The final part of this passage (10:4f) provides the key to understanding it: the governance of the city and the state must be carried out with the patience and skill that a craftsman uses to shape his work; a good craftsman creates beautiful works, and so does a good ruler; his nation serves as a model of a dignified and just society; but, ultimately, this is nothing more than a reflection of what God is, the Great Craftsman who has wisely shaped the world and governs it.