Isaiah 44:14

Isaiah 44:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.
• New Living Translation (NLT)He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain.

Context of Isaiah 44:14

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. 13The 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. He 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. 16Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

Isaiah 44:14 word by word

לִכְרָת־ל֣וֹ אֲרָזִ֔ים וַיִּקַּ֤ח תִּרְזָה֙ וְאַלּ֔וֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ־ל֖וֹ בַּעֲצֵי־יָ֑עַר נָטַ֥ע אֹ֖רֶן וְגֶ֥שֶׁם יְגַדֵּֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He heweth him downכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
• cedarsאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• and takethלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the cypressתִּרְזָהtirzâh · cypressH8645
• and the oakאַלּוֹן'allôn · oakH437
• which he strengthenethאָמֵץ'âmats · to strengthenH553
• for himself among the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• of the forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• he plantethנָטַעnâţa‛ · to plantH5193
• an ashאֹ֫רֶן'ôren · firH766
• and the rainגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem · rainH1653
• doth nourishגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431

Cross-references for Isaiah 44:14

• Isaiah 40:20A 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.
• 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 4:12My people consult a wooden idol, and a diviner’s rod speaks to them. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.”

Commentaries on Isaiah 44:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14He heweth him down "He heweth down" - For לכרת lichroth, the Septuagint and Vulgate read כרת carath or יכרת yichroth .Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14He heweth him down cedars - In the previous verses, the prophet had described the formation of an axe with which the work was to be done Isaiah 44:12, and the laying out, and carving of the idol Isaiah 44:13. In this verse he proceeds to describe the material of which the idol was made, and the different purposes Isaiah 44:15-17 to which that material was applied. The object is to show the amazing stupidity of those who should worship a god made of the…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. 1414. Description of the material out of which the idol is formed. cypress--rather, from Hebrew root, "to be hard," the holm oak," an evergreen abundant in Palestine [Gesenius]. strengtheneth--literally, "and he getteth strength to himself in the trees of the forest;" that is, he layeth in a great store of timber [Lowth]. Or, "chooseth," as "madest strong for thyself," that is, hast chosen (Psa 80:15, 17) [Gesenius]. But English Version gives a good sense…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 44:14

• Ash
• Carving
• Cypress
• Holm
• Idol
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Ash
• Cedar
• Consider
• Cypress
• Fit
• Forest
• Graving
• Idol
• Pleasure
• Surname

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