Isaiah 41:7 kjv
So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
Isaiah 41:7 nkjv
So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, "It is ready for the soldering"; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter.
Isaiah 41:7 niv
The metalworker encourages the goldsmith, and the one who smooths with the hammer spurs on the one who strikes the anvil. One says of the welding, "It is good." The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.
Isaiah 41:7 esv
The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good"; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.
Isaiah 41:7 nlt
The carver encourages the goldsmith,
and the molder helps at the anvil.
"Good," they say. "It's coming along fine."
Carefully they join the parts together,
then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over.
Isaiah 41 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 40:19 | Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol that is of no value? | Contrasts idol worship with God's creation |
| Isaiah 44:9 | Those who make idols are all to be put to shame... | Denounces idol makers |
| Isaiah 44:12 | The ironsmith shapes it with hammers... and makes it alive. | Details the making of idols |
| Isaiah 45:16 | All who fashion idols will be ashamed and utterly disgraced... | Future shame of idol worshipers |
| Isaiah 46:6 | ...gold and weigh silver...hire a goldsmith... | Depicts the process of idol making |
| Jeremiah 10:3 | For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree... | Condemns idol practices |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | Everyone is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols... | Identifies futility of idols |
| Jeremiah 51:17 | Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols... | Reiterates the shame of idol makers |
| Psalm 115:4 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. | Describes idol materials |
| Psalm 115:5 | They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see. | Highlights idol's inability |
| Psalm 115:7 | They have ears, but do not hear; they have noses, but do not smell. | Highlights idol's inability |
| Psalm 115:8 | Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. | Effects of idol worship |
| Hosea 8:5 | Your idol is waiting! And the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces. | Specific idol judgment |
| Habakkuk 2:18 | What profit is a carved idol, after a craftsman has carved it?... | Questions idol's worth |
| Acts 17:29 | Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, a product of human skill and imagination. | Compares God to idols |
| Revelation 9:20 | The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. | Persistence in idol worship |
| Wisdom of Solomon 13:10 | For he began to be skillful in fashioning... | Continues idol making description |
| Isaiah 41:7 | So the hammer encouraged the one who hits the anvil, saying to the striker of rivets, “It is ready for soldering”; and he fastened it with nails to make it secure, so that it might not be moved. | The verse itself |
| Isaiah 40:25 | "To whom then will you liken me, that I should be equal to him?" says the Holy One. | God's incomparability |
| 1 Corinthians 6:12 | "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. | Practical application |
| Romans 1:22 | Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. | Idolatry leads to foolishness |
Isaiah 41 verses
Isaiah 41 7 Meaning
This verse describes the artisans strengthening an idol, making it ready for installation. The metalworkers secure it with nails and hammers to prevent it from falling. It speaks to the futility and reliance on human craftsmanship for idols, contrasting with God's self-sufficient power.
Isaiah 41 7 Context
This verse is found in Isaiah chapter 41, a section of prophecy dealing with God's sovereignty over nations and His promise of deliverance for Israel. The surrounding verses speak of God raising up Cyrus from the East and the eventual destruction of His enemies. Within this context, Isaiah confronts the people of Israel who are looking to idols for help rather than trusting in the LORD. The chapter highlights the impotence of idols and contrasts them with the supreme power of the true God. The immediate context describes the futile efforts of craftsmen making idols, illustrating the weakness and dependence of such manufactured deities.
Isaiah 41 7 Word Analysis
- וּבָנָה (uvana): "And he builds" or "and he strengthens." Refers to the active process of constructing and making something stable.
- מְחַזֵּק (meḥazeq): "strengthens" or "encourages." Implies reinforcement and giving strength. In this context, it's the blow of the hammer that "strengthens" the work.
- חָרָשׁ (ḥarash): "artisan," "craftsman," "smith." Refers to someone skilled in working with materials like metal.
- עַל־ (’al-): "upon" or "against." Here it signifies the impact or directed action towards something.
- סַּדִּין (saddin): "hammer." The tool used for striking and shaping.
- לְמַקֵּל (lĕmaqqel): "to the striker" or "to the one who strikes." Denotes the person performing the action of striking.
- מַקֵּל (maqqel): "hammer" or "mallet." Another term for a striking tool.
- מַכֶּה (makkeh): "striking," "beating." The participle form describing the action.
- נְקָבִים (neqabim): "rivets" or "nail-holes." Holes prepared for fastening.
- כִּי־ (ki-): "that" or "because." Introduces a purpose or reason.
- ט֖וֹב (ṭov): "good" or "ready." Signifying suitability or completeness for the next step.
- לַהֲתִיךְ (laḥăṯîq): "to solder," "to weld," "to melt together." A process of joining metals using heat and filler.
- וַֽיְחַזְּקֵ֙הוּ֙ (vayəḥazəqēhu): "And he strengthens/fastens it." The act of making it firm and immovable.
- בַּמַּסְמֵרִ֖ים (bammāsmērîm): "with nails." The fasteners used for securing the idol.
- לְמַ֣עַן (ləma‘an): "in order that," "so that." Indicates purpose.
- בַּל־ (bal-): "not." A negative particle.
- יָמוּת (yamut): "it may move" or "it may fall." Preventing instability.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "so the hammer encouraged the one who hits the anvil": This depicts the sounds and actions of the idol-maker. The rhythmic sound of the hammer hitting the anvil provides encouragement and guidance to the artisan, setting the pace for the work and signaling progress.
- "saying to the striker of rivets, 'It is ready for soldering'": This phrase highlights the collaborative and communicative nature of the idol-making process, albeit for a lifeless object. One worker signals to another that a component is prepared for the next stage of assembly (joining with solder).
- "and he fastened it with nails to make it secure, so that it might not be moved": This clearly states the purpose: stability. The idol, despite being an object of worship, is fundamentally weak and requires physical reinforcement to stand upright and not collapse. This underscores its inanimate and powerless nature compared to the living God.
Isaiah 41 7 Bonus Section
The use of "encouraged" for the hammer suggests personification, a common rhetorical device in prophetic literature. However, here it's used ironically. The tool itself doesn't encourage, but its function drives the work. The emphasis on the "nails" and securing the idol is crucial. It represents the perceived "firmness" and reliability that people sought in idols, but it was ultimately a man-made, physical stability, not divine power. This verse sets the stage for the subsequent contrast in Isaiah 41:10 and onward, where God assures Israel that He will strengthen and uphold them. The act of nailing the idol down highlights its lifelessness, as if it were a statue needing to be fixed to its pedestal to avoid toppling, a stark image against the God who is a living foundation.
Isaiah 41 7 Commentary
Isaiah 41:7 paints a vivid picture of the idolatrous worship condemned in the Old Testament. It describes the detailed, labor-intensive process of crafting an idol, using the imagery of metalworking. The artisans work with tools like hammers and nails, even using solder to join pieces. The specific mention of "fastening it with nails to make it secure, so that it might not be moved" is particularly poignant. It reveals the inherent weakness and instability of idols, requiring human effort not only to create them but also to maintain their very physical presence. This contrasts sharply with the self-existent and immutable nature of the LORD, who created the heavens and the earth and sustains all things without external support. The verse emphasizes that idols are mere objects, utterly dependent on their makers, and unable to stand on their own, let alone offer true strength or salvation. This process highlights the folly of trusting in something manufactured by human hands, something that requires constant maintenance and cannot even support itself.