"The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains." — Isaiah 40:19

Isaiah 40:19 · KJV

“The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.”

— Isaiah 40:19

To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

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. {is so...: Heb. is poor of oblation}

Isaiah 40 — Context

All nations before him {are} as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Cross References

Jeremiah 10:9

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple {is} their clothing: they {are} all the work of cunning {men}.

Exodus 32:2-4

And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which {are} in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring {them} unto me.

Habakkuk 2:18-19

What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? {maker of...: Heb. fashioner of his fashion}

Psalms 115:4-8

Their idols {are} silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

Isaiah 46:6-7

They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, {and} hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.

Judges 17:4

Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred {shekels} of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

Psalms 135:18

They that make them are like unto them: {so is} every one that trusteth in them.

Jeremiah 10:3-5

For the customs of the people {are} vain: for {one} cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. {customs...: Heb. statutes, or, ordinances are vanity}