He took these from them, formed them in a mold, and cast an image of a calf, and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Isaiah 44:12 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 2021 The blacksmith works it with a tool over the coals, shaping it with hammers and forging it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 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. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition The ironsmith sharpens and uses a chisel and works it over the coals; he shapes [the core of the idol] with hammers and forges it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. American Standard Version (1901) 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. Common English Bible A blacksmith with his tools works it over coals, and shapes it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He even becomes hungry and weak. If he didn’t drink water, he’d pass out. Catholic Public Domain Version The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version The smith hath wrought with his file: with coals and with hammers he hath formed it, and hath wrought with the strength of his arm. He shall hunger and faint, he shall drink no water, and shall be weary. |
He took these from them, formed them in a mold, and cast an image of a calf, and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ”
An idol? A workman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.
As a gift one chooses mulberry wood —wood that will not rot— then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple.
Is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor only to feed the flames and nations weary themselves for nothing?
What use is an idol once its maker has shaped it— a cast image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in what has been made, though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!
There you will serve gods made by human hands, objects of wood and stone that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.