Isaiah 40:19

 Isaiah 40:19

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

a. NASB 2020:  As for the [fn]idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith plates it with gold,

And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.  [NASB20] New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: The graven image poured out hath a artizan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:   The graven image! A workman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts silver chains for it.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. The Milstein Edition, Later Prophets, Isaiah. With Rabbinic Commentary:  [To] the idol cast by a blacksmith, [that] a goldsmith overlays with gold and a silversmith with silversmith with silver chains?  [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES\MILSTEIN EDITION THE LATTER PROPHETS, ISAIAH Ⓒ Copyright 2013 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. ESV:  An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

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

a. [The] workman [Strong: 2796 chârâsh, khaw-rawsh'; from H2790; a fabricator or any material:—artificer, (+) carpenter, craftsman, engraver, maker, mason, skilful, (+) smith, worker, workman, such as wrought.]

b. melteth [Strong: 5258 nâçak, naw-sak'; a primitive root; to pour out, especially a libation, or to cast (metal); by analogy, to anoint a king:—cover, melt, offer, (cause to) pour (out), set (up).]

c. [a] graven image [Strong: 6459 peçel, peh'-sel; from H6458; an idol:—carved (graven) image.]

d. [and the] goldsmith [Strong: 6884 tsâraph, tsaw-raf'; a primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively):—cast, (re-) fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.]

e. spreadeth it over [Strong: 7554 râqaʻ, raw-kah'; a primitive root; to pound the earth (as a sign of passion); by analogy to expand (by hammering); by implication, to overlay (with thin sheets of metal):—beat, make broad, spread abroad (forth, over, out, into plates), stamp, stretch.]

f. [with] gold [Strong: 2091 zâhâb, zaw-hawb'; from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:—gold(-en), fair weather.]

g. [and] casteth [Strong: 6884 tsâraph, tsaw-raf'; a primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively):—cast, (re-) fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.]

h. silver [Strong: 3701 keçeph, keh'-sef; from H3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money:—money, price, silver(-ling).]

i. chains [Strong: 7577 rᵉthuqâh, reth-oo-kaw'; feminine passive participle of H7576; something fastened, i.e. a chain:—chain.]

1). Three chapters later Isaiah gives a very sarcastic judgment on idols, and their worshippers.

a). Isaiah 44:9-20 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

44:12 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.

44:13 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.

44:14 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.

44:15 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.

44:16 He 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:

44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread

upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

2). During the Apostle Paul’s ministry at Ephesus a riot occurred because the idolmakers trade was being disrupted by a revival in the city and people stopped buying idols because they were getting saved. 

a). Acts 19:23-41 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.