Isaiah 44:13

Isaiah 44:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
• New International Version (NIV)The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The craftsman stretches out his rule, He marks one out with chalk; He fashions it with a plane, He marks it out with the compass, And makes it like the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.

Context of Isaiah 44:13

11Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame, and the craftsmen are humans. They all will assemble and stand; they all will be startled and put to shame. 12The ironworker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. Also he grows hungry and his strength fails; he doesn’t drink water and is faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line, he outlines it with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it according to a human form, like a beautiful person, to dwell in a temple. 14He cuts down cedars for his use, or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. 15A person can use it for fuel. He takes some of it and warms himself; also he kindles a fire and bakes bread; he even makes it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.

Isaiah 44:13 word by word

חָרַ֣שׁ עֵצִים֮ נָ֣טָה קָו֒ יְתָאֲרֵ֣הוּ בַשֶּׂ֔רֶד יַעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ בַּמַּקְצֻע֔וֹת וּבַמְּחוּגָ֖ה יְתָאֳרֵ֑הוּ וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ כְּתַבְנִ֣ית אִ֔ישׁ כְּתִפְאֶ֥רֶת אָדָ֖ם לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽיִת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The carpenterעֵץ‛êts · tree: carpenterH6086
• The carpenterחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
• stretcheth outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• ruleקַוqav qâv · lineH6957
• he marketh it outתָּאַרtâ'ar · to delimitH8388
• with a lineשֶׂ֫רֶדώered · stylusH8279
• he fittethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• it with planesמַקְצֻעָהmaqtsû‛âh · planeH4741
• with the compassמְחוּגָהmechûgâh · compassH4230
• it after the figureתַּבְנִיתtabnîyth · patternH8403
• of a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• according to the beautyתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
• of a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that it may remainיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004

Cross-references for Isaiah 44:13

• Exodus 20:4Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
• Deuteronomy 4:16so you don’t act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of any figure: a male or female form,
• Acts 17:29Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.
• Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
• Genesis 31:19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
• Genesis 35:2So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.
• Deuteronomy 27:15‘The person who makes a carved idol or cast image, which is detestable to the Lord, the work of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret is cursed.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen!’
• Judges 17:4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took five pounds of silver and gave it to a silversmith. He made it into a carved image and a silver idol, and it was in Micah’s house.
• Judges 18:24He said, “You took the gods I had made and the priest, and went away. What do I have left? How can you say to me, ‘What’s the matter with you? ’”
• Ezekiel 8:12He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his idol? For they are saying, ‘The Lord does not see us. The Lord has abandoned the land.’”

Commentaries on Isaiah 44:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The carpenter - The axe is made Isaiah 44:12, and the carpenter now proceeds to the construction of the god. Stretcheth out his rule - For the purpose of laying out his work, or measuring it. The word rendered here rule,‘ however (קו qâv ), means properly “a line”; and should be so rendered here. The carpenter stretches out a line, but not a rule. He marketh it out with a line - He marks out the shape; the length, and breadth, and thickness of the body…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-20Verses 9-20 Image-making is described, to expose the folly of idolaters. Though a man had used part of a log for fuel, he fell down before an image made of the remainder, praying it to deliver him. Man greatly dishonours God, when he represents him after the image of man. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers, causing absurd reasonings in matters of religion. Whether men seek happiness in worldly things, or run into unbelief, superstition, or any false…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-20This passage uses the form of a trial speech to press God’s argument that disgrace comes to all who trust in idols and false gods.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. After the smith's work in preparing the instruments comes the carpenter's work in forming the idol. rule--rather, "line" [Barnes]. with a line--rather, a "pencil," [Horsley]. Literally, "red ochre," which he uses to mark on the wood the outline of the figure [Lowth]. Or best, the stylus or graver, with which the incision of the outline is made [Gesenius]. planes--rather, "chisels" or "carving tools," for a plane would not answer for carving…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 44:13

• Carpentry
• Carving
• Compasses
• Idol
• Idolatry
• Plane

In the dictionaries

• Carpenter
• Consider
• Fit
• Graving
• Idol
• Pleasure
• Surname
• Compass; Compasses
• Figure
• Fit, Fitly

Commentaries on Isaiah 44

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings