Tree of Life Version
Isaiah 44:14
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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of Isaiah 44:14
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. 13A 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. He 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. 16He burns half of it in the fire. With this half, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.”
Read all of Isaiah 44Isaiah 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 40:20One too poor for such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to prepare him an idol that will not totter.
- Jeremiah 10:3The customs of the peoples are useless: it is just a tree cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.
- Hosea 4:12My people consult their wooden idol and their divining rod informs them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have been a prostitute— out from under their God.
- Habakkuk 2:19Oy to one who says to wood: “Awake!” To a dumb stone: “Rouse yourself!” Can it teach? Look, it is plated with gold and silver, but it has no spirit within 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
In the dictionaries
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
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