Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you 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, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
- Prov 17:3The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
- Job 23:10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
- Heb 12:10–11For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
- Ps 66:10For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
- 1 Pet 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
- Jer 9:7Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
- Mal 3:2–3But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
- Rev 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Zech 13:8–9And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
- Deut 4:20But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
- Ezek 22:18–22Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
- 1 Kgs 8:51For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
- Isa 1:25–26And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
- Ezek 20:38And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
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.