Lexical Summary maatsad: Axe, chisel, tool Original Word: מַעֲצָד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ax, tongs From an usused root meaning to hew; an axe -- ax, tongs. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition an axe NASB Translation cutting tool (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַעֲצָד noun [masculine] axe; — Jeremiah 10:3; in Isaiah 44:12 probably strike out (so Du CheHpt Skinner). Topical Lexicon Term Overview The Hebrew noun מַעֲצָד (Strong’s 4621) designates a hand-tool used in shaping wood or stone, usually by chopping or paring. Although mentioned only twice, its presence in prophetic critique lends the term a moral weight that exceeds its modest frequency. Historical Background Archaeology confirms the widespread use of iron-bladed carpenter’s tools in the monarchic period of Israel. Iron adzes and axes have been unearthed at sites such as Megiddo and Lachish, dating to the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.—the very era of Isaiah and Jeremiah. Such tools were indispensable for constructing houses, furniture, agricultural implements and, tragically, idols. By Isaiah’s day smiths fashioned blades, fitted them to wooden handles, and reheated the iron repeatedly, “wielding his strong arm” (Isaiah 44:12). The prophet deliberately invokes this routine scene to expose the futility of idolatry: the same arm that tires over the forge must later fall prostrate before its own handiwork. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Isaiah 44:12—A vivid portrayal of the smith laboring over molten metal, forging a god, using the מַעֲצָד to shape it, yet becoming hungry and faint. The passage mocks the contrast between the Creator, who never wearies (Isaiah 40:28), and the craftsman who does. Theological Significance Idolatry begins, not with kneeling, but with crafting. By spotlighting the carpenter’s implement, both prophets strip idols of any aura of transcendence. The divine indictment hinges on three observations: Thus the מַעֲצָד becomes a symbol of reversal. What should assist stewardship of creation is conscripted into rebellion against the Creator (Romans 1:23). The prophets’ sarcasm underscores the consistency of Scripture: the second commandment (Exodus 20:4) is not a sterile prohibition but a safeguard of true worship and human dignity. Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Discernment in Craft and Culture—Modern technology mirrors the ancient מַעֲצָד. Tools are value-neutral; their moral freight arises from purpose. Believers are urged to channel creativity toward service, not idolatry (Colossians 3:23-24). Related Biblical Themes • Creation versus fabrication: Genesis 1; Psalm 115:3-8 In sum, מַעֲצָד serves as a humble yet potent reminder that the hands that wield the tool must themselves yield to the hands that fashioned them. Forms and Transliterations בַּֽמַּעֲצָֽד׃ במעצד׃ מַֽעֲצָ֔ד מעצד bam·ma·‘ă·ṣāḏ bamma‘ăṣāḏ BammaaTzad ma‘ăṣāḏ ma·‘ă·ṣāḏ maaTzadLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 44:12 HEB: חָרַ֤שׁ בַּרְזֶל֙ מַֽעֲצָ֔ד וּפָעַל֙ בַּפֶּחָ֔ם NAS: iron into a cutting tool and does KJV: The smith with the tongs both worketh INT: shapes iron A cutting and does the coals Jeremiah 10:3 2 Occurrences |