Isaiah 44:13

13 A carpenter stretched forth a rule, he formed it with an adze/with an awl, either a joiner's hook; he made it in the corner places, and he turned it in compass (he made the corners, and he turned it all around); and he made the image of a man, as a fair man, dwelling in the house.

Isaiah 44:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 44:13

The carpenter stretcheth out his rule
Or, the worker of trees ^F5; that works in wood, or makes images of wood; having cut down a tree, he stretches out his rule or line upon it, and takes the dimensions of it, and measures the length and the breadth of it, as much as is for his purpose to make a god of: and then he maketh it out with a line;
coloured with ochre, or chalk, which leaves a mark, by which he knows where to cut it, and fashion it to his mind: and he fitteth it with planes;
first with the rougher planes, which take off the knotty and more rugged parts; and then with a smoother plane, makes it even, and polishes it: and he marketh it out with a compass;
where its head and body, and legs and arms, and other parts must be: and maketh it after the figure of a man;
with all the parts and proportion of a man: according to the beauty of a man;
with the face and countenance of a man; with all the lineaments and just symmetry of a man; in the most comely and beautiful manner he is capable of, that it may be the more striking and pleasing to the worshippers of it. Jarchi's note is,

``this is a woman, who is the glory of her husband;''

and so the Targum,

``according to the praise of a woman;''

there being female deities, as Juno, Venus, Diana, and others: that it may remain in the house
^F6; either in the temple built for it, whither its rotaries repair to the worship of it; or in the dwelling house, being one of the Lares or Penates, household gods: it may be, this is said by way of scorn and contempt; this god being made, is set up in the house, from whence it cannot stir nor move, to the help of any of its worshippers.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Myue vrx) "faber lignorum", Montanus; "artifex lignarius", V. L. Pagninus; "faber lignarius", Vitringa.
F6 The note of Ben Melech is, ``as it is the glory of a woman to abide in the house, and not go out of doors, so a graven image abides in the house.''

Isaiah 44:13 In-Context

11 Lo! all the partners thereof shall be shamed; for the smiths be of men (for these smiths be but men). When (they) all shall come, they shall stand, and shall dread, and shall be shamed together.

12 A smith wrought with a file; he formed it in coals, and in hammers (and with hammers), and he wrought with the arm of his strength. He shall be hungry, and he shall fail; he shall not drink water, and he shall be faint.

13 A carpenter stretched forth a rule, he formed it with an adze/with an awl, either a joiner's hook; he made it in the corner places, and he turned it in compass (he made the corners, and he turned it all around); and he made the image of a man, as a fair man, dwelling in the house.

14 He cutted down cedars, he took an hawthorn, and an oak, that stood among the trees of the forest; he planted a pineapple tree [he planted the pine tree], which he nourished with rain,

15 and it was made into fire to men. He took of those, and was warmed, and he burnt (it), and baked loaves; but of the residue he wrought a god, and worshipped it, and he made a graven image, and he was bowed before that. (and it was made into fire for people. He took some of it, and was warmed, and he burned it, and baked loaves; but with the rest of it he made a god, and then worshipped it, and he made a carved idol, and then he was bowed down before that.)