Isaiah 41:7

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. SO THE CARPENTER ENCOURAGED THE GOLDSMITH - One workman encourages the other to be quick in finishing the idol, so as to avert the impending danger. FASTENED IT WITH NAILS - to keep it steady in its place. Wis 11:1-26 ; Wis 12:1-27 ; Wis 13:1-19 , give a similar picture of the folly of idolatry....

7._The workmen encouraged the founder. _This verse is explained in various ways, and indeed is somewhat obscure; and even the Jewish writers are not agreed as to the meaning of the words. I see no reason why חרש _(cherish) _should be here understood to mean simply a carpenter, for it means any kind of workman. (139) The word מהליק, _(mahalik,) _which means _one that strikes, _is generally rendered in the accusative case; I prefer to render it, in the nominative case. פעם _(pagnam) _(140) is generally translated anvil, and by others a _smaller hammer; _but; as it sometimes signifies _by turns, _that interpretation appears to agree best with the context; for the Prophet means that workmen, by beating “in their turn,” mutually excite each other,

1-9 Can any heathen god raise up one in righteousness, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations? The Lord did so with Abraham, or rather, he would do so with Cyrus. Sinners encourage one another in the ways of sin; shall not the servants of the living God stir up one another in his service? God's people are the seed of Abraham his friend. This is certainly the highest title ever given to a mortal. It means that Abraham, by Divine grace, was made like to God, and that he was admitted to communion with Him. Happy are the servants of the Lord, whom he has called to be his friends, and to walk with him in faith and holy obedience. Let not such as have thus been favoured yield to fear; for the contest may be sharp, but the victory shall be sure....

Verse Isaiah 41:7. _THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE MOVED _- "That it shall not move."] Five MSS., (two ancient,) and the ancient Versions, add the conjunction ו _vau_, "and," reading ולא _velo_, "and not," which seems to be right....

SO THE CARPENTER - (See the note at Isaiah 40:19). ENCOURAGED THE GOLDSMITH - Margin, ‘The founder’ (see the note at Isaiah 40:19). The word properly means one who melts or smelts metals of any kind; and may be applied either to one who works in gold, silver, or brass. The image here is that of haste, anxiety, solicitude. One workman in the manufacture of idols encouraged another, in order that the idols might be finished as soon as possible, and that thus the favor of the gods might be propitiated, and the impending danger averted. HE THAT SMOOTHETH WITH THE HAMMER - That is, he encourages or strengthens him that smites on the anvil. The idol was commonly cast or founded, and of course was

SECTION II.—RECOVERY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD FROM THEIR SIN, AND FROM THEIR BONDAGE IN BABYLON (CH. 41-48.). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 41:1 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DELIVERER, AND EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING NATIONS. Isaiah returns to the standpoint of Isaiah 40:9. A deliverer of Israel is about to appear. The nat

SO THE CARPENTER ENCOURAGED THE GOLDSMITH,.... The carpenter, when he had made a wooden image, encouraged and hastened the goldsmith, or the "finer", as some render it, to do his part, in covering it with plates of gold or silver: AND HE THAT SMOOTHETH WITH THE HAMMER HIM THAT SMOTE THE ANVIL; he that beat out thin plates of gold and silver with the hammer, in order to decorate the wooden god, encouraged the smith at the forge, that smote on the anvil, there making nails for the fastening it to a pillar or wall, to hasten his work: SAYING, IT IS READY FOR THE SODERING; for the several joints to be put together, by sodering them: AND HE FASTENED IT WITH NAILS, THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE MOVED; either the goldsmith and finer fastened the plates of gold and silver with nails, that they might be kept fast and close to it; or the smith that smote on the anvil, and made the nails, he fastened th...

God enters into a controversy with those who had fallen into the worship of idols. Isaiah 41:1. _Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment._ He challenges them to a debate. He gives them breathing time bids them prepare themselves, and come with the best arguments that their minds could find. Isaiah 41:2. _Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet._ Who was it that raised up Cyrus, and who made him str

CHAPTER 41 Jehovah's Challenge 1. _The address to the islands and the peoples (Isaiah 41:1)_ 2. _Jehovah's question, Cyrus and his ways predicted (Isaiah 41:2)_ 3. _Nations troubled on account of Cyrus (Isaiah 41:5)_ 4. _Israel as Jehovah's servant (Isaiah 41:8)_ 5. _The message of comfort and assurance of restoration (Isaiah 41:9)_ 6. _Jehovah's second challenge: He alone can declare things to come (Isaiah 41:21)_ 7. The future t

THE CONQUERING CAREER OF CYRUS CLAIMED BY YAHWEH AS EVIDENCE OF HIS POWER. Isaiah 41:5 is probably an insertion made to connect Isaiah 41:4 with Isaiah 41:6 f. after Isaiah 41:6 f. for which see Isaiah 40:19 had been wrongly interpolated here. Yahweh calls the nations to listen while He, as though they might be in a court of justice, puts forward His claim. He it is who has raised up Cyrus, and caused nations to bow before him: He who ordains the whole course of history. I