Idolater = eidololatres;  Idolatry = eidololatreia

Idols (0457) (eliyl/elil [plural = elilim]) (Used in Is 2:8, 18, 20; 10:10, 11; 19:1, 3; 31:7) describes that which is worthless, good for nothing, of no value. The spelling of the Hebrew word for idol is very close to the Hebrew word for God (= el) (and some etymologists suggest it is actually a diminutive of the Hebrew word for God). The term for God however relates to the idea of strength or power, which makes Isaiah's contrast with "nothing" (eliyl) all that more pointed and dramatic! Worthless and good for nothing is a fitting name for objects of worship made by human hands! God's assessment of any "god" but Himself  is that  “all gods of the peoples are nought (nothing)” (Ps 96:5YLT = 1Chr 16:26YLT)

The following is a Biblical summary of eliyl - They are the product of human hands (Is 2:8, 20; 31:7; Lv 26:1), and one can therefore discard them (Is 31:7); they are dumb (Hab 2:18); they quiver before Yahweh (Is 19:1) and vanish before Him (Is 2:18). The expression eliyl recalls the impotence and the insignificance of these strange gods. The force of the term is probably most clearly seen in Ps 96:5YLT “for all gods of the peoples are nothing, but Yahweh made the heavens.”

Elilim often parallels other words related to idols - pesel/pāsîl “sculpted image” (Is 10:10; Lv 26:1; Hab 2:18; Ps 97:7),  'atsab “carved image” (Isa 10:11), gilluwl “idols” (Ezek 30:13), and massēkâh “molten image” (Lv 19:4; Hab 2:18).

Eissfeldt summarizes the OT designations for “idol” into five groups according to the OT Scriptures...

(1) Derogatory terms: bōšet =“shame” (bos = to be ashamed), šiqqûs = “horrible thing,” tôebâ = “abomination” (tb = abhor), hattat = "sin” (ht' = to miss a mark, fall short), 'ēmâ = “horror”;

(2) Terms that deny the existence of the gods represented by the idols: hebel = “vapor, breath,” šeqer = “lie” (šqr = to deceive),  šāw = “vanity, deceit” elîl = “nothing,” lō-ēl (no god) and lō-elōhîm “not-god”

(3) Terms that deny idols divine dignity and relegate them to the sphere of the lower, evil spirits: śeîrîm = “satyrs,” šēdîm = “demons,” → āwen = “harm, disaster, evil power”;

(4) Designations that declare them to be foreign and so more or less explicitly describe them as useless: phrases with ahēr = “other”,  zār = “foreign, strange, different” (verbal adj of the root of zur = to turn away), nēkār = “strange, foreign” → hādāš = “new”;

(5) Designations that identify them with their images and so declare them to be lifeless matter: massēkâ and nesek  = “molten image,” pesel and pāsîl  = “sculpted image,” ōseb and āsāb  = “carved image,” → selem and semel  = “carved image,” gillûlîm = “(hewn) blocks of stone,” sîr = “image,” maśkît = “showpiece,” and neśûâ = “processional image.” (Adapted from the Theological Lexicon of the OT)

The Septuagint (LXX) renders elilim variously, most frequently with cheiropoiēta “human product” (6x) and eidola “idols” (4x).

Paul describes the vanity of idols writing to the Corinthians that...

concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. (1Co 8:4)

Completely vanish - While modern Israel does not overtly worship idols in the classic sense described in the OT, the majority of Israel is not even orthodox but decidedly secular. As such they, like America, are still involved in a form of "idol worship", for anything placed in the place of the Holy One of Israel is tantamount to idol worship. This verse will not be fulfilled until the Millennium when Israel will have no other gods before her Beloved, the Messiah Who reigns the world from Jerusalem.

