John Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 44:14

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

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 Syriacf857 language, as Kimchi observes, and for which he produces (<270433>Daniel 4:33), and so Aben Ezra says it signifies in the Arabic languagef858; and the sense is, “the body” of the tree “grew up”, and being grown up, was cut down, and used as follows.

Read Isaiah 44:14 →Read the full chapter →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →Keil & Delitzsch →

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