Koshar in the Bible: Understanding the Ancient Craftsman God
The ancient world was filled with deities who presided over every sphere of life—war, fertility, wisdom, the underworld, storms, healing, and the arts. Among them stood Koshar (Ugaritic Kotharu, Kothar-wa-Hasis), the renowned craftsman god of Ugarit and its surrounding cultures. Though Koshar does not appear directly in the Hebrew Bible, learning about him sheds light on the ancient worldview the Scriptures actively confront. Understanding Koshar offers insight into how biblical writers distinguished the Lord from the gods of Israel’s neighbors and how the Bible presents a radically different picture of craftsmanship, wisdom, and divine power.
Koshar emerges in Ugaritic literature as the artisan deity par excellence—a builder of palaces, a forger of weapons, a musician, and a diviner. He appears across myths, personal names, temple rituals, and linguistic echoes that continued into Phoenician and Punic culture. Some scholars have attempted to find traces of Koshar in Scripture, but these attempts remain speculative. Still, his story helps illuminate the stark contrast between the Lord who creates by speaking (Genesis 1) and the gods who must fashion their works by labor and craft.
Koshar as the Master Craftsman of Ugaritic Myth
Koshar’s identity is closely tied to skill, craftsmanship, architecture, and artistry. In Ugaritic texts, he appears under epithets such as:
“Skillful and cunning”
“The deft one who works with his hands”
“Wise craftsman”
These titles appear in parallel phrases common in Semitic poetry, evoking a deity whose creative work is grounded in technique, labor, and precision. Koshar functions in multiple roles:
1. Architect
In the Baal Cycle, Koshar constructs the cosmic palace of Baal, equipping it with windows for releasing storms and sending forth lightning. His architectural role situates him among the gods who shape the world by building rather than by sovereign decree.
2. Artisan and Metallurgist
Koshar forges magical weapons, creates ornate objects, and fashions ritual tools. His artisan role shows how the ancient world viewed craftsmanship as sacred, even divine.
3. Musician and Diviner
In some texts, Koshar plays instruments and performs rituals associated with prophecy or spiritual insight. This combination reinforces the ancient belief that art, music, and craft existed as pathways to the divine realm.
These roles suggest that craftsmanship itself belonged to the domain of the gods, unlike in the Bible where craftsmanship is a gift given by the Creator to human beings for His glory (Exodus 31:1–6).
Koshar and His Identification with Other Ancient Deities
Koshar appears in the Ugaritic pantheon, but his influence extended across cultures. Ugaritic, Akkadian, Phoenician, Neo-Punic, and even early Arabic traditions preserve forms of his name.
He is often identified with:
Ea (Enki) — the Mesopotamian god of crafts and wisdom
Egyptian craft deities through cultural parallels
Phoenician Chousor, the artisan god described in later mythic histories
This widespread influence underscores the ancient Near Eastern belief that the arts and technologies—metallurgy, architecture, musical composition—were sacred activities bestowed by divine beings.
By contrast, Scripture presents all such abilities as empowered directly by the Spirit of the Lord (Exodus 35:30–35), not by a lesser deity assigned to craftsmanship.
Does Koshar Appear in the Bible?
Some have proposed that Koshar is concealed behind verses such as:
Proverbs 31:19
Ezekiel 33:32
The name Cushan-Rishathaim (Judges 3:8, 10)
However, none of these proposals withstand linguistic or textual scrutiny.
Why these claims fall short:
Proverbs 31:19 uses vocabulary best translated as distaff and spindle—ordinary textile terms, not theonyms.
Ezekiel 33:32 refers to “love songs,” not to a musician deity.
Cushan-Rishathaim contains the consonant resh, not the expected consonantal pattern for Koshar.
Therefore, while Koshar shaped the religious imagination of Israel’s neighbors, the biblical text does not include or reference him—not even as a polemical target.
This silence reveals something important: Scripture does not dignify every ancient deity with mention. Instead, the Bible draws a clear contrast between the Creator and the idols—no matter how elaborate their mythologies or how esteemed their craftsman gods.
Koshar and Biblical Theology of Craftsmanship
Learning about Koshar provides a rich backdrop for biblical theology. The Bible affirms craftsmanship, artistry, and skill, but it attributes them not to a divine artisan beneath the Creator, but to YHWH Himself and to His Spirit-gifted servants.
Scripture’s view of craftsmanship includes:
God as the ultimate Maker — He alone forms the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 102:25).
Wisdom as divine, not mythical — YHWH creates by wisdom (Proverbs 3:19–20; Psalm 104:24).
Spirit-empowered artisans — Bezalel and Oholiab are filled with the Spirit for the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1–6).
No divine intermediaries — There is no craft-god within biblical faith. Creation is the work of God alone.
This distinction is vital. While Koshar is a skilled divine technician, the God of Israel creates by effortless command. He does not fashion worlds through labor, metallurgy, or architectural effort. His word alone summons creation into existence (Psalm 33:6–9).
Koshar’s Limited Power and the Bible’s Vision of the True Creator
The mythology surrounding Koshar paints him as powerful in the realm of craft, but not sovereign. His work supports Baal’s kingship rather than expressing his own authority. In Ugaritic literature, deities have specialized roles—storm gods, sea gods, sun gods, craftsmen—but no one god rules all.
The Bible’s worldview is the opposite.
The Lord alone is Creator (Isaiah 44:24).
He alone gives wisdom and skill (Exodus 31:3; Daniel 2:21).
He alone rules heaven and earth (Psalm 97:1–6).
Human artisans reflect His creative image (Genesis 1:27–28) but do not depend on lesser deities.
This theological framework undermines the very basis of Koshar’s divine identity. In the biblical worldview, skill does not come from a craftsman god but from the Spirit of the Lord who equips His people for work in the world and service in His dwelling place.
The Gospel Connection: Jesus as the True Builder
If Koshar stands as a mythical architect and artisan, the New Testament presents Jesus as the true and greater builder:
Jesus builds the new temple, His body and His people (John 2:19–21; Ephesians 2:19–22).
Jesus is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), fulfilling what ancient cultures sought in their artisan gods.
Jesus is the One through whom all things were made (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).
Jesus is the cornerstone on whom the entire household of God rests (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11).
Where Koshar fashions tools and palaces for competing deities, Jesus fashions a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Where Koshar equips kings and gods with weapons, Jesus disarms rulers and authorities through the cross (Colossians 2:15). The longing for a divine craftsman is fulfilled not in a localized artisan deity but in the cosmic Lord who makes all things new.
Conclusion
Koshar stands as a fascinating window into the religious world surrounding ancient Israel—a craftsman god esteemed by Ugaritians, Phoenicians, and others as the divine source of skill, artistry, and craftsmanship. His mythic role highlights the sharp distinction between Israel’s God and the gods of the nations. The Scriptures reveal a Creator who does not need artisans, helpers, or intermediaries. He creates by His word, forms a people by His covenant, and builds a temple made of living stones through His Son.
Koshar’s story reminds modern readers that ancient gods, no matter how impressive their stories, cannot rival the one true Maker of heaven and earth.
Bible Verses About Koshar and Craftsmen in Scripture
“By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.” (Proverbs 3:19)
“In wisdom you have made them all.” (Psalm 104:24)
“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” (Exodus 31:3)
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)
“The Lord by his wisdom founded the earth.” (Proverbs 3:19)
“Through him all things were made.” (John 1:3)
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
“We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:10)
“Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth.” (Isaiah 65:17)
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame.” (Colossians 2:15)
