the Second Week after Easter
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New Century Version
Isaiah 40:20
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A poor person contributes wood for a pedestalthat will not rot.He looks for a skilled craftsmanto set up an idol that will not fall over.
He who is too impoverished for [such] an offering chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks to him a skillful workman to set up an engraved image, that shall not be moved.
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.
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.
He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter.
He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god] Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.
He who is too impoverished for [such] an offering chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks to him a skillful workman to set up an engraved image, that shall not be moved.
Doeth not the poore chuse out a tree that will not rot, for an oblation? he seeketh also vnto him a cunning workeman, to prepare an image, that shall not be moued.
He who is too impoverished to make such a contributionChooses a tree that does not rot;He seeks out for himself a wise craftsmanTo prepare a graven image that will not be shaken.
To one bereft of an offering who chooses wood that does not rot? He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not fall over.
Or special wood may be chosen because it doesn't rot— then skilled hands take care to make an idol that won't fall on its face.
A man too poor to afford an offering chooses a piece of wood that won't rot, then seeks out a skilled artisan to prepare an image that won't fall over.
He that is impoverished, so that he hath no offering, chooseth a tree that doth not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilled workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved.
For the base he chooses special wood, a kind of wood that will not rot. Then he finds a good wood worker, and the worker makes a "god" that will not fall over.
He selects wood that is not worm-eaten; then chooses a carpenter, who fashions it with his skill, to make an image that will not be moved.
Anyone who cannot afford silver or gold chooses wood that will not rot. He finds a skillful worker to make an image that won't fall down.
The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over.
He too poor for that offering chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks a skilled artisan for him, to prepare a carved image that will not be shaken.
Morouer shal the ymage maker (yt the poore man which is disposed, maye haue somthinge to set vp also) seke out and chose a tre, that is not rotten, and carue ther out an ymage, yt moueth not?
He that is too impoverished for such an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilful workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
The wise workman makes selection of the mulberry-tree of the offering, a wood which will not become soft; so that the image may be fixed to it and not be moved.
A holm-oak is set apart, he chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning craftsman to set up an image, that shall not be moved.
He that is so impouerished that he hath no oblation, chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh vnto him a cunning workeman, to prepare a grauen image that shall not be mooued.
Moreouer, shal the image maker that the poore man which is disposed may haue some thyng to set vp also, seeke out and choose a tree that is not rotten, and carue thereout an image that moueth not?
For the artificer chooses out a wood that will not rot, and will wisely enquire how he shall set up his image, and that so that it should not be moved.
He that is too impoverished for such an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
A wijs crafti man chees a strong tre, and vnable to be rotun; he sekith how he schal ordeyne a symylacre, that schal not be mouyd.
He that is too impoverished for [such] an oblation chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks to him a skillful workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
He that [is] so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree [that] will not rot; he seeketh for himself a skillful workman to prepare a graven image [that] shall not be moved.
To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make an idol that will not fall over.
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.
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!
He who is too poor to give such a gift, picks out a tree that will not waste away. He finds an able workman to set up a false god that will not be moved.
As a gift one chooses mulberry wood —wood that will not rot— then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple.
The needy offerer, of a tree that will not rot, maketh choice, - A skilled artificer, seeketh he out for himself to construct an image that shall not totter,
He hath chosen strong wood, and that will not rot: the skilful workman seeketh how he may set up an idol that may not be moved.
He who is impoverished chooses for an offering wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skilful craftsman to set up an image that will not move.
He who is poor [by] heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artizan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image -- not moved.
He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
is so impoverished that he hath no oblation: Heb. is poor of oblation
chooseth: Isaiah 2:8, Isaiah 2:9, Isaiah 44:13-19, Jeremiah 10:3, Jeremiah 10:4, Daniel 5:23
shall not: Isaiah 41:7, Isaiah 46:7, 1 Samuel 5:3, 1 Samuel 5:4
Reciprocal: Exodus 32:3 - General Psalms 115:4 - Their idols Psalms 135:15 - idols Isaiah 44:14 - heweth Isaiah 46:6 - lavish Daniel 5:4 - of gold Revelation 9:20 - and idols
Cross-References
Isaac grew, and when he became old enough to eat food, Abraham gave a great feast.
After these things happened, two of the king's officers displeased the king—the man who served wine to the king and the king's baker.
The king became angry with his officer who served him wine and his baker,
Before the end of three days the king will free you, and he will allow you to return to your work. You will serve the king his wine just as you did before.
Before the end of three days, the king will cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh."
but the officer who served wine did not remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.
