Isaiah 44:14 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.
Isaiah 44:14 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.
Isaiah 44:14 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.
Isaiah 44:14 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.
Isaiah 44:14 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.
Isaiah 44 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 44:9 | "All who fashion idols are worthless, and the things they delight in have no value..." | Contrasting statement |
| Isaiah 44:10 | "Who fashions a god or casts an idol that will be of no use?" | Questioning the maker of idols |
| Isaiah 44:11 | "Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the makers are from humankind..." | Shame of idol makers |
| Isaiah 44:12 | "The ironsmith puts it to the coals, with hammers he shapes it..." | Description of idol crafting |
| Isaiah 44:13 | "He sketches it out with a pencil, and marks it out with a stylus..." | Detailed description of idol making |
| Isaiah 40:18 | "To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare to him?" | Impossibility of comparing God |
| Psalm 115:4 | "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands." | Description of idol worship |
| Psalm 115:5 | "They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see..." | Characteristics of idols |
| Psalm 115:6 | "They have ears, but do not hear; they have noses, but do not smell..." | Inanimate nature of idols |
| Psalm 115:7 | "They have hands, but do not feel; they have feet, but do not walk..." | Lack of action in idols |
| Psalm 135:15 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands." | Nations' idols |
| Jeremiah 10:3 | "For the customs of the peoples are futile; they cut a tree in the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman..." | Futility of idol worship |
| Jeremiah 10:5 | "They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak..." | Comparison of idols |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | "Everyone is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols..." | Shame of idol makers |
| Jeremiah 51:17 | "Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols..." | Repetition of foolishness |
| 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 crafted by human art and design." | Apostolic teaching against idols |
| Romans 1:22 | "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." | Consequences of idolatry |
| 1 Corinthians 6:14 | "God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power." | Contrast with divine power |
| 1 Corinthians 12:2 | "You know that when you were pagans you were led away to mute idols..." | Spiritual state before Christ |
| Isaiah 45:20 | "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near, O survivors of the nations! ... Who has declared this from ancient times, who has told it from of old?" | God's unique declaration |
| Isaiah 46:9 | "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other God; I am God, and there is none like me..." | God's uniqueness reiterated |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 14 Meaning
This verse describes the creation of an idol, highlighting the maker's labor and the uselessness of the idol itself. It emphasizes the folly of relying on something made by human hands, which has no intelligence or life. The passage points to the divine power of the Creator, contrasting it with the inanimate nature of manufactured deities.
Isaiah 44 14 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah chapter 44, a powerful section in the Latter Prophets. The broader context of Isaiah 44 addresses the restoration of Israel after their Babylonian exile. God, through Isaiah, contrasts His unique power and creative ability with the impotence and foolishness of idols worshipped by surrounding nations, and even by some Israelites influenced by them. The chapter emphasizes God's sovereignty, His faithfulness to His covenant people, and His role as the sole true God and Redeemer. Specifically, verses 9-20 are a direct polemic against idolatry, detailing the process of making an idol and then exposing its utter worthlessness and the delusion of its worshippers.
Isaiah 44 14 Word analysis
- כִּי (ki) - "for," "because," "that." Introduces a reason or explanation.
- בָּטַח (batach) - "to trust," "to lean upon," "to be confident in." It speaks of placing reliance and security in something. The piel form here ("has trusted") indicates an active and deliberate reliance.
- לָכֶם (lachem) - "to you," "for you" (plural). Addresses the people.
- כָּל (kol) - "all," "every." Emphasizes totality.
- יִתְפַּלֶּץ (yitpalets) - From פָּלַץ (palats) meaning "to be afraid," "to be shocked." In its niphal form, it can mean "to be brought to shame" or "to be astonished." In this context, it implies being disappointed or utterly failing. It highlights the inevitable failure of the idol's power.
- יוֹלֵךְ (yolekh) - "he leads," "he drives," "he brings." From הוֹלֵךְ (holekh) in the hiphil form. Implies guiding or causing to go.
- עֵצִים (etsim) - "trees," "wood." The plural form of עֵץ (ets).
- בַּחֹר (bachor) - "choice," "best." From בָּחַר (bachar), "to choose." Implies selecting the finest trees.
- עַץ (ets) - "tree," "wood."
- עָמַד (amad) - "to stand," "to be set up."
- לֹא (lo) - "not." Negation.
- נָטַע (nata) - "to plant." In qal form. Refers to the action of planting or establishing.
- חֹזֵק (chozek) - "strong," "firm," "mighty." Adjective from חָזַק (chazak).
- גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) - "mighty man," "warrior," "strong." Similar to chozek, emphasizing strength.
Words-group analysis
- "he has trusted for himself" (בָּטַח לָכֶם) - Highlights misplaced trust in oneself or in created things.
- "you have led astray for yourselves" (יוֹלֵךְ לָכֶם בְּתַעְיוּתָה) - Not explicitly in verse 14 but implied in the broader context of vv. 9-20, as the idol maker leads himself astray and leads others astray. However, verse 14 focuses on the tree being established and not planted, contrasting the maker's choice with natural growth.
- "tree of choice" (עֵץ בָּחֹר) - Refers to the selection of a prime tree for idol manufacture.
- "stand firm" (עָמַד לוֹ) - The wood is set upright, intended to have stability, yet it's ultimately unsupported by divine power.
- "not planted" (לֹא נָטַע) - This is a crucial contrast. The wood wasn't planted by God to grow strong and flourish. Its establishment is artificial.
- "strong nor mighty" (חֹזֵק וְלֹא גִּבּוֹר) - Denies the idol the qualities of strength and might inherent in God.
Isaiah 44 14 Bonus section
The process described – selecting a tree, crafting it, and setting it up – mirrors the efforts of humanity to create its own solutions and securities. This can be seen metaphorically in various human endeavors that fail to reach their full, God-intended potential because they are not rooted in Him. The emphasis on the wood not being planted by God underscores a spiritual truth: true strength and resilience come from being established by God, not merely by human arrangement. The idol has a form, but no life; it stands, but without true footing in the divine. This disconnect is the core of spiritual failure when one turns away from the Creator to created things.
Isaiah 44 14 Commentary
The verse pinpoints the futility of idolatry by illustrating the making of an idol. The artisan chooses the best trees, but these trees were not divinely planted to flourish into mighty, resilient entities. The wood is then expertly shaped and set up, intended to "stand firm." However, the inherent power and vitality of God are absent. Therefore, this manufactured object, no matter how skillfully crafted or strongly set, is fundamentally devoid of true strength or might. The verse serves as a biting critique, emphasizing that anything created by man and serving as an object of worship lacks the essential qualities of divinity. The strength God possesses is intrinsic and eternal, whereas the strength attributed to idols is borrowed, superficial, and ultimately an illusion. This contrasts directly with God’s declaration that He is the one who gives strength to the weary and empowers his faithful (Isa 40:29).