Isaiah 44:14

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,

Isaiah 44:14 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 44:14

He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak,
&c.] To make gods of, trees both pleasant and durable, but all unfruitful: which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest;
taking a great deal of pains in seeking out such trees as were most fit for his use, and a great deal of care in the growth of them, that they might answer his end, as well as exerting his strength in cutting of them down: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it;
a tree that soon grows up, and which he plants for the purpose to make a god of; and this being watered and nourished with rain, which God vouchsafes, though designed for an idolatrous use, grows, and is fit for what it was intended; and being so, he cuts it down, and, makes an image of it; which shows his folly and madness, that a tree of his own planting, which he has seen the growth of, and yet be so sottish as to imagine that a god may be may be made of it. The word for "rain" signifies a body in the Syriac ^F7 language, as Kimchi observes, and for which he produces ( Daniel 4:33 ) , and so Aben Ezra says it signifies in the Arabic language ^F8; and the sense is, "the body" of the tree "grew up", and being grown up, was cut down, and used as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 <arabic> "corpus", Luke iii. 22. 2Cor. x. 10. Castel. Lex. Polyglott. col. 627. So in the Chaldee language.
F8 So, according to Schindler, <arabic> signifies a body, Lex. Pentaglott. col. 347, 348.

Isaiah 44:14 In-Context

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.)

16 He burnt the half thereof with fire, and of the half thereof he seethed fleshes, and ate; he seethed pottage, and was (ful)filled (He burned half of it in the fire, and so with half of it he boiled meat, and ate; yea, he boiled up some stew, and was fulfilled); and he was warmed, and he said, Well! I am warmed; I saw [the] fire.