Isaiah 44:12
New International Version
The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

New Living Translation
The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint.

English Standard Version
The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.

Berean Standard Bible
The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.

King James Bible
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

New King James Version
The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint.

New American Standard Bible
The craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

NASB 1995
The man shapes iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

NASB 1977
The man shapes iron into a cutting tool, and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers, and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

Legacy Standard Bible
The man crafts iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, forming it with hammers and working it with his powerful arm. He also gets hungry and has no power; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

Amplified Bible
The ironsmith shapes iron and uses a chisel and works it over the coals. He forms the [idol’s] core with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He also becomes hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and grows tired.

Christian Standard Bible
The ironworker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. Also he grows hungry and his strength fails; he doesn’t drink water and is faint.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The ironworker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. Also he grows hungry and his strength fails; he doesn’t drink water and is faint.

American Standard Version
The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

Contemporary English Version
A metalworker shapes an idol by using a hammer and heat from the fire. In his powerful hand he holds a hammer, as he pounds the metal into the proper shape. But he gets hungry and thirsty and loses his strength.

English Revised Version
The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Blacksmiths shape iron into tools. They work them over the coals and shape them with hammers, working them with their strong arms. They get hungry, and their strength fails. If they don't drink water, they will faint.

Good News Translation
The metalworker takes a piece of metal and works with it over a fire. His strong arm swings a hammer to pound the metal into shape. As he works, he gets hungry, thirsty, and tired.

International Standard Version
The blacksmith prepares a tool and works in the coals, then fashions an idol with hammers, working by the strength of his arm. He even becomes hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

Majority Standard Bible
The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.

NET Bible
A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired.

New Heart English Bible
The blacksmith takes an axe, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.

Webster's Bible Translation
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yes, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

World English Bible
The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He has worked iron [with] an axe, "" And has worked with coals, "" And forms it with hammers, "" And works it by his powerful arm, "" Indeed, he is hungry, and there is no power, "" He does not drink water, and he is wearied.

Young's Literal Translation
He hath wrought iron with an axe, And hath wrought with coals, And with hammers doth form it, And doth work it by his powerful arm, Yea, he is hungry, and there is no power, He doth not drink water, and he is wearied.

Smith's Literal Translation
The workman of iron with an axe also worked with coal, and he will cleave it with hammers, and will work with the arm of his strength: also he hungered and no strength: he drank not water and was wearied.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The smith hath wrought with his file, with coals, and with hammers he hath formed it, and hath wrought with the strength of his arm: he shall hunger and faint, he shall drink no water, and shall be weary.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary.

New American Bible
The ironsmith fashions a likeness, he works it over the coals, Shaping it with hammers, working it with his strong arm. With hunger his strength wanes, without water, he grows faint.

New Revised Standard Version
The ironsmith fashions it and works it over the coals, shaping it with hammers, and forging it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The carpenter sharpens an iron instrument, he shapes the image with a plane and fashions it with a chisel and works it with the strength of his arm; yea, he becomes hungry and also thirsty, he drinks no water and is faint.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The carpenter who sharpens iron and hews it with an ax and carves it with an auger, and he makes it with the power of his arm, also he is hungry and he is thirsty and drinks no water and he is exhausted
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The smith maketh an axe, And worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, And worketh it with his strong arm; Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; He drinketh no water, and is faint.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For the artificer sharpens the iron; he fashions the idol with an axe, and fixes it with an awl, and fashions it with the strength of his arm: and he will be hungry and weak, and will drink no water.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD has Chosen Israel
11Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. 12The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint. 13The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 10:3-5
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

Habakkuk 2:18-19
What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it—or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. / Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...

Deuteronomy 4:28
And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.

1 Kings 18:26-29
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. / At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!” / So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. ...

2 Kings 19:18
They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

Hosea 8:6
For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.

Jeremiah 2:27
say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Yet in the time of trouble, they say, ‘Rise up and save us!’

Jeremiah 16:20
Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!”

Acts 17:29
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

Romans 1:22-23
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

1 Corinthians 10:19-20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.

Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.


Treasury of Scripture

The smith with the tongs both works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms: yes, he is hungry, and his strength fails: he drinks no water, and is faint.

the smith

Isaiah 40:19
The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

Isaiah 41:6,7
They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage…

Isaiah 46:6,7
They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship…

the tong.

