Isaiah 44:12

Translations

Modern

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.

Traditional

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.

Literal

The craftsman of iron has an ax and works over the coal, and with hammers he fashions it, and works it with the strength of his arm. Even so he grows hungry, and has no strength; he does not drink water, and he becomes faint.

Latin

Faber ferrarius lima operatus est, in prunis et in malleis formavit illud, et operatus est in brachio fortitudinis suæ; esuriet et deficiet, non bibet aquam et lassescet.

Original

Hebrew

English

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.

Notes

Isaiah 44:6–20

This passage uses the form of a trial speech to press God’s argument that disgrace comes to all who trust in idols and false gods.

Theme notes and profiles

Isaiah God’s Servant God’s Uniqueness Salvation in Isaiah

Events

Prophecies of Isaiahc. 759 BC

Related verses

Isaiah 41:6–7
Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
Isaiah 40:19
To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
Isaiah 46:6–7
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
Jeremiah 10:3–11
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.
Exodus 32:8
How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”
Exodus 32:4
He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Habakkuk 2:13
Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

Glossary

Book of Baruch Church Idols, Idolatry Ironsmith Isaiah, Book of Nations New Creation, New Creature Ransom Smith

Topics

Carving: Idols Manufactured By Idol: Manufacture of Idolatry: Folly of Idolatry: Making Idols for the Purpose of, Described and Ridiculed Smith: The Manufacturers of Idols

Isaiah 44:12

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