Isaiah 40:19

Isaiah 40:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
• New International Version (NIV)As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.

Context of Isaiah 40:19

17All the nations in the world are not important to the Lord. He sees them as empty and useless. 18You cannot find anyone else who is like God. There is no image that you can make to be like him. A worker may use special skill to make an idol. Another worker may cover it with gold. He may use silver chains to make it beautiful. 20A poor person may choose special wood for his idol. He chooses wood that will not quickly become spoiled. Then he finds a worker to make an idol for him. He makes it so that it will not fall over! 21You must surely know what is true! You must have heard about it. Somebody must have told you these things from the beginning. You should have understood it all since the time that God made the earth.

Isaiah 40:19 word by word

הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ נָסַ֣ךְ חָרָ֔שׁ וְצֹרֵ֖ף בַּזָּהָ֣ב יְרַקְּעֶ֑נּוּ וּרְתֻק֥וֹת כֶּ֖סֶף צוֹרֵֽף׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The workmanחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
• meltethנָסַךְnâsak · to pourH5258
• a graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
• and the goldsmithצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
• spreadethרָקַעrâqa‛ · to beatH7554
• it over with goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• chainsרְתֻקָהrethûqâh · chainH7577

Cross-references for Isaiah 40:19

• Isaiah 37:18It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these people and their lands.
• Isaiah 41:6They help each other, and they say to one another, “Be strong!” ’
• Isaiah 44:10Only a fool makes an idol and thinks that it is his god. An image cannot help him.
• Isaiah 46:6Some people make idols for themselves. They pour out gold coins from their purse. They weigh silver on their scales. They pay a worker with special skill to use the silver and the gold to make a god. Then they bend down low in front of it, and they worship it!
• Exodus 32:2So Aaron said to them, ‘Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters. Then bring the rings to me.’
• Judges 17:4So Micah's mother took 200 pieces of silver. She gave them to a man who used silver to make things. He made an image and an idol for her. She put them in Micah's house.
• Psalms 115:4Those people's idols are made from silver and gold. Yes, human hands make them!
• Psalms 135:15Other nations make idols with silver and gold. People worship things that they have made with their hands!
• Jeremiah 10:3The customs of those people are useless. They cut down a tree in the forest. A worker uses his tools to make it into an idol.
• Hosea 8:6That idol is not a true god! An Israelite worker with special skills made it. Samaria's idol of a calf will break into pieces!
• Habakkuk 2:18What value does an idol have? What help can it give? Somebody has made it as the image of a false god. It can only tell false messages. Why should its maker trust it for help? He has used wood or metal to make it and it cannot speak!

Commentaries on Isaiah 40:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19And casteth silver chains "And forgeth for it chains of silver" - For צורף tsoreph, the participle, twenty-seven MSS., five ancient, and three editions, read צרף tsaraph, pret. third person.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The workman - The Hebrew word denotes an artificer of any kind, and is applied to one who engraved on wood or stone Exodus 28:2; to a workman in iron, brass, stone, wood Exodus 35:35; Deuteronomy 27:15; or an artisan, or artificer in general. It here refers manifestly to a man who worked in the metals of which idols were commonly made. Those idols were sometimes made of wood, sometimes of clay, but more frequently, as they are at present in India, of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-26Verses 18-26 Whatever we esteem or love, fear or hope in, more than God, that creature we make equal with God, though we do not make images or worship them. He that is so poor, that he has scarcely a sacrifice to offer, yet will not be without a god of his own. They spared no cost upon their idols; we grudge what is spent in the service of our God. To prove the greatness of God, the prophet appeals to all ages and nations. Those who are ignorant of this…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-31This chapter introduces chapters 40–66. In this section, comfort means the result of God's merciful actions toward people in the future. It includes encouragement, strength, and acceptance. God wants to rescue his people (Isaiah 40:1–11) and is fully capable of doing so (40:12–26). The exiles needed to trust God's promises and wait for their rescue (Isaiah 40:27–31; see also 30:15–18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. graven--rather, an image in general; for it is incongruous to say "melteth" (that is, casts out of metal) a graven image (that is, one of carved wood); so Jr 10:14, "molten image." spreadeth it over--(See on Is 30:22). chains--an ornament lavishly worn by rich Orientals (Is 3:18, 19), and so transferred to their idols. Egyptian relics show that idols were suspended in houses by chains.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 40:19

• Art
• God Continued...
• Idol
• Idolatry
• Readings, Select
• Silver

In the dictionaries

• Graven image
• Bosom
• Carry
• Cry
• Feed
• Goldsmith
• Graving
• Idol
• Renew
• Calf, Golden

Commentaries on Isaiah 40

• 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