Young explains why idols must completely vanish for they...

are the root from whence the other evils flow. When men turn to idolatry they pervert everything else. The root, therefore, must be done away. (Young, Ed: The Book of Isaiah - Volume 1, Chapters 1-18. Eerdmans Pub. 1992-hardcopy or Logos or Wordsearch)

Completely (03632) (kaliyl) expresses totality, both of accomplishment and of destruction. It means perfect, complete, whole, wholly, all and pertains to a complete degree of an attribute. Here are the

Kaliyl - 15 verses in the OT - Exod. 28:31; 39:22; Lev. 6:22f; Num. 4:6; Deut. 13:16; 33:10; Jdg. 20:40; 1 Sam. 7:9; Ps. 51:19; Isa. 2:18; Lam. 2:15; Ezek. 16:14; 27:3; 28:12. The NAS renders kaliyl as all(2), burned entirely(1), completely(1), entirely(1), perfect(3), perfection(1), pure(1), whole(3), whole burnt offering(2), whole burnt offerings(1).

Vanish (02498) (chalaph) means to to hasten away, pass on or away, to be over. The word has the meaning of to pass away or to vanish with reference to days (Job 9:26), rain (Song 2:11), and idols (Is 2:18).

Chalaph - 27v in the OT - Ge 31:7, 41; 35:2; 41:14; Lv 27:10; Jdg 5:26; 1Sa 10:3; 2Sa 12:20; Job 4:15; 9:11, 26; 11:10; 14:7; 20:24; 29:20; Ps 90:5,6; 102:26; Song 2:11; Is 2:18; 8:8; 9:10; 21:1; 24:5; 40:31; 41:1; Hab 1:11

Through His mouthpiece Zechariah Jehovah declares that...

“It will come about in that day,” (What day? This refers specifically to the Millennial Kingdom) declares the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. (Zec 13:2)

Ortlund comments that...

Idols are precious. They are always our hard-won silver and gold. That’s why we prize them. They are beautiful, but also contemptible. J. R. R. Tolkien portrayed this in The Lord of the Rings. Everyone who wears the golden ring of power morphs into something weirdly subhuman, like Gollum, who cherishes it as “My Precious.” So for Middle-earth to be saved, the ring must be thrown into the fire of Mount Doom and destroyed forever. Tolkien understood that the key to life is not only what we lay hold of but also what we throw away. Paul wrote,

“I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8-note).

Men will go into caves of the rocks - In Isa 2:10 this action is commanded and here it is declared as that which in fact will be done! Men who gloried in their prowess and strength will flee from God in fear to seek shelter in the rocks and dirt!

This world wide "terror of the LORD" will be clearly manifest for all to see in the time of the Tribulation (Daniel's Seventieth Week) as described in the Revelation which from chapter 6 through 20 describes this Day of the LORD...

And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us (cp Ge 3:8 = Adam and Eve - hiding is the effect of sin in the presence of God's holiness!) from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev 6:15-note, Re 6:16-note)

Tony Garland commenting on Rev 6:15, 16 writes...

Here is the classic record of man’s response to his own sin—a vain attempt to hide from the omnipresent, omniscient, almighty God (Ge 3:8; Re 6:16). In the irony of God, those who persecuted God’s servants, who were “destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy,” who “wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth” (Heb. 11:38) now experience firsthand a similar affliction from the very hand of God.

So intense is their fear of God’s judgments that they temporarily seek even death—anything to flee from His manifest presence (Ho 10:8; Lk 23:30; Re 9:6-note).

Hide us - Attempting to hide from God illustrates how sin and fear warp the intellect, for it is impossible to hide from the Omnipresent One (Job 34:22). How different the motivation of the godly from the ungodly. Those with faith in Christ desire His presence and seek His face. (Ps. 17:15; Pr. 8:7; Isa. 45:19; Is 58:2; 65:1; Je 29:13; Amos 5:4). Those who reject God fear His presence and flee His face. This dichotomy is seen today in the reaction of people to the preaching of the gospel:

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2Co 2:15, 16)

At the scene of God’s final judgment of the ungodly, there will be nowhere available to hide from His face, for heaven and earth will have fled away (Re 20:11). All things are naked in His sight!

The wrath of the Lamb - Here we encounter a phrase of seeming contradiction. The Lamb Who was silently led to the slaughter (Is 53:7) now metes out wrath. It is the Lamb which opens each of the seals bringing forth these judgments which are indicative of the wrath of God. See commentary on Revelation 5:5.

The wrath of God began earlier, when the Lamb arose from His seat to open the first seal. Now it is recognized for what it is.

