Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Isaiah 40:20

NETBible	To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot;¹ he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make² an idol that will not fall over.
NIV © biblegateway Isa 40:20	A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.
NASB © biblegateway Isa 40:20	He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter.
NLT © biblegateway Isa 40:20	Or is a poor person’s wooden idol better? Can God be compared to an idol that must be placed on a stand so it won’t fall down?
MSG © biblegateway Isa 40:20	Or, perhaps someone will select a fine wood--olive wood, say--that won't rot, Then hire a woodcarver to make a no-god, giving special care to its base so it won't tip over!
BBE © SABDAweb Isa 40:20	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.
NRSV © bibleoremus Isa 40:20	As a gift one chooses mulberry wood—wood that will not rot—then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple.
NKJV © biblegateway Isa 40:20	Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
[+] More English


KJV	He that [is] so impoverished <05533> (8794) (8676) <05534> (8765) that he hath no oblation <08641> chooseth <0977> (8799) a tree <06086> [that] will not rot <07537> (8799)_; he seeketh <01245> (8762) unto him a cunning <02450> workman <02796> to prepare <03559> (8687) a graven image <06459>_, [that] shall not be moved <04131> (8735)_. {is so...: Heb. is poor of oblation}
NASB © biblegateway Isa 40:20	He who is too impoverished <05532> for such an offering <08641> Selects <0977> a tree <06086> that does not rot <07537> ; He seeks <01245> out for himself a skillful <02450> craftsman <02796> To prepare <03559> an idol <06459> that will not totter <04131> .
LXXM	xulon <3586> N-ASN gar <1063> PRT ashpton {A-ASM} eklegetai {V-PMI-3S} tektwn <5045> N-NSM kai <2532> CONJ sofwv <4680> ADV zhtei <2212> V-PAI-3S pwv <4459> ADV sthsei <2476> V-FAI-3S autou <846> D-GSM eikona <1504> N-ASF kai <2532> CONJ ina <2443> CONJ mh <3165> ADV saleuhtai <4531> V-PMS-3S
NET [draft] ITL	To make <05533> a contribution <08641> one selects <0977> wood <06086> that will not <03808> rot <07537> ; he then seeks <01245> a skilled <02450> craftsman <02796> to make <03559> an idol <06459> that will not <03808> fall over <04131> .
HEBREW	jwmy <04131> al <03808> lop <06459> Nykhl <03559> wl <0> sqby <01245> Mkx <02450> srx <02796> rxby <0977> bqry <07537> al <03808> Ue <06086> hmwrt <08641> Nkomh (40:20) <05533>

NETBible

To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot;¹ he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make² an idol that will not fall over.

NET Notes

¹tn The first two words of the verse (הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה, hamsukan tÿrumah) are problematic. Some take מְסֻכָּן as an otherwise unattested Pual participle from סָכַן (sakhan, “be poor”) and translate “the one who is impoverished.” תְּרוּמָה (tÿrumah, “contribution”) can then be taken as an adverbial accusative, “with respect to a contribution,” and the entire line translated, “the one who is too impoverished for such a contribution [i.e., the metal idol of v. 19?] selects wood that will not rot.” However, מְסֻכָּן is probably the name of a tree used in idol manufacturing (cognate with Akkadian musukkanu, cf. H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 133). מְסֻכָּן may be a scribal interpretive addition attempting to specify עֵץ (’ets) or עֵץ may be a scribal attempt to categorize מְסֻכָּן. How an idol constitutes a תְּרוּמָה (“contribution”) is not entirely clear.

²tn Or “set up” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NASB “to prepare.”