Isaiah 44:12

12 The smith shall take the tongs; he shall work among the coals; he shall give it form with the hammers and bring forth in it the arm of his strength; though he is hungry and his strength fails: he shall not drink water, even if he faints.

Isaiah 44:12 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 44:12

The smith with the tongs
Or, "the worker of iron" ^F3; the blacksmith, who had a concern in making of idols, for some were made of iron, ( Daniel 5:4 ) , or in making plates to cover them, or nails to fasten them with, or instruments which the carpenter made use of in cutting down trees, and fitting the wood for an image; such as the axe or hatchet, or plane, and which some think is here meant, by the word translated "tongs", but is rendered an "axe", ( Jeremiah 10:3 ) and is used for that, or an hatchet, or a plane, by the Misnic ^F4 writers; so the Targum renders it,

``the smith out of iron makes an axe or hatchet:''

"both worketh in the coals"; he puts his iron in the coals, and blows upon them, and so makes it soft and malleable, and then takes it out: and fashioneth it with hammers:
beats it with hammers upon the anvil, and puts it into what form he pleases: and worketh it with the strength of his arms;
uses his utmost strength to bring it into a form he is desirous of: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and
is faint;
he works at it with all his might and main, is earnest at it, and is eagerly desirous of finishing his work; he works till he is hungry and thirsty, and for want of food is ready to faint and sink; and yet will not give himself time to eat and drink, being so intent upon his work: or the sense is, though he is hungry and thirsty, and faints for want of provisions, yet the god he is making, or has made, cannot supply him with any: this is said to expose the folly of idol making, and of idol worship.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (lzrb vrx) "faber ferri", Pagninus, Montanus; "faber ferrarius", V. L. Vitringa.
F4 Misn. Sabbat, c. 12. sect. 1. Celim, c. 29. 6.

Isaiah 44:12 In-Context

10 Who has formed God? And who cast a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; for the workmen, they are of men; even if all of them are gathered together and stand, they shall fear and shall be ashamed together.

12 The smith shall take the tongs; he shall work among the coals; he shall give it form with the hammers and bring forth in it the arm of his strength; though he is hungry and his strength fails: he shall not drink water, even if he faints.

13 The carpenter stretches out his rule; he measures it with a line; he fits it with planes; he marks it out with the compass; he makes it after the form of a noble man, in the likeness of the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14 He shall hew down cedars and take the cypress and the oak, and he shall strengthen himself with the trees of the forest; he shall plant a fir tree, which shall be nourished with the rain.