“It should be noted that the passage does not say that the wrath of God begins only with the sixth seal, but that only with the sixth seal do unbelievers recognize that it is the wrath of God.” (Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of Messiah, rev ed. Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 2003, 221)

Those on the earth are ignorant of the Scriptures. Yet even they recognize that the time of God’s wrath has now come upon the earth (Re 11:18-note; Re 14:9-note, Re 14:10-note, Re 14:19-note; Re 15:1-note, Re 15:7-note; Re 16:1-note, Re 16:19-note). See commentary on Revelation 5:6-note. (A Testimony of Jesus Christ - Revelation 6:16)

When He arises to make the earth tremble : (Is 2:10,21; 1Samuel 13:6; 14:11; Jeremiah 16:16; Hosea 10:8; Micah 7:17; Luke 23:30; Hebrews 11:38; Revelation 6:15; 9:6) (Of the rocks - Is 2:10; 2Th 1:9) (When He arises - Is 30:32; Psalms 7:6; 18:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 76:7, 8, 9; 114:5, 6, 7; Micah 1:3,4; Nahum 1:3, 4, 5, 6; Habakkuk 3:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14; Haggai 2:6,21,22; Hebrews 12:26; 2Peter 3:10, 11, 12, 13; Revelation 6:12, 13, 14; Revelation 11:13,19; 16:18; 20:11)

In Hebrews we read that...

His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake (seio -  literally, as causing violent movement or disturbance, especially of universal dimension) not only the earth, but also the heaven.” (He 12:26)

In that day - What day? The "day" Isaiah has just described "When He (Messiah) arises to make the earth tremble", the day the Messiah returns as King of kings and Lord of lords.

In that day - 86x in 83v in the Bible - Lev. 7:35; Num. 32:10; Deut. 31:17f; 1 Sam. 3:12; 8:18; Isa. 2:11, 17, 20; 3:18; 4:1f; 5:30; 7:18, 20f, 23; 10:20, 27; 11:10; 12:4; 17:4, 7, 9; 19:16, 18f, 21, 23f; 20:6; 22:8, 12, 20, 25; 23:15; 24:21; 25:9; 26:1; 27:1f, 12f; 28:5; 31:7; 52:6; Jer. 4:9; 48:41; 49:22, 26; 50:30; Hos. 2:16, 18, 21; Joel 3:18; Amos 2:16; 8:3, 9, 13; 9:11; Mic. 4:6; 5:10; Zeph. 3:11, 16; Zech. 2:11; 3:10; 9:16; 12:3f, 6, 8f, 11; 13:1f, 4; 14:4, 6, 8f, 13, 20f

We see a parallel passage in Isaiah 31...

Isaiah 31:7 For in that day (In context when is that day? Is 31:4 "LORD of hosts [will] come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill" = Second Coming) every man will cast away his silver idols and his gold idols, which your sinful hands have made for you as a sin.

Men will cast away...their idols - There seems to be some irony here if moles are indeed rodents (or even worse "dung beetles"), for men will throw aside things they had previously placed great value on and throw them aside to things people generally detest.

Moles (02663) (chaphor) is the only OT use and derives from a verb which conveys the basic idea of to dig in the ground for some reason. The Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains writes that this is a "ceremonially unclean rodent: the holy shrew-mouse Crocidura religiosa." NIV translates it as "rodents".

A R Faussett writes in regard to moles that...

Others translate “mice.” The sense is, under ground, in darkness.

Grogan notes that instead of moles...

The NEB reads "dung beetles" for "moles" (KJV; NIV, "rodents"). Herbert (in loc.) says, "The Hebrew word must mean a digging creature, but moles do not inhabit rocky places.  This beetle gathers animal droppings as food, rolls the dung into a ball and carries it into a crevice. Known as the scarab, it was venerated in Egypt." (Grogan, G. Isaiah -EBC)

Bats - in caves. Moles - in holes. This is where men will try to hide!

