KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Isaiah 44:12
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB 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.
WEB World 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.
ASV 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.
YLT 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.
Surrounding context — Isaiah 44
9 They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together.
12 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.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it].
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it]; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
חָרַ֤שׁH2796 · cha.rashartificerבַּרְזֶל֙H1270 · bar.zelironמַֽעֲצָ֔דH4621 · ma.a.tsadaxeוּפָעַל֙H6466 · pa.alto workבַּפֶּחָ֔םH6352 · pe.chamcoalוּבַמַּקָּב֖וֹתH4717 · maq.qa.vahhammerיִצְּרֵ֑הוּH3335 · ya.tsarto form: formedוַיִּפְעָלֵ֙הוּ֙H6466 · pa.alto workבִּזְר֣וֹעַH2220 · ze.ro.aarmכֹּח֔וֹH3581 · ko.achreptileגַּם־H1571 · gamalsoרָעֵב֙H7456 · ra.evbe hungryוְאֵ֣יןH369 · a.yinnothingכֹּ֔חַH3581 · ko.achreptileלֹא־H3808 · lonotשָׁ֥תָהH8354 · sha.tahto drinkמַ֖יִםH4325 · ma.yimwaterוַיִּיעָֽף׃H3286 · ya.aphto faint
Cross-references
Isaiah 40:19The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.Isaiah 41:6-7They helped every one his neighbour; and [every one] said to his brother, Be of good courage.Isaiah 46:6-7They 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.Habakkuk 2:13Behold, [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?Jeremiah 10:3-11For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.Exodus 32:4And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.Exodus 32:8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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