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

11Behold, all his friends will be ashamed, for the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble. Let them stand up. Let them dread. Let them be put to shame together. 12The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. Yet when he is hungry, his strength fails. When he drinks no water, he gets tired. A carpenter stretches out a line; he marks it with a pencil; he shapes it with planes; he marks it with a compass; he shapes it like the figure of a man —like the beauty of a man— so that it may sit in a shrine. 14He chops down cedars for himself, or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine and rain nourishes it. 15Then it is something for a man to burn. so he takes one of them and warms himself. He also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it. He makes an idol and bows before 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 for yourself a graven image , or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth.
• Deuteronomy 4:16so that you do not act corruptly and make for yourselves a graven image in the likeness of any figure—the form of a male or female,
• Acts 17:29Since we are His offspring, we ought not to suppose the Deity is like gold or silver or stone, an engraved image of human art and imagination.
• Romans 1:23They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image in the form of mortal man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.
• Genesis 31:19But while Laban went to shear his flocks, Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father,
• Genesis 35:2So Jacob said to his household and to everyone who was with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Cleanse yourselves and change your clothes.
• Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molten image—an abomination to Adonai, the work of a craftsman’s hands—and sets it up in secret.’ Then all the people are to answer and say, ‘Amen.’
• Judges 17:4So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and they were kept in the house of Micah.
• Judges 18:24“You have taken away my gods which I made,” he said, “and the priest, and walked away! What do I have left? And how then do you say to me, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”
• Ezekiel 8:12Then He said to me: “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chamber of his carved idol? For they say, ‘Adonai does not see us. Adonai 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