Idols...made for themselves to worship - Idols are not just for show. They are not passive entities. Idols are manmade creations with the prescribed function of facilitating creature worship rather than Creator worship (Ro 1:22, 23-note, Ro 1:25-note) The reference to man-made idols reminds one of Is 44:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, Is 46:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

The idols will completely vanish -

Related Resources:

Greek Word studies on - Idols = eidolon; Idolater = eidololatres;  Idolatry = eidololatreia
Isaiah 2:8 discussion of idols

Idols (0457) (eliyl) (Used in Is 2:8, 18, 20; 10:10, 11; 19:1, 3; 31:7) describes that which is worthless, good for nothing, of no value. The spelling of the Hebrew word for idol is very close to the Hebrew word for God. The term for God however relates to the idea of strength or power, which makes Isaiah's contrast with "nothing" (eliyl) all that more pointed and dramatic! Worthless and good for nothing is a fitting name for objects of worship made by human hands, for they will all burn one day!

In order to go into the caverns... - Isaiah explains how the idols vanish as men come to realize that in the presence of the splendor and majesty of the LORD, their handmade images are worthless. How applicable this is to all of us, for even as believers we so easily can fall into the trap of giving other things a higher priority than the glorious, majestic One, Who alone is worthy of such an exalted position. What are your "idols" beloved? Do you have any? One day they will vanish.

It is notable that for the third time (Is 2:10-note, Is 2:19, 21) in this section Isaiah sees sinners running from the Righteous One. Dear reader if you are an unrepentant, unsaved sinner, you will seek to run from His Holiness one day. I plead with you to make the choice to run into the cleft of the Rock of Ages...

Seek (command) the LORD while He may be found (Ed: When He arises to make the earth tremble it is too late!). Call (command) upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. (Isa 55:6, 7)

Turn (command to "Look unto") to Me, and be saved (command), all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. (Isa 45:22 - the passage God's Spirit used to save C H Spurgeon -C. H. Spurgeon's Testimony)

Caverns (05366) (neqarah) a large crack, fissure or split in a rock which is such a size that it allows people to hide in or take refuge in. The only other OT use presents a dramatic contrast...

Ex 33:22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.

Comment: Moses was to see only the "afterglow" which was but a foretaste of the majesty of His splendor. These pride filled in Is 2:21 will see the majesty of His splendor and seek to hide just like Adam and Eve did after they sinned (Ge 3:8).

Rocks (06697) (tsur) is a mass of stone material and the context determines the size and shape of the rock. For example, the context of the first use in Scripture (Ex 4:25) clearly pictures a small rock.

It is sad that most of mankind will refuse to run (by grace through faith) into the Rock of salvation (Ex 17:6 "rock" = type of Christ in 1Co 10:6, cp 2Sa 22:47, Ps 89:26-note, Ps 19:14-note). When men refuse to hide in the Rock of our Salvation from the righteous wrath of God (cp Ro 1:16-note, Ro 1:17-note), the One Who could be their Cornerstone (Christ our foundation - cp Is 28:16, 1Pe 2:6-note) becomes their stumbling Stone (into a Christless perdition, cp 2Th 1:9, Mt 25:34, 41, 46). See related resource - Scriptural Study of Christ the Rock, the Stone, the Cornerstone.

Clefts (05585) (ca'iyph) is a fissure in a rock which is used only 6 times in Scripture - Jdg 15:8, 11; Isa. 2:21; 17:6; 27:10; 57:5. The idea is that of a large rock which overhangs or of a crevice which is large enough for lodging (Samson - Jdg 15:8, 11). In Isa 2:21 the context clearly describes a place where one can seek refuge. It was also a place used for sacred sacrificial rites of a pagan nature (Is 57:5). This word in some contexts refers to branches (Isa 17:6, 27:10).

While the first use of ca'iyph describes the place that unrepentant sinners run to seek refuge from God's wrath, the last use by Isaiah describes the cleft as a site for "sacred" child sacrifices (cp Je 32:35, Ezek 20:26, 31)! How fitting that they would run to seek refuge in the place of their most perfidious practices!

Isaiah 57:5 Who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree (cp sites of rebellious, deceitful "fertility" worship = Judah and Israel's idolatry = spiritual adultery - Je 3:6, Ezek 16:16), who slaughter the children in the ravines, under the clefts of the crags?

Cliffs (05553) (sela) comes from a root which means lofty and refers to a rock or cliff. The irony is that these proud men refuse to run to the Rock of our salvation, of Whom David testified (from his experience)...

