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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine.

Context of Isaiah 44:13

11People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame. 12The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. 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. 14He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. 15It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol 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 20:4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
• Deuteronomy 4:16so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
• Acts 17:29“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.
• Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
• Genesis 31:19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
• Genesis 35:2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.
• Deuteronomy 27:15“Cursed is anyone who makes an idol—a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• 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.
• Judges 18:24He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ ”
• Ezekiel 8:12He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken 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