Isaiah 41 7

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 verses

Isaiah 41 7 Meaning

Isaiah 41:7 portrays the concerted and laborious efforts of human craftsmen to construct and stabilize an idol. It highlights their mutual encouragement and meticulous attention to detail in shaping, joining, and securing the image with nails, all driven by the aim of preventing it from tottering or falling. This vivid scene serves to underscore the profound futility and impotence of the created idol in stark contrast to the inherent power, stability, and self-sufficiency of the one true God, as detailed in the preceding and succeeding verses of Isaiah.

Isaiah 41 7 Context

Isaiah 41:7 is situated within a significant section of the book of Isaiah (chapters 40-55), often referred to as "The Book of Comfort." This period addresses Judah's future exile and offers messages of hope and restoration. Chapter 41 specifically opens with God challenging the nations to present their case, implicitly asking who can predict future events or act with the power attributed to God. It juxtaposes God's mighty actions—raising up Cyrus, calling Jacob, and strengthening Israel—with the utterly futile attempts of pagan nations to secure their own gods. Verse 7 specifically illustrates the intense human collaboration and physical effort involved in idol making. It stands as a polemic against idolatry, highlighting the absurdity of creating something that requires so much human support, only for it to be utterly dependent and powerless, in contrast to the ever-present, self-sustaining God of Israel who needs nothing and holds all things together. Historically, this message would have been potent for an audience surrounded by or entering into lands dominated by idol worship, reaffirming the unique sovereignty and power of the God of Abraham.

Isaiah 41 7 Word analysis

• So the carpenter encourages (חָרָשׁ חֲרוֹשָׁה - ḥārāš ḥarôšāh / עֵץ אֵל - ʿēṣ ēl):
  • ḥārāš: Worker, craftsman, artisan. It encompasses various skilled trades. Here it means the wood-worker, often involved in shaping the idol's basic form or inner structure.
  • ḥarôšāh: Is linked to working/crafting. The phrase emphasizes the nature of the craftsman.
  • The term implies a dedication to the craft, though applied to a futile purpose here.
• the goldsmith (צֹרֵף - ṣōrēf):
  • Meaning "refiner" or "smelter," specifically of precious metals. The goldsmith covers the idol, often made of wood, with gold or silver, giving it an appearance of value and glory.
  • This points to the high material cost and perceived worth attached to these false gods.
  • The ṣōrēf highlights the deceptive external splendor compared to internal hollowness.
• he who smooths with the hammer (מַחֲלִיק פַּטִּישׁ - maḥălîq paṭṭîš):
  • maḥălîq: One who smooths or polishes, to make level or even.
  • paṭṭîš: A hammer, often used for heavy pounding. This describes the meticulous effort in shaping the metal, ensuring no imperfections, preparing it for a gleaming finish.
  • Significance: This portrays careful, refined artistry for a false god.
• encourages him who strikes the anvil (הוֹלֵם פָּעַם - hôlēm pāʿam):
  • hôlēm: One who strikes or pounds repeatedly, a striker.
  • pá’am: Can mean a beat, stroke, or anvil (in later Hebrew). Here it signifies the heavy, rhythmic striking action in metalworking.
  • This is the initial, powerful work of forging, suggesting the foundational strength and shape. The encouragement points to collective resolve.
• saying of the soldering (לַדֶּבֶק - laddéveq):
  • déveq: Something joined, adhering, or glued; solder or adhesive. This indicates the binding together of various parts, a crucial step for integrity.
  • This shows the precise, specialized work needed to ensure the different components of the idol (e.g., wood and metal overlay) bond securely.
• “It is good” (טוֹב - ṭôv):
  • Meaning "good," "fitting," "proper," or "satisfactory." It's an affirmation of the quality of the workmanship.
  • Echoes the divine assessment in Gen 1, "God saw that it was good," but here applied to human efforts for vanity. It signifies approval of the idol's appearance of stability and construction.
• and he fastens it (וַיְחַזְּקֵהוּ - wayḥazzaqēhû):
  • From the root ḥāzaq, meaning to strengthen, firm up, hold fast. This refers to the final act of securing the idol.
  • This act reveals the inherent weakness; something needing to be strengthened is not intrinsically strong.
• with nails (בְמַסְמְרִים - bĕmasmĕrîm):
  • masmĕrîm: Nails, pegs, or rivets. The most common means of securing materials.
  • This simple tool further emphasizes the dependency of the idol on human engineering, contrasted with God who sustains by His word alone.
• so that it will not totter (לֹא יִמּוֹט - lōʾ yimmôṭ):
  • môṭ: To waver, shake, totter, or fall. The negation implies the goal is permanence and stability.
  • This phrase reveals the idol's fundamental instability. Its "strength" is an external, human-engineered facade, directly undermining its claim to divinity.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith": This highlights collaboration among various craftsmen, an intricate division of labor. It indicates a unified human effort, pooling specialized skills, to produce a unified false god. This mutual encouragement is an act of shared delusion, bolstering both the product and each other's commitment to the vain endeavor.
• "he who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil": This details specific metallurgical tasks: the refinement and finishing process contrasted with the raw, powerful forging. The continuous cycle of encouragement implies difficulty or monotony in their task, needing constant affirmation to overcome. This intense labor is devoted to a lifeless object.
• "saying of the soldering, 'It is good'": This emphasizes precision and quality control. The meticulous attention to joining parts perfectly is crucial for the idol's perceived integrity and appearance. The declaration "it is good" is a self-congratulatory assessment of human skill, attributing worth to a lifeless object rather than seeing the futility.
• "and he fastens it with nails so that it will not totter": This final step is an explicit acknowledgment of the idol's inherent instability. Despite all the prior skill and effort, the idol still needs physical securing. It visually and symbolically demonstrates the idol's absolute dependence on human hands for its very uprightness, unable to stand on its own, let alone support its worshipers.

Isaiah 41 7 Bonus section

The depiction of the craftsmen in Isaiah 41:7 implicitly reveals a human desire for a god that is tangible, observable, and controllable. By actively constructing their deities, ancient peoples might have sought a sense of agency or influence over the divine. This communal act of creation could also have fostered a shared identity or strengthened social bonds within the worshipping community. However, the verse deftly reverses this perception by showcasing the absolute powerlessness of the created god. The detailed account of the construction process does not elevate the idol but rather diminishes it, laying bare the truth that the idol is entirely a product of human labor, imagination, and ultimately, limitation. The collective zeal of the artisans underscores the spiritual blindness in valuing human craft over divine transcendence.

Isaiah 41 7 Commentary

Isaiah 41:7 presents a profoundly ironic image: immense human ingenuity, skill, and collaborative effort meticulously expended to create a god that cannot stand on its own. The scene paints a detailed picture of the fabrication process, from carpentry to smithing, smoothing, striking, soldering, and finally nailing the image in place. Each step, complete with mutual encouragement and quality affirmation, highlights the devotion and resources invested. Yet, the concluding phrase, "so that it will not totter," exposes the utter dependency and inherent fragility of the idol. The object of worship needs its creators to sustain its very posture, a stark and scathing indictment of idolatry. This laborious production of an immobile and impotent deity powerfully contrasts with the God of Israel, who requires no assistance, makes the nations tremble, and effortlessly upholds the universe, offering unwavering stability to His people. The verse exposes idolatry as a system of human creation and maintenance, ultimately unable to deliver true security or salvation.