The Lord is my Rock (sela) and my Fortress and my Deliverer, My God, my Rock, in Whom I take refuge; My Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. (Ps 18:2-note)

Spurgeon commenting on David's psalm writes...

Dwelling among the crags and mountain fastnesses of Judea David had escaped the malice of Saul, and here he compares his God to such a place of concealment and security. Believers are often hidden in their God from the strife of tongues and the fury of the storm of trouble. The clefts of the Rock of Ages are safe abodes.

My Deliverer, interposing in my hour of peril. When almost captured the Lord's people are rescued from the hand of the mighty by him who is mightier still. This title of "deliverer" has many sermons in it, and is well worthy of the study of all experienced saints. (Play: My Deliverer)

My God; this is all good things in one. There is a boundless wealth in this expression; it means, my perpetual, unchanging, infinite, eternal good. He who can say truly "my God," may well add, "my heaven, my all." (Play You are My All in All)

My Strength; this word is really my Rock, in the sense of strength and immobility. My sure, unchanging, eternal confidence and support. Thus the word rock occurs twice, but it is no tautology, for the first time it is a rock for concealment (You Are My Hiding Place-As The Deer), but here a rock for firmness and immutability.

In Whom I will trust. Faith must be exercised, or the preciousness of God is not truly known; and God must be the object of faith, or faith is mere presumption.

My buckler (My Shield), warding off the blows of my enemy, shielding me from arrow or sword. The Lord furnishes his warriors with weapons both offensive and defensive. Our armory is completely stored so that none need go to battle unarmed.

The Horn of my salvation, enabling me to push down my foes, and to triumph over them with holy exultation.

My high tower (My Stronghold) (Watermark -You Are My Stronghold), a citadel high planted on a rocky eminence beyond the reach of my enemies, from the heights of which I look down upon their fury without alarm, and survey a wide landscape of mercy reaching even unto the goodly land beyond Jordan. Here are many words, but none too many; we might profitably examine each one of them had we leisure, but summing up the whole, we may conclude with Calvin, that David here equips the faithful from head to foot.

Terror (06343) (pachad) means a dread, fear, terror, panic. It is either a strong emotion of fear or terror and was often caused by the Lord (1Sa 11:7; Job 13:11; Is 2:10, 19, 21). This same dread could cause trembling (Job 13:11; Ps. 119:120). Pachad implies a fear which is caused by an enemy or inflicted by God Himself (2Chr 20:29). Pachad (Fear) is even used as a name for God (see Ge 31:42, 31:53). The fear of the Lord was so central to Isaac’s concept of God that one of his names for God was “Fear”! One can either have the rightful fear of Isaac or the terrifying fear of a rebellious unbeliever. Take your choice. It will make all the difference "out of this world" (i.e, in the world to come - either heaven or hell)!

Splendor  (01926) (hadar) means glory and describes the character of God here and in (1Chr 16:27), where His great magnificence and brightness (as the splendor of ther sun with its rays) causes sinners to flee from His presence.

This verse is reminiscent of John's introduction to the Revelation of Jesus Christ...

BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. (Rev 1:7-note)

Tony Garland comments that...

The Jews will mourn because of the awful realization of the truth of the crucifixion of their own Messiah and the subsequent record of history triggered by this most colossal mistake of all history:

Israel must, indeed, be dumb if one asks them today: Tell me, pray: How can it be that the Eternal sent the fathers out of their land into captivity in Babylon for only seventy years, on account of all the abominations and idolatry by which they for centuries defiled the Holy Land:—and now Israel has been dispersed among all peoples for over eighteen hundred years, and Jerusalem, the city of the great King, is trodden down by the nations until this day? What, then, is the great and terrible blood-guiltiness which perpetually prevents you from dwelling in peace in the land of your fathers?—But Israel is not willing to know! And yet it is precisely its sin against its Messiah that is indeed the root of Israel’s misery. (Erich Sauer, The Dawn of World Redemption Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1951, c1964, 118-119)

The Gentiles too will mourn as they realize the truth of Christianity which they have steadfastly rejected, and the inescapable fact of their impending judgment. John records the astonishing hardness of heart of the “earth dwellers” at the time of the end. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence of God’s existence, sovereignty, and power, they will not repent (Rev. 16:9-note, Re 16:11-note, Re 16:21-note). It is our belief that this is one reason Paul says, “now is the day of salvation” (2Co 6:2). For every day, every hour, every minute that a person continues to reject the knowledge of God makes it more likely they will never turn to accept the free offer of salvation. (Garland adds "Having personally sat with those in their dying days who continue to reject God’s free and gracious offer of salvation when they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, we have gained a genuine appreciation regarding the fearful consequences of the continual rejection of the gospel offer.")