Jehoiachin king of Judah was held in Babylon for thirty-seven years. In the thirty-seventh year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, and he let Jehoiachin out of prison on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month.
In the third year of his rule, he gave a banquet for all his important men and royal officers. The army leaders from the countries of Persia and Media and the important men from all Xerxes' empire were there.
After seven days Job cried out and cursed the day he had been born,
On Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod and his guests, and she pleased him.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation,.... Who is so poor that he cannot bring an offering to his God, yet he will have one; and though he cannot purchase a golden or silver one, or one that is gilt, and adorned with either; yet he will have a wooden one, as follows. Some render it, "he that is set over the oblation", which Aben Ezra mentions; that was over the treasury, where the oblations were; the Heathen priest, whose business it was from thence to procure idols to worship. Jerom takes the word מסכן to be the name of a tree that will not rot; and so the Targum renders it,
"he cuts down an ash:''
but the word is descriptive of an idol worshipper; and, according to Gussetius x, signifies one that by custom and repeated acts has got skill in such things; and so Jarchi: hence
he chooseth a tree that will not rot: he goes to the forest, and chooses the best tree for his purpose he can find, even one that will not rot, as the cypress; and though he cannot get an idol made of metal, but is forced to have one of wood, yet he will get the best he can, that will last longest, an incorruptible deity, as he fancies:
he seeketh unto him a cunning workman, to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved: having decided upon his tree, and what sort of wood to make his god of, he looks out for an ingenious carpenter and carver, a good workman, to make it in the form of an image, and grave, or rather carve it, in the best manner he can, and then fasten it in a proper place, that it may not fall; a poor helpless deity, that cannot secure itself, and much less be of any service to its worshippers.
x Ebr Comment. p. 558.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
He that is so impoverished - So poor. So it is generally supposed that the word used here is to be understood, though interpreters have not been entirely agreed in regard to its signification. The Septuagint renders the phrase, ‘The carpenter chooseth a sound piece of wood.’ The Chaldee. ‘He cuts down an ash, a tree which will not rot.’ Vulgate, ‘Perhaps he chooses a tree which is incorruptible.’ Jarchi renders it, ‘He who is accustomed to examine, and to judge between the wood which is durable, and other wood.’ But the signification of the word (from סכן sâkan, “to dwell, to be familiar with anyone”) given to it by our translators, is probably the correct one, that of being too poor to make a costly oblation. This notion of poverty, Gesenius supposes, is derived from the notion of being seated; and thence of sinking down from languor or debility; and hence, from poverty or want.
That he hath no oblation - No offering; no sacrifice; no rich gift. He is too poor to make such an offering to his god as would be implied in an idol of brass or other metal, richly overlaid with plates of gold, and decorated with silver chains. In Isaiah 40:19, the design seems to have been to describe the more rich and costly idols that were made; in this, to describe those that were made by the poor who were unable to offer such as were made of brass and gold. The word ‘oblation,’ therefore, that is, offering, in this place, does not denote an offering made to the true God, but an offering made to an idol, such as an image was regarded to be. He could not afford a rich offering, and was constrained to make one of wood.
Chooseth a tree that will not rot - Wood that will be durable and permanent. Perhaps the idea is, that as he could not afford one of metal, he would choose that which would be the most valuable which he could make - a piece of wood that was durable, and that would thus show his regard for the god that he worshipped. Or possibly the sense may be, that he designed it should not be moved; that he expressed a fixed and settled determination to adhere to the worship of the idol; and that as he had no idea of changing his religion, the permanency and durability of the wood would be regarded as a somewhat more acceptable expression of his worship.
A cunning workman - Hebrew, ‘A wise artificer;’ a man skilled in the art of carving, and of making images.
A graven image - An image engraved or cut from wood, in contradistinction from one that is molten or made from metals.
That shall not be moved - That shall stand long, as the expression of his devotion to the service of the idol. The wood that was commonly employed for this purpose as being most durable, as we learn from Isaiah 44:14, was the cedar, the cypress, or the oak (see the note in that place). The phrase, ‘shall not be moved,’ does not refer so much to its being fixed in one place, as to its durability and permanency.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Isaiah 40:20. Chooseth a tree that will not rot — For what? To make a god out of it! The rich we find made theirs of gold and silver; the poor man was obliged to put up with a wooden god! From the words "he that hath no oblation chooseth a tree," we may learn that the gold and silver necessary to make the graven image was first dedicated, and then formed into a god! How stupid is idolatry! Strange that these people did not perceive that there could be no help in these molten and wooden idols!
