The ironsmith fashions it: The ironsmith is literally “A craftsman of iron.” This expression may be rendered “The blacksmith” (New International Version, Revised English Bible) or “The metalworker” (Good News Translation). The Hebrew word for “craftsman” is the same one used in the previous verse (see the comments there). The Hebrew text does not have a definite article here. It is added in English to refer to the whole class of blacksmiths. In other languages it may be better to use an indefinite article or no article at all. Instead of fashions it [that is, the idol], the Hebrew text has “a tool.” Revised Standard Version‘s rendering is a conjecture, which de~Waard rejects. There is no verb here in Hebrew. The Hebrew word for “tool” clearly refers to a woodworking tool in Jer 10.3, probably an “axe” (Revised Standard Version). Here it may refer to “tongs,” a tool that a blacksmith uses to hold hot metal while he works on it. For this whole clause the Septuagint has “for the blacksmith sharpens the iron.” Bible en français courant follows this reading with “The blacksmith sharpens a chisel” (similarly Revised English Bible). According to Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, translators may follow either the Hebrew text or the Septuagint here. However, we prefer the Hebrew text and recommend adding a verb such as “makes” (New Jerusalem Bible), “shapes” (Contemporary English Version), or “fashions” (New American Bible). The Hebrew word for “tool” may be rendered “axe” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “metal image” (similarly New American Bible). This clause may be saying that a blacksmith makes an axe with which to carve an image (so New Jerusalem Bible), or that he makes a metal image (so New American Bible).

And works it over the coals refers to the process of heating and softening metal so that it can be shaped. Coals refers to the burning coals of wood in the blacksmith’s forge. Over the coals may be rendered “in the fire” or “over the fire” (similarly Good News Translation).

He shapes it with hammers: After the metal is hot, the blacksmith shapes it with a hammer. In this context translators may use the singular word “hammer” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant).

And forges it with his strong arm means the blacksmith uses a lot of strength to shape the metal. Bible en français courant translates “he puts all his energy into it.” Good News Translation combines this clause with the previous one, saying “His strong arm swings a hammer to pound the metal into shape.”

He becomes hungry and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint: If the blacksmith doesn’t eat and drink in the strenuous conditions of the forge, he will grow weak. This shows he is a mere human being. The Hebrew verb rendered is faint does not refer to falling unconscious, but to growing weak and tired (see the comments on 40.28). It is parallel to his strength fails. Revised English Bible uses conditional clauses here, saying “Should he go hungry his strength fails; if he has no water to drink he feels exhausted” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), which is acceptable. Like Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation uses present tense to refer to a real situation, which is also valid: “As he works, he gets hungry, thirsty, and tired.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• The blacksmith makes a tool [or, fashions a metal image] by working metal over a fire; he shapes it with a hammer, beating it with his powerful arm. When he gets hungry, his strength begins to fail; when he gets thirsty, he grows weak.

• A blacksmith makes an axe by heating metal over a fire; he uses a hammer to beat it into shape with his strong arm. Then he becomes hungry and his energy is sapped; he becomes thirsty and he grows faint.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .