The Meaning of Isaiah 40:20 Explained

Isaiah 40:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that [is] so impoverished  {08676;05534:08765} 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. 

What does Isaiah 40:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 40:18-31 - The Everlasting God The Giver Of Strength
Day changes to night, and as the twilight deepens, the stars come out in their myriads, Isaiah 40:26. To the poetic eye of the watcher, they appear as a vast flock following the shepherd, who calls each by its name. Not one falls out of its place, or is lacking. Will Jehovah do so much for stars and nought for men? Will He not have a name for each? Will He not guard and guide each? If He has sustained the orbs of light in their mighty rounds, will He fail the poor soul that clings to His feet?
They that wait on God change their strength. In their earliest days they rely on the energy and vigor of youth, on their blameless, unstained character, in the consciousness of their glorious manhood; but as years pass, they come to count all these as refuse in comparison with Jesus Christ the Lord, Philippians 3:8. Notice the order in Isaiah 40:31! At first sight we should have expected that it would advance from walking to running, and so to flying. But that order is reversed. It is more difficult to walk than to mount! Every cyclist will tell you that the hardest task is to keep your cycle at walking pace. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 40

1  The promulgation of the Gospel
3  The preaching of John Baptist foretold
9  The preaching of the apostles foretold
12  The prophet, by the omnipotence of God
18  And his incomparableness
26  Comforts the people

What do the individual words in Isaiah 40:20 mean?

Whoever [is] too impoverished for [such] a contribution a tree not [that] will rot Chooses a workman skillful He seeks for himself to prepare a carved image [that] not will totter
הַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ן תְּרוּמָ֔ה עֵ֥ץ לֹֽא־ יִרְקַ֖ב יִבְחָ֑ר חָרָ֤שׁ חָכָם֙ יְבַקֶּשׁ־ ל֔וֹ לְהָכִ֥ין פֶּ֖סֶל לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט

הַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ן  Whoever  [is]  too  impoverished 
Parse: Article, Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מְסֻכָּן 
Sense: to incur danger.
תְּרוּמָ֔ה  for  [such]  a  contribution 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּרוּמָה  
Sense: contribution, offering.
עֵ֥ץ  a  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
יִרְקַ֖ב  [that]  will  rot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָקַב  
Sense: (Qal) to rot.
יִבְחָ֑ר  Chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
חָרָ֤שׁ  a  workman 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶשׁ 
Sense: craftsman, artisan, engraver, graver, artificer.
חָכָם֙  skillful 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
יְבַקֶּשׁ־  He  seeks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
ל֔וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לְהָכִ֥ין  to  prepare 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
פֶּ֖סֶל  a  carved  image 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּסֶל  
Sense: idol, image.
לֹ֥א  [that]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִמּֽוֹט  will  totter 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֹוט  
Sense: to totter, shake, slip.