Isaiah 48:10
New International Version
See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

New Living Translation
I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

English Standard Version
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

Berean Standard Bible
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

King James Bible
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

New King James Version
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

New American Standard Bible
“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

NASB 1995
“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

NASB 1977
“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Amplified Bible
“Indeed, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested and chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

Christian Standard Bible
Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

American Standard Version
Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Contemporary English Version
I tested you in hard times just as silver is refined in a heated furnace.

English Revised Version
Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I have refined you, but not like silver. I have tested you in the furnace of suffering.

Good News Translation
I have tested you in the fire of suffering, as silver is refined in a furnace. But I have found that you are worthless.

International Standard Version
Look, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction.

Majority Standard Bible
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

NET Bible
Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have purified you in the furnace of misery.

New Heart English Bible
Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

World English Bible
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, I have refined you, and not with silver, "" I have chosen you in a furnace of affliction.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, I have refined thee, and not with silver, I have chosen thee in a furnace of affliction.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, I purified thee and not with silver; I chose thee in the furnace of affliction.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold I have refined thee, but not as silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, I have refined you, but not like silver. I have chosen you for the furnace of poverty.

New American Bible
See, I refined you, but not like silver; I tested you in the furnace of affliction.

New Revised Standard Version
See, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, I have purified you, and not with silver, and I have proven you in the furnace of poverty
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have tried thee in the furnace of affliction.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, I have sold thee, but not for silver; but I have rescued thee from the furnace of affliction.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Stubbornness
9For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off. 10See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act; for how can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.…

Cross References
Malachi 3:3
And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials / so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, / because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. / Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Proverbs 17:3
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

Job 23:10
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

1 Corinthians 3:13
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.

Psalm 66:10
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.

Revelation 3:18
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Daniel 11:35
Some of the wise will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

1 Peter 4:12-13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. / But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.

Jeremiah 9:7
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?

Romans 5:3-4
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; / perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Hebrews 12:10-11
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. / No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

Psalm 12:6
The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

I have refined

Isaiah 1:25,26
And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: …

Job 23:10
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Psalm 66:10
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

with silver, or, for silver

Deuteronomy 4:20
But 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.

Jump to Previous
Affliction Chosen Fire Furnace Refined Silver Tested Testing Tried Trouble
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Affliction Chosen Fire Furnace Refined Silver Tested Testing Tried Trouble
Isaiah 48
1. God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinance, revealed his prophecies
9. He saves them for his own sake
12. He exhorts them to obedience, because of his power and providence
16. He laments their backwardness
20. He powerfully delivers his people out of Babylon














See
The Hebrew word for "see" is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), which is often used to draw attention to something important or to emphasize a point. In this context, it serves as a divine call to the people of Israel to pay attention to God's actions and intentions. It is a reminder that God is actively involved in their lives, and they should be aware of His refining work.

I have refined you
The term "refined" comes from the Hebrew "צָרַף" (tsaraph), which means to purify or to test by fire. This imagery of refining is significant in the biblical context, as it often symbolizes the process of purification and sanctification. Just as metals are purified by fire to remove impurities, God is purifying His people, removing their spiritual impurities and preparing them for His purposes. This process is not merely punitive but is intended for their ultimate good and holiness.

but not as silver
The phrase "but not as silver" indicates that the refining process God is using is different from the typical method used for purifying silver. Silver is refined through intense heat to remove dross, but God’s method of refining His people is unique and tailored to their spiritual needs. This suggests that God's ways are higher and more profound than human methods, emphasizing His wisdom and sovereignty in dealing with His people.

I have tested you
The word "tested" is derived from the Hebrew "בָּחַן" (bachan), which means to examine or prove. This testing is not for God's benefit, as He already knows the hearts of His people, but for the benefit of the people themselves. Through testing, they come to understand their own weaknesses and reliance on God. It is a process of growth and maturation in faith, leading to a deeper relationship with the Creator.

in the furnace of affliction
The "furnace of affliction" is a powerful metaphor that conveys the intensity and purpose of the trials faced by the Israelites. The furnace, a place of extreme heat, represents the severe trials and sufferings they endure. However, these afflictions are not without purpose; they are designed to refine and purify the people, drawing them closer to God and away from idolatry and sin. Historically, Israel's experiences, such as the Babylonian exile, served as such a furnace, purifying the nation and renewing their covenant relationship with God.

(10) I have refined thee, but not with silver . . .--The meaning is obscure, and perhaps depends on some unknown process in ancient metallurgy. Commonly the refining of silver is taken as a parable of God's dealings with His people (Isaiah 1:25; Ezekiel 22:18-22; Malachi 3:3). Here the thought seems to be that the discipline had been less fierce than that of the refiner's fire. Silver was "purified seven times in the fire" (Psalm 12:6); but that would have brought about the destruction of Israel, and He sought to spare them.

I have chosen thee.--Better, I have tested thee.

Verse 10. - I have refined thee, but not with silver; rather, but not as silver (Cheyne). or, but not in the manner of silver (Delitzsch); i.e. not with the severity with which silver is refined (see Psalm 12:6). I have chosen thee; rather, I have tested thee. The furnace of affliction is here the Babylonian captivity. The object of the Captivity was to "test" and "refine," or purify God's people to a certain extent - not with extreme severity, but in such sort as to fit them to "bear his Name before the Gentiles" for another five hundred years.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
See,
הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I have refined you,
צְרַפְתִּ֖יךָ (ṣə·rap̄·tî·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6884: To smelt, refine, test

but not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

as silver;
בְכָ֑סֶף (ḇə·ḵā·sep̄)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

I have tested
בְּחַרְתִּ֖יךָ (bə·ḥar·tî·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

you in the furnace
בְּכ֥וּר (bə·ḵūr)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3564: Smelting pot or furnace

of affliction.
עֹֽנִי׃ (‘ō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6040: Affliction, poverty


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 48:10 Behold I have refined you but not (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 48:9
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