Covering-Idol
A study in the word “alliance” used in Isaiah 30:1. The translations replace the Hebrew word (massekah) H4541 – as ‘alliance’. That is true, however, why did God react so strongly against them for their actions?
Remembering the 1st commandment it reveals God’s position on Idolatry and encompassing the first set of commandments that deal with the fact that God would not allow any other god(s) to usurp him.
Exodus 20:1-7 (ESV)
1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Isaiah 30:1 (ESV)
1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance (H4541), but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
When they wanted to make an “alliance” with Egypt it was a serious act against God.
1 – It was Egypt that God freed the people from.
2 – It was Egypt that God demonstrated his wrath against their idolatry.
3 – They were returning to their old slave-master to ensure her freedom. V. 2 ‘ seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt.”
4 – In their history they were given instructions not to make any alliances or covenants with any foreign nations. The principle found in Exodus 34:12 (ESV) 12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.
The principle is: That trusting in anything or any group of people other than in God is considered to be idolatry.
The making of an ‘alliance’ was “idolatry”! The Hebrew word(s) used did not identify it as such, however, our English Bible translations might not give a clear identification of the base issue involved. In V. 1 it uses the word “alliance” and in English that means:
Dictionary: “A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations:…”
Encyclopedia: “An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common goal…”
Many translations use similar verbiage.
ESV – “..who make an alliance, but…”
NKJV – “…who devise plans, but…”
NASB95 – “…Who execute a plan, but…”
NIV84 – “ ..forming an alliance, but…”
NRSV – “who make an alliance, but”
The YLT uses “..and to spread out a covering, and not of My spirit, So as to add sins to sin.”
The BISCAVITG (Septuagint codex) – Isa. 30 1 *Ah, rebel children, thus saith the Lord: ye took counsel, and not through me, and made agreements, not through my spirit, to add sins upon sins:[1]
Looking at a comparison of the original language and the meaning of the Hebrew word identified by Strong’s Dictionary as H4541.
Isaiah 30:1 (ESV)
1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
Note the Hebrew word (H4541) for “alliance” meaning, an idol
H4541. מַסֵּכָה mac̨c̨êkâh, mas-say-kaw´; from 5258; prop. a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (espec. a cast image); by impl. a libation, i.e. league; concr. a coverlet (as if poured out):—covering, molten (image), vail.
Same word was used in Isa. 28:20
For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering (4541) too narrow to wrap oneself in
Judah’s alliance with Egypt would be a covering that would be like a ‘warm blanket’.
With it they were made to feel comfortable against the storm brewing with the Assyrians outside their city.
- 1 – shows that If God does not live in our hearts then we inevitably add sin to sin. The 1st sin was not seeking a heart filled with God. The 2nd one to fill our emptiness with our own false comforts.
V.3 – shows that the outcome will be disastrous.
Isaiah 30:3 (ESV)
3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.
In Isaiah 30:22 – the word translated “images” (H4541) is the same Hebrew word.
Isaiah 30:22 (ESV)
22 Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images (4541). You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”
By reviewing these three text it would be a valid conclusion that their sin was “idolatry”. God stated clearly his stand on such behavior. The three verses had the same Hebrew word (massekah) H4541, however translated differently each time as: “’making an alliance” – “covering” – “metal images” . In Isaiah 30:22 it was then translated “metal images”.
For quick review of the Strong’s dictionary meaning for H4541:
- מַסֵּכָה mac̨c̨êkâh, mas-say-kaw´; from 5258; prop. a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (espec. a cast image); by impl. a libation, i.e. league; concr. a coverlet (as if poured out):—covering, molten (image), vail.[2]
[1] Ottley, R. R. (Ed.). (1909). The Book of Isaiah according to the Septuagint (Codex Alexandrinus) (Translation from the Greek) (Second Edition, Vol. 1, Is 30). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[2] Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 68). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.