One skilled worker makes a statue of a god. Another covers it with gold. The first worker says to the second,“ You have done a good job.” Another worker smooths out the metal with a hammer. Still another gives the statue its final shape. The one who hammers says to the one who shapes,“ You have done a good job.” Then they nail the statue down so it won’t fall over.

木匠勉励银匠，用锤打光的勉励打砧的，论焊工说：“焊得好”；又用钉子钉稳，免得偶像动摇。

木匠鼓励银匠，用锤子打光的鼓励打砧的，对焊工说：“焊得好！”又用钉子钉稳，免得它倒下。

木匠鼓励银匠，用锤子打光的鼓励打砧的，对焊工说：“焊得好！”又用钉子钉稳，免得它倒下。

工匠鼓励银匠，打磨的勉励打砧的，说，‘打得好！’他们用钉子把偶像钉牢，免得摇晃。

木匠坚固金匠，用锤打光金属的，鼓励打砧的；论銲工说：“銲得好！”又用钉子钉稳了。使偶像不致动摇。

匠人鼓励工匠，用锤子打平金属的鼓励用锤子打砧的，论到焊接的说：“焊得好！”他们又用钉子把偶像钉稳，使它不会摇动。

木匠勉勵銀匠，用鎚打光的勉勵打砧的，論銲工說，銲得好；又用釘子釘穩，免得偶像動搖。

木匠鼓勵銀匠，用鎚子打光的鼓勵打砧的，對銲工說：「銲得好！」又用釘子釘穩，免得它倒下。

木匠鼓勵銀匠，用鎚子打光的鼓勵打砧的，對銲工說：「銲得好！」又用釘子釘穩，免得它倒下。

工匠鼓勵銀匠，打磨的勉勵打砧的，說，『打得好！』他們用釘子把偶像釘牢，免得搖晃。

木匠堅固金匠，用鎚打光金屬的，鼓勵打砧的；論銲工說：“銲得好！”又用釘子釘穩了。使偶像不致動搖。

木匠鼓勵銀匠，用鎚打光滑的、鼓勵用鎚打砧的，論銲工說：『銲得好』；他們使用釘子釘穩，使偶像不動搖。

匠人鼓勵工匠，用錘子打平金屬的鼓勵用錘子打砧的，論到焊接的說：「焊得好！」他們又用釘子把偶像釘穩，使它不會搖動。

木工勉金工、司錘磨光者、勉擊砧者、論銲工曰、銲則善矣、遂釘之以釘、使不動搖、○

木工、金工、細工、粗工、無不相助為理、使金互相銜接、釘之以釘、不能搖撼。

木工勉金工、以鎚治光者勉擊碪者、亦必言、莫若釬為善、以釘釘堅、使不搖撼、

The metalworker encourages the goldsmith, and the one who smooths with the hammer spurs on the one who strikes the anvil. One says of the welding,“ It is good.” The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.

The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering,“ It is good”; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil.“ Good,” they say.“ It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who flattens with the hammer encourages the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering,“ It is good.” He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.

So the craftsman encourages the smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering,“ It is good”; And he fastens it with nails, So that it will not totter.

So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying,“ It is ready for the soldering”; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter.

So the carpenter encourageth the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smiteth the anvil, saying of the soldering, It is good; and he fasteneth it with nails, that it should not be moved.

The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who flattens with the hammer supports the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering,“ It is good.” He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.

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.

The craftsman encourages the metalsmith, the one who wields the hammer encourages the one who pounds on the anvil. He approves the quality of the welding, and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering,“ It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

Will you compare him with a statue of a god? Anyone who works with metal can make a statue. Then another worker covers it with gold and makes silver chains for it.But someone who is too poor to bring that kind of offering will choose some wood that won’t rot. Then they look for a skilled worker. They pay the worker to make a statue of a god that won’t fall over.

The five men who had looked over the land went inside. They took the statue covered with silver. They also took the family gods and the linen apron. During that time, the priest stood at the entrance of the gate. The 600 men stood there with him. They were prepared for battle.When the five men went into Micah’s house and took all those things, the priest spoke to them. He asked,“ What are you doing?”

Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish. Gold is brought from Uphaz. People skilled in working with wood and gold make a statue. Then they put blue and purple clothes on it. The whole thing is made by skilled workers.

The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.Others decorate it with silver and gold. They use a hammer to nail it to the floor. They want to keep it from falling down.The statues of their gods can’t speak. They are like scarecrows in a field of cucumbers. Their statues have to be carried around because they can’t walk. So do not be afraid of their gods. They can’t do you any harm. And they can’t do you any good either.”

Some people pour out gold from their bags. They weigh out silver on the scales. They hire someone who works with gold to make it into a god. They bow down to it and worship it.They lift it up on their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place, and there it stands. It can’t move from that spot. Someone might cry out to it. But it does not answer. It can’t save them from their troubles.

He replied,“ You took away the gods I made. And you took away my priest. What do I have left? So how can you ask,‘ What’s the matter with you?’ ”

A blacksmith gets his tool. He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals. He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god. He forms it with his powerful arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He doesn’t drink any water. He gets weaker and weaker.A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line. He draws a pattern on it with a marker. He cuts out a statue with sharp tools. He marks it with compasses. He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being. He does this so he can put it in a temple.He cuts down a cedar tree. Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree. It might be a tree that grew in the forest. Or it might be a pine tree he planted. And the rain made it grow.A man gets wood from trees to burn. He uses some of it to warm himself. He starts a fire and bakes bread. But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it. He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue. It was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura near the city of Babylon.Then the king sent for the royal rulers, high officials and governors. He sent for the advisers, treasurers, judges and court officers. And he sent for all the other officials of Babylon. He asked them to come to a special gathering to honor the statue he had set up.So the royal rulers, high officials and governors came together. So did the advisers, treasurers, judges and court officers. All the other officials joined them. They came to honor the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of it.Then a messenger called out loudly,“ Listen, you people who come from every nation! Pay attention, you who speak other languages! Here is what the king commands you to do.You will soon hear the sound of horns and flutes. You will hear zithers, lyres, harps and pipes. In fact, you will hear all kinds of music. When you do, you must fall down and worship the gold statue. That is the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.If you don’t, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace right away.”All the people heard the sound of the horns and flutes. They heard the zithers, lyres, harps and other musical instruments. As soon as they did, they fell down and worshiped Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. They were people from all nations no matter what language they spoke.