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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?

Context of Isaiah 40:19

17Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. 18With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. 20A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple. 21Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

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 37:18“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.
• Isaiah 41:6they help each other and say to their companions, “Be strong!”
• Isaiah 44:10Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing?
• Isaiah 46:6Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.
• Exodus 32:2Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
• Judges 17:4So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house.
• Psalms 115:4But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
• Psalms 135:15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands.
• Jeremiah 10:3For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
• Hosea 8:6They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.
• Habakkuk 2:18“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that 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