Isa 40:19-20 | KD | STEP | Least of all can an idol bear comparison with Him. “The idol, when the smith has cast it, the melter plates it with gold, and melteth silver chains for it.” The object ( happesel , the idol), which is here placed first as the theme in the accusative (lit. the image hewn out), denotes in this instance an idol generally. חרשׁ is as comprehensive as faber . בּזּהב רקּע signifies here to cover over with a זהב רקּע ( laminâ auri ), the verb being used in a denominative sense, and not in its primary meaning. As we must assume, according to , that the prophet intends to carry us into the midst of the process of manufacturing the idol, the paratactic expression is to be pointed as above, viz., “after the (a) smith has cast it (compare Arab. nasik , a piece of cast metal), the (a) melter (goldsmith) covers it with gold plate;” and tsōrēph , which is palindromically repeated, according to Isaiah’s custom, is not the third pers. poel (on the poel of strong stems, see at and ), but a participle, equivalent to הוּא צורף (as in , which see; and also, according to the accents, ), “and he melteth chains of silver,” viz., to fasten the image.

‏ Isaiah 40:19-20

Least of all can an idol bear comparison with Him. “The idol, when the smith has cast it, the melter plates it with gold, and melteth silver chains for it.” The object (happesel, the idol), which is here placed first as the theme in the accusative (lit. the image hewn out), denotes in this instance an idol generally. חרשׁ is as comprehensive as faber. בּזּהב רקּע signifies here to cover over with a זהב רקּע (laminâ auri), the verb being used in a denominative sense, and not in its primary meaning. As we must assume, according to Isa 40:20, that the prophet intends to carry us into the midst of the process of manufacturing the idol, the paratactic expression is to be pointed as above, viz., “after the (a) smith has cast it (compare Arab. nasik, a piece of cast metal), the (a) melter (goldsmith) covers it with gold plate;” and tsōrēph, which is palindromically repeated, according to Isaiah’s custom, is not the third pers. poel (on the poel of strong stems, see at Job 9:15 and Psa 109:10), but a participle, equivalent to הוּא צורף (as in Isa 29:8, which see; and also, according to the accents, Isa 33:5), “and he melteth chains of silver,” viz., to fasten the image. Isa 40:20

This is the origin of a metal idol. The wooden idol is described in Isa 40:20 : “The man who is impoverished in oblations, he chooseth a block of wood that will not rot; he seeketh for himself a skilful smith, to prepare an idol that will not shake.” He who has fallen into such poverty that he can only offer to his God a poor oblation (terūmâh, accusative, according to Ewald, §284,c), has an idol cut for himself out of a block of wood. That sâkhan (Arab. sakana or sakuna) ^{▼▼Both forms occur in this sense, according to the evidence of original sources, with the common imperative yaskunu, the infinitive sukūne passed over by Freytag, the verbal substantive maskane, and the adjective miskin or meskin, primarily to be forced to inactivity through weakness, destitution, or outward influences, not to be able to move and exert one’s self; or, more particularly, not to be able to defend one’s self (as it were to be obliged to sit still or keep still). Hence more especially opibus et facultatibus carens, being in distress, destitute, poor.} is an ancient word, is evident from Deu 8:9. The verb yimmōt, like yittōl in Isa 40:15, is a fut. niphal, to be made to shake. A wooden image, which is planed at the bottom, and made heavier below than above, to prevent its falling over with every shock, is to be a god! The thing carries its own satire, even when described with the greatest seriousness.