Habakkuk 2:13
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

Jump to Previous
Arm Arms Axe Blacksmith Coals Cutting Drinketh Drinks Faileth Fails Faint Fashioneth Fashions Fire Hammers Heating Hungry Idol Iron Iron-Worker Loses Maketh Metal Shapes Smith Strength Strong Tongs Tool Water Weary Worketh Working Works
Jump to Next
Arm Arms Axe Blacksmith Coals Cutting Drinketh Drinks Faileth Fails Faint Fashioneth Fashions Fire Hammers Heating Hungry Idol Iron Iron-Worker Loses Maketh Metal Shapes Smith Strength Strong Tongs Tool Water Weary Worketh Working Works
Isaiah 44
1. God comforts the church with his promises
7. The vanity of idols
9. And folly of idol makers
21. He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence














The craftsman sharpens his cutting tool
The term "craftsman" refers to a skilled worker, often associated with artisans who create objects of worship. In Hebrew, the word is "חָרָשׁ" (charash), which can mean an engraver or artificer. This highlights the deliberate and meticulous effort put into idol-making, contrasting with the divine creation that requires no human effort. The "cutting tool" signifies the instruments used in shaping idols, emphasizing the futility of human efforts to create gods from mere materials.

and works over the coals
This phrase indicates the intense labor and heat involved in the process of idol-making. The "coals" symbolize the fiery trials and the energy expended in creating something that ultimately has no life or power. Historically, this reflects the ancient practices of metallurgy and craftsmanship, where coals were essential for heating and shaping metals.

He forms an idol with hammers
The act of forming an idol "with hammers" underscores the physical exertion and craftsmanship involved. The Hebrew root "פָּסַל" (pasal) means to carve or hew, often used in the context of idol creation. This highlights the irony of humans crafting their own gods, which are lifeless and powerless, in stark contrast to the living God who forms humanity.

and forges it with his strong arm
The "strong arm" symbolizes human strength and effort. In the Hebrew context, the arm often represents power and might. This phrase illustrates the reliance on human strength to create something that is ultimately weak and ineffective, serving as a metaphor for the futility of idolatry.

He grows hungry and his strength fails
This part of the verse points to the physical limitations and needs of the craftsman. The Hebrew word for "hungry" is "רָעֵב" (ra'ev), indicating a lack of sustenance. The craftsman's strength failing is a reminder of human frailty and dependence on God for sustenance, contrasting with the idols that cannot provide for themselves or others.

he drinks no water and grows faint
The absence of water leading to faintness highlights the essential need for life-sustaining resources, which idols cannot provide. Water, often a symbol of life and spiritual nourishment in Scripture, is absent in the process of idol-making, emphasizing the spiritual barrenness of idolatry. This serves as a powerful reminder of the living water that only God can provide, as seen in John 4:14, where Jesus speaks of the water that leads to eternal life.

(12) The smith with the tongs.--We begin with the metal idol. Better, The smith uses a chisel. The work involves stooping over the charcoal furnace. The maker of the god is exhausted with his toil, and requires food and drink to sustain him.

Verse 12. - The smith with the tongs. The Hebrew text is defective, some word having fallen out. We should probably supply "maketh," and translate, The smith maketh an axe, and worketh it in the coals, and with hammers fashioneth it. The description of image-making thus commences with the fashioning of the carpenter's tools. He is hungry, etc. The artificer who takes the first step in "forming a god" (ver. 10) is himself hungry and thirsty, depending on so mean a thing as food to supply him with the needful strength. Unless he can cat and drink, the whole work is brought to a standstill.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The blacksmith
חָרַ֤שׁ (ḥā·raš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2796: A fabricator, any material

takes a tool
מַֽעֲצָ֔ד (ma·‘ă·ṣāḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4621: An axe

and labors
וּפָעַל֙ (ū·p̄ā·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise

over the coals;
בַּפֶּחָ֔ם (bap·pe·ḥām)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6352: A coal

he fashions [an idol]
יִצְּרֵ֑הוּ (yiṣ·ṣə·rê·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3335: To mould into a, form, as a, potter, to determine

with hammers
וּבַמַּקָּב֖וֹת (ū·ḇam·maq·qā·ḇō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4717: A perforatrix, a hammer

and forges [it]
וַיִּפְעָלֵ֙הוּ֙ (way·yip̄·‘ā·lê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise

with his strong
כֹּח֔וֹ (kō·ḥōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

arms.
בִּזְר֣וֹעַ (biz·rō·w·a‘)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

Yet
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

he grows hungry
רָעֵב֙ (rā·‘êḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7456: To be hungry

and his strength
כֹּ֔חַ (kō·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

fails;
וְאֵ֣ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

he fails
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to drink
שָׁ֥תָה (šā·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

water
מַ֖יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

and grows faint.
וַיִּיעָֽף׃ (way·yî·‘āp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3286: To be weary, faint


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 44:12 The blacksmith takes an axe works (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 44:11
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