Isaiah 40:19 (YLT)

Passage

The graven image poured out hath a artisan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 40:17 All the nations <FI>are<Fi> as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.

Isaiah 40:18 And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him?

Isaiah 40:19 The graven image poured out hath a artisan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining.

Isaiah 40:20 He who is poor <FI>by<Fi> heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artisan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image--not moved.

Isaiah 40:21 Do ye not know--do ye not hear? Hath it not been declared from the first to you? Have ye not understood <FI>From<Fi> the foundations of the earth?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "graven", "image", "poured", "hath", "artisan", "refiner", "gold", and "spreadeth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "graven" and "image", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "And unto whom do ye liken God..." into verse 20's "He who is poor FI by Fi...", so "graven" and "image" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "graven" and "image" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.