Smith

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An artificer in brass, iron, etc., first mentioned in  Genesis 4:22 . The art of the smith is one of the essential of civilization; and without it a nation was peculiarly defenseless in time of war,  Judges 5:8   1 Samuel 13:19-22   2 Kings 24:14 . Workers in silver and in copper were distinguished from each other,  Acts 19:24   2 Timothy 4:14 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The well-known worker in metal. When the Philistines were oppressing Israel we read "there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears." Thus the people of God were unarmed before their enemies. They had to resort to the Philistines even to sharpen their agricultural tools.  1 Samuel 13:19,20 . This was different afterwards, for when the people were carried into captivity, smiths are named among the captives.  2 Kings 24:14,16 .

King James Dictionary

Smith n.

1. Literally, the striker, the beater hence, one who forges with the hammer one who works in metals as an iron-smith gold-smith silver-smith, &c. Nor yet the smith hath learn'd to form a sword. 2. He that makes or effects any thing.

Hence the name Smith, which, from the number of workmen employed in working metals in early ages, is supposed to be more common than any other.

SMITH, To beat into shape to forge. Not in use.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) One who forges with the hammer; one who works in metals; as, a blacksmith, goldsmith, silversmith, and the like.

(2): ( n.) One who makes or effects anything.

(3): ( n.) To beat into shape; to forge.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Smith. See Handicraft .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 13:19 2 Kings 24:16

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

SMITH . See Arts and Crafts, § 2 .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( חָרָשׁ , Charash ) , A Workman in stone, wood, or metal, like the Lat . Faber, but sometimes, more accurately defined by what follows, as חָרִשׁ בִּרְזֶל , a workman in iron, a smith; Sept. Τέκτων , Τέκτων Σιδήρου , Χαλκεύς , Τεχνίτης ; Vulg. Faber and Faberfjrrari-Us ( 1 Samuel 13:19;  Isaiah 44:12;  Isaiah 54:16;  2 Kings 24:14;  Jeremiah 24:1;  Jeremiah 29:2). In  2 Chronicles 24:12 "workers in iron and brass" are mentioned, The first smith mentioned in Scripture is Tubal-cain, whom some writers, arguing from the similarity of the names, identify with Vulcan (Gerh. Vossius, De Orig. Idolol. 1, 16). He is said to have been "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron" ( Genesis 4:22), or, perhaps more properly, a whetter or sharpener of every instrument of copper or iron. So Montanus, "acuentem omne artificium eris et ferri;" Sept. Σφυροκόπος Χαλκεὺς Χαλκοῦ Καὶ Σιδήρου ; Vulg. "fuit malleator et faber in cuncta opera seris et ferri." Josephus says that he first of all invented the art of making brass ( Ant. 1, 2, 2). As the art of the smith is one of the first essentials to civilization, the mention of its founder was worthy of a place among the other fathers of inventions. So requisite was the trade of a smith in ancient warfare that conquerors removed these artisans from a vanquished nation, in order the more effectually to disable it. Thus the Philistines deprived the Hebrews of their smiths ( 1 Samuel 13:19; comp.  Judges 5:8). So Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, treated them in later times ( 2 Kings 24:14;  Jeremiah 24:1;  Jeremiah 29:2). With these instances the commentators compare the stipulation of Porsenna with the Roman people after the expulsion of their kings "Ne ferro, nisi in agricultura, uterentur" (Pliny, Hist. Nat. 31, 14). Cyrus treated the Lydians in the same manner (Herodotus, 1, 142). (See Handicraft).

מִסְגֵּר , Masger, Smith, occurs in  2 Kings 24:14;  2 Kings 24:16; Sept. Συγκλείων ;  Jeremiah 24:1;  Jeremiah 29:2; Vulg. Clusor, or Inclusor. Buxtorf gives "claustrarius, faber ferrarius." The root סגר , To Close, indicates artisans "with busy hammers closing rivets up," which suits the context better than other renderings, as setters of precious stones, seal engravers, etc.:

In the New Test. we meet with Demetrius, "the silversmith," at Ephesus, Ἀργυροκόπος , "a worker in silver;" Vulg. Argentarius ; but the commentators are not agreed whether he was a manufacturer of small silver models of the Temple of Diana, Ναοὺς Ἀργυροῦς , or, at least, of the chapel which contained the famous statue of the goddess, to be sold to foreigners, or used in private devotion, or taken with them by travelers as a safeguard; or whether he made large coins representing the temple and image. Beza, Scaliger, and others understand a coiner or mint master (see Kuinol, ad loc.). That the word may signify a silver founder is clear from the Sept. rendering of  Jeremiah 6:29. From Plutarch ( Opp. 9, 301, 473, ed. Reisk.) and Hesychius it appears that the word signifies any worker in silver or money. A Coppersmith named Alexander is mentioned as an opponent of Paul ( 2 Timothy 4:14).

Other Heb. terms substantially indicating the handicraft of a smith are: לוֹטֵשׁ , Lotesh ; Sept. Σφυροκόπος ; Vulg. Malleator, a Hammerer (A.V. "instructor"); a term applied to Tubal-cain in  Genesis 4:22 (see Gesen. Thesaur. p. 530, 755; Saalschutz, Arch. Hebr. 1, 143); and, הוֹלֵ , Holem ; Sept. Ὁ Τύπτων , he that smites (A.V. "smootheth") the anvil ( פִּעִ ם , Σφῦρα , Incus ) ,  Isaiah 41:7, A description of a smith's workshop is given in Ecclus. 28:28. (See Mechanic).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

The word so rendered literally signifies a workman in stone, wood, or metal, but is sometimes more accurately defined by what follows. The first smith mentioned in Scripture is Tubal-Cain, whom some writers, arguing from the similarity of the names, identify with Vulcan. He is said to have been 'an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron' , or perhaps more properly, a whetter or sharpener of every instrument of copper or iron. As the art of the smith is one of the first essentials to civilization, the mention of its founder was worthy of a place among the other fathers of inventions. So requisite was the trade of a smith in ancient warfare, that conquerors removed these artisans from a vanquished nation, in order the more effectually to disable it. Thus the Philistines deprived the Hebrews of their smiths (; comp. ). So Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, treated them in later times (;; ). In the New Testament we meet with Demetrius, 'the silversmith,' at Ephesus; but the commentators are not agreed whether he was a manufacturer of small silver models of the Temple of Diana, or at least of the chapel which contained the famous statue of the goddess, to be sold to foreigners, or used in private devotion, or taken with them by travelers as a safeguard; or whether he made large coins representing the temple and image. A coppersmith named Alexander is mentioned as an opponent of St. Paul [[[Coal; Iron; Metals]]]