Isaiah 40:20 kjv
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Isaiah 40:20 nkjv
Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
Isaiah 40:20 niv
A 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.
Isaiah 40:20 esv
He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.
Isaiah 40:20 nlt
Or if people are too poor for that,
they might at least choose wood that won't decay
and a skilled craftsman
to carve an image that won't fall down!
Isaiah 40 20 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ex 20:4-5 | “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness... you shall not bow down to them..." | Commandment against idol making |
Deut 4:28 | There you will serve gods of wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. | Futility of idols made of wood/stone |
Ps 115:4-8 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands... they have mouths, but do not speak... | Idols are lifeless, useless |
Ps 135:15-18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands... | Repeating the point of Ps 115 |
Isa 40:18 | To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness will you compare with him? | God's incomparability and uniqueness |
Isa 44:9-17 | All who fashion idols are nothing... he carves a god and worships it. | Extended mockery of idol manufacturing |
Isa 46:1-2 | Bel bows down; Nebo stoops... their idols are on beasts and livestock... | Idols require transport, cannot help themselves |
Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the peoples are vanity... they are upright, like a palm tree, but cannot speak... | Idols are just human-crafted wood |
Hab 2:18-19 | What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it... or a teaching idol that can give no instruction? | Idols cannot speak or give guidance |
Rom 1:21-23 | ...exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals... | Mankind's exchange of Creator for creation |
Rom 1:25 | ...they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator... | Core of idolatry is worshiping creation |
1 Cor 8:4 | ...an idol has no real existence, and there is no God but one. | Idols are nothing in themselves |
1 Cor 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | Exhortation to avoid idolatry |
Col 3:5 | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you... covetousness, which is idolatry. | Extending idolatry to spiritual aspects |
Eph 5:5 | ...no sexually immoral or impure person, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance... | Covetousness identified as idolatry |
Judg 17:3-4 | And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver... to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a metal image." | Example of idol making in Israel |
Dan 5:4 | They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. | Metals and wood/stone idols in Babylon |
Acts 17:29 | Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image... | God is not to be represented by material idols |
1 Jn 5:21 | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. | Final admonition against idols |
Isa 40:8 | The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. | Contrast with the permanence of God/His Word |
1 Pet 1:24-25 | All flesh is like grass... but the word of the Lord remains forever. | Echoes Isa 40:8 on eternal Word of God |
Ps 90:1-2 | Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born... you are God. | God's eternality contrasts with created idols |
Isaiah 40 verses
Isaiah 40 20 Meaning
Isaiah 40:20 illustrates that even those of modest means, unable to afford expensive materials for idol-making, still painstakingly select durable wood that will resist decay. They then seek a skilled artisan to construct an idol sturdy enough not to fall. The verse critiques the universality of idolatry, showing that the desire for a tangible, stable, yet manufactured god transcends economic status. It contrasts human effort to create something seemingly permanent but lifeless, with the incomparable, eternal nature of the true God.
Isaiah 40 20 Context
Isaiah chapter 40 marks a significant turning point in the book of Isaiah, initiating what is often referred to as "The Book of Comfort." After prophecies of judgment and exile, this chapter opens with words of consolation and hope for Israel, promising their return from Babylonian captivity. Amidst this message of comfort, the prophet strongly emphasizes God's incomparable greatness, omnipotence, and omniscience. Verses 18-26 directly challenge idolatry by contrasting the magnificent, sovereign Creator with the absurdity of human-made gods. While verse 19 describes the wealthy employing precious metals to make elaborate idols, verse 20 specifies the more common practice among the impoverished, who would use durable wood and skilled labor. This shows that the inclination toward idolatry permeated all societal strata, serving as a direct polemic against the polytheistic practices prevalent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, including the Babylonian society from which Israel would be redeemed.
Isaiah 40 20 Word analysis
- The one who is too impoverished: The Hebrew is ham-su-kān dal (הַמְסֻכָּן דַּל). Dal means "poor" or "meager." Ham-su-kān comes from a root suggesting to be shut in, constrained, or specifically impoverished. It conveys a state of being destitute or constrained by lack, indicating someone with limited resources. This phrase emphasizes that even at the lowest economic level, the impulse to create an idol persists, highlighting the universality of spiritual misguidedness.
- for such an offering: This phrase is implied in the English translations but understood from the context of verse 19, which details costly materials (gold, silver) for idol-making. The "offering" here refers to the materials and effort dedicated to manufacturing a deity.
