Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

ISAIAH 45:10KJV
Know the Bible

Isaiah 45:10 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 45:10 mean?

Isaiah 45:10 warns against questioning or criticizing the way a person is born or what parents produce, using the example of someone disrespectfully asking their father, “What are you begetting?” or their mother, “What have you brought forth?” The verse highlights the inappropriateness of challenging the choices or actions of one’s creators, especially in the context of God as the ultimate Creator.

In Isaiah 45:10, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to people who are questioning or doubting His ways and decisions, especially regarding how He forms nations and individuals. The verse uses the relationship between parents and children as a picture to show how out of place it is for created beings to challenge their Creator’s wisdom or actions.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 45:10

  • Woe (הוֹי, hoy): This word is often used as a warning or expression of grief, signaling that something is seriously wrong or out of order. Here, it sets a strong tone, showing that questioning God’s creative work is not just a minor issue.
  • Begettest (יָלַד, yalad): This verb means “to beget” or “to give birth.” The focus is on the act of bringing something into existence, which in this context points to God’s role as the one who brings forth people and nations.
  • Forth (חול, chul): This word can mean “to bring forth” or “to give birth,” but it also carries the sense of labor or trembling, emphasizing the process and effort involved in creation.

Why Isaiah 45:10 matters

  • Isaiah 45:10 helps clear up the misunderstanding that people have the right or perspective to judge God’s choices in creation or history, reminding readers of the limits of human understanding.
  • The verse emphasizes the respect and humility that created beings should have toward their Creator, using the familiar parent-child relationship to make the point vivid and relatable.
  • In the wider context, Isaiah 45 is about God’s sovereign plan to use even unexpected people (like Cyrus) for His purposes, and this verse addresses those who might object to or question God’s methods.

Where else these words appear

“Woe” Hebrew H1945 · used in 48 verses

  • Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
  • Isaiah 29:1 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
  • Ezekiel 13:18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

“forth” Hebrew H2342 · used in 58 verses

  • Genesis 8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;
  • Psalms 29:8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
  • Isaiah 51:2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.