Brethren, I do not wonder that worldlings and half-Christians have no love of this doctrine, or that they hate to hear about Christ’s speedy coming. It is the death knell of their gaieties and pleasures—the turning of their confidence to consternation—the conversion of their songs to shrieks of horror and despair. There is a day coming, when “the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of man shall be made low;” [Is 2:11-note, Is 2:17-note] (J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse: Lectures on the Book of Revelation) (Commentary)

Majesty (01347) (gaon) can refer in some contexts to pride or arrogance, but here refers to the exalted majesty or excellence of the Lord (cp Ex 15:7; Isa. 24:14; Mic 5:4). Gaon can refer to even to God's redeemed remnant who express their pride in Him as in (Is 4:2).

Gaon - 44v in the OT - Ex 15:7; Lev. 26:19; Job 35:12; 37:4; 38:11; 40:10; Ps. 47:4; 59:12; Prov. 16:18; Isa. 2:10, 19, 21; 4:2; 13:11, 19; 14:11; 16:6; 23:9; 24:14; 60:15; Jer. 12:5; 13:9; 48:29; 49:19; 50:44; Ezek. 7:20, 24; 16:49, 56; 24:21; 30:6, 18; 32:12; 33:28; Hos. 5:5; 7:10; Amos 6:8; 8:7; Mic. 5:4; Nah. 2:2; Zeph. 2:10; Zech. 9:6; 10:11; 11:3

The earth - If taken literally, which is reasonable, this verse impacts speaks of divine retribution impacting not only Judah and Jerusalem but the world.

Tremble (06206) (arats) means to  to shake involuntarily as with fear and here describes a  terror incited by the presence of the LORD Who is coming to judge the sinful world in righteousness.

Arats - 15v in the OT - Dt. 1:29; 7:21; 20:3; 31:6; Jos 1:9; Job 13:25; 31:34; Ps 10:18; 89:7; Is 2:19, 21; 8:12, 13; 29:23; 47:12. Arats is rendered as cause terror(1), cause to tremble(1), cause trembling(1), dread(3), feared(2), make tremble(2), shocked(1), stand in awe(1), tremble(3).

Criswell rightly reasons that...

When the Lord shall arise to terrify the earth, man's civilization and proud achievements will become dust. In view of this, the prophet appeals to the house of Jacob to give up any trust in man and his devices.

Related Resource: Isaiah 2:22 Man, Whose Breath Is in His Nostrils

From Isaiah 2:6-21 Isaiah has been describing the glory of man and now concludes this section with the command to stop placing your trust in weak, frail, dying men and on what they can accomplish. This frailty of men is brought out by the phrase "breath of life is in his nostrils" (cp the source of this breath = Ge 2:7, it's transience = Ge 6:17, it's only source of salvation = Ge 7:15).

What a clear contrast are men whose days are but a shadow (Job 8:9, 14:2, Eccl 6:12, Ps 37:2-note) (Motyer however does not think breath is a metaphor for the brevity of man's life but instead a marker of the one from Whom such life is derived and thus Who alone should be trusted - cp Is 42:5) with the unending power of the Almighty (Ps 90:4, 5, 6-note), Who alone is worthy of and can justify our full dependence and trust.

 This verse is in some ways the opposite of what Isaiah had written earlier...

Come (command) house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.  (Is 2:5-note)

In the earlier verse, the call was to focus on the Lord and here the idea is to get our focus off of men! Trust in Jehovah. Do not trust in man!

The psalmist records...

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. (Ps 118:8, 9-note)

Jeremiah writes...

Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. (Je 17:5)

Comment: Look back at what Jeremiah records. Do you see the progression? Trust in man and his strength precedes the heart turning from God! And the result? Cursed! (cp Pr 14:12, 16:25, 3:5, 6, 7, 8)

John Martin (as opposed to Motyer above) interprets this passage as reflective of the fact that...

