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Craft Workers

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

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Among the crafts workers mentioned in the Bible are metal-workers (Exodus 31:3-4; Isaiah 44:12; Isaiah 54:16; Jeremiah 10:9; 2 Timothy 4:14), carpenters (2 Samuel 5:11; Isaiah 44:13; Mark 6:3), wood-carvers (Exodus 31:5; 1 Kings 6:32), stone-workers (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 6:7), jewellers (Exodus 28:11; Exodus 31:5), potters (Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 18:1-4), spinners and weavers (Exodus 35:25; Job 7:6; Isaiah 19:9), dyers (Exodus 26:1; 2 Chronicles 2:7; Acts 16:14), tanners (Exodus 26:14; Matthew 3:4; Acts 9:43) and tent-makers (Genesis 4:20; Acts 18:3). Tools that these craft workers used are also mentioned occasionally (Genesis 4:22; 1 Samuel 13:20; 1 Kings 6:7; 1 Kings 7:9; 2 Kings 6:5; Isaiah 41:7; Jeremiah 23:29).

People of the same craft, along with their families, usually lived in the same part of a town or village (1 Chronicles 4:21; Nehemiah 11:35). Their common interests naturally produced a strong social bond. This was well demonstrated on one occasion in Ephesus. When Paul’s preaching resulted in many idol worshippers being converted, the silversmiths saw him as a threat to their livelihood and used their collective power to oppose him vigorously (Acts 19:24-27). See also WORK.