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}. {strengtheneth: or, taketh courage}”
— Isaiah 44:14
The carpenter stretcheth out {his} rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth {it}, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth {it}; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Isaiah 44 — Context
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. {with the tongs: or, with an axe}
13The carpenter stretcheth out {his} rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14He 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}. {strengtheneth: or, taketh courage}
15Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth {it}, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth {it}; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth {himself}, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
Cross References
Isaiah 40:20
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}
Jeremiah 10:3-8
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}
Hosea 4:12
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused {them} to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Habakkuk 2:19
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it {is} laid over with gold and silver, and {there is} no breath at all in the midst of it.