Man is merely like a vapor. His breath can be snuffed out quickly. Therefore to trust in him is nonsensical, for man is easily removed (Is 2:9, 11, 12, 17). In view of God’s coming judgment Judah should begin to turn to Him in the present. God’s glory should cause them to live righteous, holy lives and thus escape His severe judgment. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor or Logos)

J Vernon McGee exhorts us...

Don’t put your confidence in man. You and I exhale, but we don’t know whether we are going to inhale the next breath. That is the frailty of man—if he misses one breath he is out of the picture. Multitudes today going about their daily business will have fatal heart attacks and disappear from the earth’s scene. Don’t put your confidence in man. Put your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ today. (Isaiah Commentary - 219 Mp3's)

Stop (a command) (02308) (hadal) means to cease something - anxiety (1Sa 9:5), ability to bear children (Ge 18:11), evil (Isa 1:16). The word regarding is added by the translators as determined from the context (balancing the word "esteemed").

Hadal - 53v in the OT - Gen. 11:8; 18:11; 41:49; Exod. 9:29, 33f; 14:12; 23:5; Num. 9:13; Deut. 15:11; 23:22; Jdg. 5:6f; 9:9, 11, 13; 15:7; 20:28; Ruth 1:18; 1 Sam. 2:5; 9:5; 12:23; 23:13; 1 Ki. 15:21; 22:6, 15; 2 Chr. 16:5; 18:5, 14; 25:16; 35:21; Job 3:17; 7:16; 10:20; 14:6f; 16:6; 19:14; Ps. 36:3; 49:8; Prov. 10:19; 19:27; 23:4; Isa. 1:16; 2:22; 24:8; Jer. 40:4; 41:8; 44:18; 51:30; Ezek. 3:27; Amos 7:5; Zech. 11:12 and rendered in NAS as cease(10), ceased(8), ceasing(1), deserted(1), fail(1), failed(1), gave up(1), hold back(1), leave(5), let alone(1), neglects(1), never mind(2), no(1), past(1), quit(1), refrain(6), refrained(1), refuse(1), regarding*(m)(1), rest(1), stop(4), stopped(4), stops(1), unavoidable*(1).

Esteemed (02803) (hasab) conveys the basic idea is employment of the mind in thinking activity. Reference is not so much to "understanding" (cp Hebrew verb = biyn), but to the creating of new ideas. From the mental effort to think come the other ideas of to compute, make account of, consider, esteem, impute, reckon, regard.

Chuck Smith rightly concludes from this passage that it is "Better to trust God than man."

Grogan writes that...

After the idols have been cut down to size by the revelation of the true God in his judicial majesty, the spotlight of the divine contempt focuses on human beings—through whom the religious infection had taken root (Is 2:6-note)—whose dignity as creatures made in God's image had been cast away by their groveling before idols made by their own hands (Is 2:8, 9-note, Is 2:20), and whose arrogant pride would be abased before God's disclosure (Is 2:11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21). (Grogan, G. Isaiah in Expositor's Bible Commentary OT 7 Volume Set: Books: Zondervan Publishing)

Constable comments that...

 Human beings have no real value as objects of trust. Idolatry is but a result of man’s self-glorification, not its cause. Human beings will never bring about Israel’s glorious destiny. Only God can and will do that. This verse, like Is 2:5 (note), is transitional and bridges the preceding proclamation of universal judgment and the following more specific judgment. (Isaiah - Expository Notes)

Ed Young adds...

What an accurate description of the condition of mankind apart from God! Fallen mankind places all its confidence and hope in man. In its crudest form this confidence may appear as idolatry, such as existed when Isaiah wrote. The greatest need of man is to reject man, and, as children, to seek the heavenly Father. The verse thus forms a fitting conclusion to the chapter, and at the same time it also serves as a bridge between the proclamation of universal judgment made in Isaiah 2 and the more specific judgment to be introduced in Isaiah 3:1ff. (Young, Ed: The Book of Isaiah - Volume 1, Chapters 1-18. Eerdmans Pub. 1992-hardcopy or Logos or Wordsearch)

Gingrich writes that...