Isaiah 40:20 “One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks…”

Isaiah 40:20

One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for him that will not be moved.

American Standard Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

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.

Darby Translation

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.

Young's Literal Translation

He who is poor [by] heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artisan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image — not moved.

Bible in Basic English

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.

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Cross references

“chooseth”

Daniel 5:23 Isaiah 44:13–19 Isaiah 2:8 Isaiah 2:9 Jeremiah 10:3 Jeremiah 10:4

Daniel 5:23 · BSB

Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and…

Isaiah 44:13–19 · BSB

The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a s…

Isaiah 2:8 · BSB

Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Isaiah 2:9 · BSB

So mankind is brought low, and man is humbled— do not forgive them!

Jeremiah 10:3 · BSB

For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.

Jeremiah 10:4 · BSB

They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter.

“shall not”

Isaiah 41:7 Isaiah 46:7 1 Samuel 5:3 1 Samuel 5:4

Isaiah 41:7 · BSB

The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.

Isaiah 46:7 · BSB

They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

1 Samuel 5:3 · BSB

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.

1 Samuel 5:4 · BSB

But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

19To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?

21Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?

Read Isaiah 40