The Meaning of Isaiah 44:12 Explained

Isaiah 44:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: The iron-smith hath a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 44:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The man who would make a god has to expend a great deal of effort on it. Some English translations give the impression that in this verse the blacksmith is fashioning a tool with which to make an idol, but the idol itself is really in view. Making an idol is a laborious and exhausting process. God, of course, did not grow weary making man; He made him with a word. Furthermore, because God made the Israelites, they did not need to grow weary ( Isaiah 40:28-31). Because He carried them ( Isaiah 45:20; Isaiah 46:3), they did not need to become hungry and thirsty ( Isaiah 43:19-20).

Context Summary

Isaiah 44:12-20 - The Folly Of Idolatry
We are here conducted to a metal idol factory, Isaiah 44:12. As we enter, we are forewarned that we shall find the workmen vain, and their delectable things unprofitable. With this caution, we watch the image being made beneath the heavy blows of the hammer, wielded by the swarthy smith. After a few hours of work he becomes tired and thirsty. But surely an idol can never impart perennial energy and help, if its manufacturer is so easily exhausted.
Next, we are led into a factory of wooden idols, Isaiah 44:13, where a carpenter is at work, drawing a pattern on a block of timber. The floor is littered with shavings, and the idol that is to receive worship and exercise authority is handled very unceremoniously. Lastly we follow an individual into the forest, where he saws part of a tree for firewood and the rest for his household effigy. What folly! These men are hungry for some object of worship, but they feed their hunger on ashes; and they cannot be made to realize that they are deceiving themselves. The true bread is Christ. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 44

1  God comforts the church with his promises
7  The vanity of idols
9  And folly of idol makers
21  He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence

What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:12 mean?

The blacksmith the blacksmith with the tongs and works one in the coals and with hammers Fashions it and works it with his arms The strength of Even so he is hungry and [there is] no strength no He drinks water and is faint
חָרַ֤שׁ בַּרְזֶל֙ מַֽעֲצָ֔ד וּפָעַל֙ בַּפֶּחָ֔ם וּבַמַּקָּב֖וֹת יִצְּרֵ֑הוּ וַיִּפְעָלֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ כֹּח֔וֹ גַּם־ רָעֵב֙ וְאֵ֣ין כֹּ֔חַ לֹא־ שָׁ֥תָה מַ֖יִם וַיִּיעָֽף

חָרַ֤שׁ  The  blacksmith 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶשׁ 
Sense: craftsman, artisan, engraver, graver, artificer.
בַּרְזֶל֙  the  blacksmith 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
מַֽעֲצָ֔ד  with  the  tongs 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲצָד  
Sense: axe.
וּפָעַל֙  and  works  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּעַל  
Sense: to do, make.
בַּפֶּחָ֔ם  in  the  coals 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּחָם  
Sense: coal, charcoal, ember.
וּבַמַּקָּב֖וֹת  and  with  hammers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַקֶּבֶת  
Sense: hammer.
יִצְּרֵ֑הוּ  Fashions  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
וַיִּפְעָלֵ֙הוּ֙  and  works  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּעַל  
Sense: to do, make.
בִּזְר֣וֹעַ  with  his  arms 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
כֹּח֔וֹ  The  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
גַּם־  of  Even  so 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
רָעֵב֙  he  is  hungry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָעֵב 
Sense: to be hungry, be voracious.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  [there  is]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
כֹּ֔חַ  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁ֥תָה  He  drinks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
מַ֖יִם  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַיִּיעָֽף  and  is  faint 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָעֵף  
Sense: to be or grow weary, be fatigued, be faint.