Isaiah 2:9 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 2:9 mean?

Isaiah 2:9 describes people of every social rank bowing down in a land filled with idols. Isaiah then turns to God with a severe request: “forgive them not.” The verse presents the people’s worship of what they have made as a serious wrong.

After verse 8 describes people worshipping their own handiwork, the bowing in verse 9 pictures their posture before those idols. The sentence then shifts from describing the people to addressing God directly.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 2:9

• “mean man” — אָדָם (ʾadam): The word can mean a human being or humanity. Here, “mean” uses an older English sense of low social standing, not a cruel or unpleasant character.
• “great man” — אִישׁ (ʾish): The word often means a man or person. Paired with “mean man,” the KJV phrase points to someone of higher standing.
• “forgive” — נָשָׂא (nasaʾ): The word can mean to lift up or carry, and it can also express the removal or forgiveness of wrongdoing. Here, Isaiah uses it in his request that God not forgive the people.

Why Isaiah 2:9 matters

• Social standing makes no difference to the scene Isaiah describes. Both the “mean man” and the “great man” are involved in the bowing.
• The bowing belongs to a passage about idols, not simply about showing respect. Verse 8 says the people worship what their own fingers have made.
• Isaiah’s request gives the verse its sharp edge. “Therefore forgive them not” connects the people’s actions with a plea for God to hold them accountable.