In this verse skilled workers encourage each other as they fashion and set up an idol. Several translations refer explicitly to an idol even though the Hebrew text leaves it implicit (for example, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Other languages may find this helpful.

The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil: There is some uncertainty regarding the exact nature of some of the specific tasks in these two lines. There are probably four different people in view here, so translators may refer to four separate tasks involving work on metal and wood. The less attractive alternative is to see synonymous parallelism in these lines, with The craftsman being the same person as he who smooths with the hammer, and the goldsmith the same as him who strikes the anvil.

The Hebrew word translated craftsman is a general term for anyone who works with his hands to fashion objects (see the comments on 40.19, where it is rendered “workman”). It can refer to a metal worker, a carpenter, or a stonemason. The Hebrew term for goldsmith is more specific, referring to anyone who works with metal, especially gold or silver (see the comments on 40.19). He who smooths with the hammer refers to someone who beats metal repeatedly with a hammer to make it flat. The meaning of the Hebrew verb translated smooths is not certain; it is determined by the context. It may be rendered “beats smooth” or “flattens.” If languages require an object for this verb, they may add “the metal” (New Century Version; see also the examples below). The Hebrew word for hammer refers to the heavy hammer of a blacksmith, not the smaller one of a carpenter, but such a distinction will be difficult to make in many languages. Him who strikes the anvil is one possible translation of the Hebrew text. An anvil is a heavy, flat object made of metal, on which other metal is hammered to smooth it or shape it. But the Hebrew word here may also refer to a small hammer, so Good News Translation renders the whole clause as “the one who nails it together.” We prefer the idea of an anvil in this context of metalworking. For the second line Bible en français courant says “the one who flattens the metal encourages in turn the worker who works at the anvil.” In languages that do not have a word for anvil, a possible rendering is “he who hammers the metal to make it smooth encourages the one who beats it [or, the metal] into shape.”

The Hebrew verb rendered encourages is the same one translated “Take courage” in the previous verse. This verb is implied in the second line. He who smooths with the hammer also encourages him who strikes the anvil. Some languages may find it helpful to repeat this verb or to use a synonym in the second line (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant; see also the examples below).

Saying of the soldering, “It is good”: The person who flattens the metal is speaking here to the one who shapes it, saying the soldering work on the metal of the idol is good. Soldering is joining pieces of metal together with a metal alloy. For languages that do not have a term for soldering, translators may render this line as “Looking at the way the metal is joined together, he says, ‘This is good!’” or more simply “and he says, ‘This metal is joined together very well!’” For languages that prefer indirect speech here, another possible model is “he says [to him] that the metal is joined together very well.” It is good may be an ironic comment since these same words describe God’s handiwork at creation (see, for example, Gen 1.10, 12, 18).

And they fasten it with nails so that it cannot be moved: With a note of irony, God says the craftsmen nail the idol to the floor so it cannot topple (see 40.20). Fasten renders the same Hebrew verb as the one translated encourages. Here it refers to fixing the idol in place for stability. Nails are thin pieces of metal sharpened at one end. They are used to attach pieces of wood to each other. Here they are used to attach the idol to the floor. So that it cannot be moved is better rendered “so that it cannot fall over” (similarly Contemporary English Version) or “to keep it steady” (New Jerusalem Bible).

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• The craftsman encourages the goldsmith,
and the one who hammers the metal encourages the one who shapes/beats it on the anvil;
he says that the soldering work is good.
Then they fix the idol in place with nails to stop it from toppling over.

• The metalworker encourages the goldsmith,
the one who hammers the metal encourages the one who beats it into shape.
He says of the way that the metal pieces are joined together: ‘That is good.’
Then they nail the idol in place so that it won’t fall over.

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 .