Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
Parallel translations
- KJV Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
- BSB See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- NKJV Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- NASB “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- NLT I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God has refined his people in the furnace of affliction, though not as pure silver. Suffering is his refining, purposeful tool.
Overview
Yahweh describes Israel's exile and hardship as a refining furnace, chosen by him to purify them — though they emerged less pure than fully refined silver. Affliction serves God's redemptive ends, testing and cleansing his people. The New Testament likewise sees trials as God refining faith more precious than gold.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Pet 4:12Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
- Prov 17:3The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
- Job 23:10But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I shall come out like gold.
- Heb 12:10–11For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
- Ps 66:10For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.
- 1 Pet 1:7that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ —
- Jer 9:7Therefore Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
- Mal 3:2–3“But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap;
- Rev 3:19As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Zech 13:8–9It shall happen that in all the land,” says Yahweh, “two parts in it will be cut off and die; but the third will be left in it.
- Deut 4:20But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today.
- Ezek 22:18–22“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are brass, tin, iron, and lead in the middle of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.
- 1 Kgs 8:51(for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron furnace);
- Isa 1:25–26and I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.
- Ezek 20:38I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 48:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.