“The idols shall utterly pass away.
Enter the caves of the rocks!
Enter the holes of the ground!
Flee from the terror of Yahweh!
Flee from the glory of his majesty!
He rises to terrify the earth.
On that day,
People will throw away
Their idols of silver
To the moles.
They will throw away
Their idols of gold
To the bats.
These were the idols
Made for themselves
To worship.
Enter the caves of the rocks!
Enter the holes of the ground!
Flee from the terror of Yahweh!
Flee from the glory of his majesty!
He rises to terrify the earth.
Turn away from mortals!
They only have breath
In their nostrils.
Of what account are they?”
Isaiah points out that the idols would without doubt pass away. Then he repeats what he said earlier about hiding behind rocks and in the ground. In fact, this same refrain is repeated 2 verses later. People will be throwing away their silver and gold idols that they themselves had made to the moles and the bats. As they hide in the caves and underground, Yahweh will come to terrify the earth and proclaim his glory. People will run away from mortals, since they only have breath in their noses. They will be useless in this day of the Lord.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 