- chooses wood: The Hebrew yiv-ḥar-ʻetz (יִבְחַר־עֵץ) means "he chooses wood." The verb "chooses" (from bāḥar) suggests a deliberate and careful selection. This is not just any wood but specific wood, indicating the painstaking effort even the poor put into their idolatry. Wood was a common, more accessible material than metals.
- that will not rot: The Hebrew lo' yir-qav (לֹא יִרְקָב) means "not will rot" or "not will decay." This speaks to the desire for durability and permanence in their chosen god. Irony abounds here: humans create a god from a natural, perishable material, yet wish for it to be imperishable. This aspiration for an enduring god through a physical image stands in stark contrast to the truly eternal God.
- he seeks out: The Hebrew ye-vaq-qesh-lō (יְבַקֶּשׁ־לוֹ) means "he seeks for himself." The verb baqash (to seek, require, search diligently) emphasizes the earnest effort and determination involved in finding the right person for the job, rather than a casual undertaking. This signifies the depth of their misguided commitment.
- a skillful craftsman: The Hebrew ḥa-kām ḥa-rāsh (חָכָם חָרָשׁ) translates to "wise/skillful craftsman/engraver." Ḥakam (wise, skilled) indicates expertise and wisdom. Ḥarash refers to a craftsman or artisan, specifically one who works with wood or metal. The paradox lies in human "wisdom" and "skill" being employed to create something fundamentally unwise and devoid of true power—a god dependent on human hands for its existence and form.
- to set up an idol: The Hebrew le-hā-khīn pe-sel (לְהָכִין פֶּסֶל). Hākhīn means "to set up," "establish," or "prepare." Pesel refers to a carved or graven image, specifically an idol. This phrase highlights the explicit purpose of their meticulous work: to create an object of worship, demonstrating active intent in idolatry.
- that will not topple: The Hebrew lo' yim-mōṭ (לֹא יִמּוֹט) means "not will fall" or "not will shake." This expresses a desire for stability, security, and permanence in their deity. A toppling idol would signify weakness and an inability to protect or provide. Yet, the irony is profound: they must engineer stability for an inert object, while the true God upholds all things effortlessly.
- "The one who is too impoverished... chooses wood that will not rot": This phrase group signifies humanity's innate yearning for security and permanence. When faced with material limitations, individuals still pour their efforts into fabricating something durable to trust in, rather than recognizing and trusting the truly eternal and independent God. It underscores the universal psychological drive to have something tangible and stable as a spiritual anchor, regardless of resources.
- "he seeks out a skillful craftsman... to set up an idol that will not topple": This passage highlights the profound irony of human ingenuity and dependence. Humans utilize their most refined skills and knowledge, seeking out experts, not to honor the Creator, but to confer a false sense of permanence and strength upon a lifeless, manufactured object. This underscores the futility and misdirection of human wisdom when separated from divine truth, resulting in dependence on the creature over the Creator.
Isaiah 40 20 Bonus section
The contrast between verses 19 and 20 ("He who is too impoverished for such an offering...") illuminates a socio-economic dimension of idolatry often overlooked: it was a practice spanning all strata of ancient Near Eastern society. Whether rich or poor, people found ways to engage in this form of worship, reflecting a pervasive cultural mindset where gods were perceived as localized, physical entities requiring propitiation and care. This universality makes Isaiah's critique even more potent, as it speaks to the fundamental human inclination to create gods in their own image or to rely on tangible things for security, rather than trusting in the unseen, all-powerful God. The satirical tone of Isaiah's descriptions here and in other passages (e.g., Isa 44) aims to strip away any dignity from the idols and, by extension, from their worshippers, exposing the profound intellectual and spiritual foolishness of the practice in the light of God's manifest glory.
Isaiah 40 20 Commentary
Isaiah 40:20 serves as a powerful satire and polemic against idolatry, highlighting the absurdity and futility of trusting in human-made objects rather than the incomparable, living God. Following the description of the wealthy making idols of gold and silver in verse 19, this verse underscores that the compulsion for idolatry is not limited to any social class. Even the poor, driven by a deep-seated desire for security and permanence, meticulously select non-rotting wood and engage skilled artisans to craft an idol that appears sturdy and unshakable. The irony is poignant: human hands create what they then bow down to, hoping for stability from an object that cannot even stand on its own without careful construction and placement. This contrasts sharply with the omnipotent Yahweh, who not only created all things but effortlessly sustains the cosmos (Isa 40:12, 26), making all human attempts to create an "equal" a source of ridicule and pity. The message is clear: true security and a lasting hope are found only in the Creator, not in perishable or inert human inventions, regardless of their craftsmanship.