In biblical times, the role of the craftsman was highly esteemed and integral to the cultural, religious, and economic life of ancient Israel and surrounding regions. Craftsmen were skilled workers who created objects of utility, beauty, and religious significance. Their work is frequently mentioned in the Bible, highlighting their importance in the construction of sacred spaces, the creation of idols, and the production of everyday items.

Biblical References:

1. Construction of the Tabernacle and Temple:
Craftsmen played a crucial role in the construction of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem. In Exodus 31:1-5, God specifically appoints Bezalel, a skilled craftsman, to oversee the construction of the Tabernacle: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft.'"

Similarly, in the building of Solomon's Temple, skilled artisans were employed. 1 Kings 7:13-14 mentions Hiram, a craftsman from Tyre, who was brought to work on the Temple: "Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre. He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, understanding, and skill to do all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work."

2. Idolatry and False Worship:
The Bible also references craftsmen in the context of idolatry. Isaiah 44:12-13 describes the process of crafting idols, highlighting the futility of worshiping man-made objects: "The craftsman sharpens his cutting tool and works over the coals. He fashions the idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arm. He grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it in the form of a man, like a man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine."

3. Economic and Social Role:
Craftsmen were essential to the economy, providing goods and services necessary for daily life. In Acts 19:24-27, the economic impact of craftsmen is evident in the account of Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis. His livelihood was threatened by the spread of Christianity, which led to a significant social upheaval: "For a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a great deal of business for the craftsmen. Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. 'Men,' he said, 'you know that this business is our source of prosperity. And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great number of people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.'"

Skills and Attributes:

Craftsmen in biblical times were known for their skill, creativity, and attention to detail. They worked with various materials, including wood, metal, stone, and textiles. Their work required not only technical ability but also artistic vision, as seen in the intricate designs of the Tabernacle and Temple furnishings.

Spiritual Significance:

The work of craftsmen is often portrayed in the Bible as a reflection of divine creativity and order. The skills of craftsmen like Bezalel and Hiram are depicted as gifts from God, enabling them to contribute to His purposes. This divine endowment underscores the belief that human creativity and labor are part of God's design for humanity, serving both practical and spiritual functions in the community.

Whether Unbelievers May have Authority or Dominion Over the ...
... i, 2) a slave is his master's instrument in matters concerning everyday life, even
as a craftsman's laborer is his instrument in matters concerning the working ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether unbelievers may have authority.htm

Eighth Tractate. On the Intellectual Beauty.
... Suppose two blocks of stone lying side by side: one is unpatterned, quite untouched
by art; the other has been minutely wrought by the craftsman's hands into ...
/.../plotinus/the six enneads/eighth tractate on the intellectual.htm

Angel Voices, ever Singing
... O'er each work of thine; Thou didst ears and hands and voices. For thy praise combine.
Craftsman's art and music's measure. For thy pleasure didst design. ...
/.../church building and consecration 461.htm

Whether the Sacraments are the Cause of Grace?
... is not likened to the instrument but to the principal agent: for instance, the couch
is not like the axe, but like the art which is in the craftsman's mind. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the sacraments are the.htm

Whether the Evil of Fault Can be in the Angels?
... Were the craftsman's hand the rule itself engraving, he could not engrave the wood
otherwise than rightly; but if the rightness of engraving be judged by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the evil of fault.htm

The Fourth Book Discusses the Account of the Nature of the " ...
... Surely our craftsman's aim is clear,"that by the slanderous insinuation of passion
he may raise an objection to the generation of the Lord. ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 1 the fourth book.htm

Whether Formlessness of Created Matter Preceded in Time Its ...
... Spirit of God" Scripture usually means the Holy Ghost, Who is said to "move over
the waters," not, indeed, in bodily shape, but as the craftsman's will may be ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether formlessness of created matter.htm

The Absurdity and Shamefulness of the Images by which the Gods are ...
... which go to make up images. For, in sooth, the image is only dead matter
shaped by the craftsman's hand. But we have no sensible ...
/.../exhortation to the heathen/chapter iv the absurdity and shamefulness.htm

Whether the Movement of the Heavenly Bodies Will Cease?
... But potentiality to situation in a place is related to a heavenly body, as the
craftsman's potentiality to construct various houses of one kind: for if he ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the movement of the 2.htm

Traders for the Master
... The blacksmith's arm, the scout's eye, the craftsman's delicate finger, the student's
intellect, the sensualist's passions, all illustrate the law on its one ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/traders for the master.htm

Craftsman's (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Craftsman's (2 Occurrences). Deuteronomy 27:15
Cursed be the man that maketh a graven or molten image, an ...
/c/craftsman's.htm - 7k

Craftsman (23 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Craftsman (23 Occurrences). Revelation ... you. No craftsman,
of whatever craft, will be found any more at all in you. ...
/c/craftsman.htm - 13k

Craftsmanship (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The work of a craftsman. Multi-Version
Concordance Craftsmanship (4 Occurrences). Exodus 31:3 and ...
/c/craftsmanship.htm - 7k

Secretly (104 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh a graven or molten image, an
abomination to Jehovah, a work of the craftsman's hand, and putteth it up secretly ...
/s/secretly.htm - 37k

Babylonia (17 Occurrences)
... Although much of the craftsman's work is crude, there is considerable in
the sculpture and engraving that is well worthy of study. ...
/b/babylonia.htm - 75k

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