THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH

Isaiah 46

1The idols of Babylon could not save themselves from captivity. 3God saveth his people to the end. 5Idols are not to be compared with God, who declareth beforehand the purposes which he executeth. 12His salvation is near at hand.


1BEL1 boweth down, 2Nebo stoopeth, 3their 4idols 5were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: 6your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.

1Bel is the name of the most important idol of the Babylonians. See Dan. 1:2 in the annotation. When the city of Babel was taken by the Persians, then were also the gods of the Babylonians destroyed, and as it were carried away captive to Persia.

2Nebo is also the name of an idol among the Babylonians.

3 Namely, of the Babylonians.

4 Hebr. their sorrows, because the idols occasioned sorrows to those who serve and worship them.

5 That is, they are laden upon beasts and cattle, namely, that they might carry them into Persia.

6 The meaning is: The burden bearing beasts, which the Persians shall make use of for the transportation of your idols, shall be therewith so heavy loaded, that they shall grow weary of them.

2They stoop, they bow down 7together; 8they could not deliver the burden, but 9themselves 10are gone into captivity.

7 The meaning is: They, namely the idols of Babel, were not able to hinder the Persians from carrying away a great prey out of Babylon, yea, they themselves must also go into captivity, such goodly, powerful gods are they. Others understand it thus: The burden bearing beasts that carried the images, were so extremely laden therewith, that they went crooked and bowed down.

8 Namely, the idols, or the Babylonians.

9 Hebr. their soul, that is, they themselves; also Isa. 47:14.

10 That is, they shall be carried away captive to Persia.

3¶Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, 11which are borne by me 12from the belly, which are carried 13from the womb:

11 That is, for whom I continually take care, whose Defense and Protection I have always been. See Exod. 19:4; Deut. 1:31; 32:11; Psalm 22:10; 71:6.

12 Or, from the mother’s belly. The sense is: I have been troubled with you, as a mother is troubled with her child, and have defended you and provided for you from your first beginning.

13 That is, as soon as you were born.

4And even 14to your old age I am he; and even to hoara hairs will I 15carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will 16deliver you.

14 That is, until ye shall be grown old and gray.

a grey or white with age*

15 As a mother or nurse carries her young babe, that is, I will provide well for you.

16 Namely, out of the Babylonian captivity, or out of all distress.

5¶Tob whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

b Isa. 40:18, 25.

617They 18lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in 19the balance, and hire 20a goldsmith; and he maketh it 21a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.

17 Namely, the idolaters.

18 Or, They waste it unprofitably. The Hebrew word signifies properly: to lavish away money in great abundance, as making no great pains of it, or making no account of it, so that here is set forth the folly and madness of idolaters and their senselessness.

19 Or, beam of the balance, or, tongue of the balance.

20 Hebr. a smelter, as Isa. 41:7.

21 That is, unto an idol.

7Theyc bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him 22in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save 23him out of his trouble.

c Isa. 45:20.

22 Hebr. under himself.

23 Namely, the idolater.

8Remember 24this, and 25shew yourselves men: 26bring it again to mind, 27O ye transgressors.

24 Or, to this, or, of this.

25 Or, behave your selves manfully, or, be established; take heed ye be not deceived, nor moved or brought to serve and worship idols through fear or by the example of the Babylonians.

26 Or, bring it again into the heart of the transgressors.

27 Who forsake My covenant, and permit yourselves to be seduced by idolaters.

9Remember 28the former things 29of old: for I am God, and thered is none else; I am God, and there is none 30like me,

28 Namely, the mercies and miracles which I have formerly shown unto you or to My church.

29 The sentence would be fuller thus: which were done of ancient times.

d Isa. 45:5, 14, 18, 21, 22; 48:12.

30 Or, equal to me.

1031Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, Mye counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

31 That is, I, Who foretells future things a great while before they are done, make it thereby appear that I alone am the true God.

e Psalm 33:11; Prov. 19:21; 21:30; Heb. 6:17.

11Calling a 32ravenous bird 33from the east, 34the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have 35purposed it, I will also do it.

32 Understand Cyrus, who shall come very quickly with his army from Persia into Babylon and spoil them, as if he flew and were a bird of a swift flight.

33 Namely, from Persia, which was situated eastward from the Babylonians.

34 That is, a man, who shall perform and execute My counsel, shall waste and destroy Babel, and shall deliver My people out of captivity.

35 Namely, in My mind, or in My secret counsel; I have purposed it; I have resolved or intended it for Me.

12¶Hearken unto me, 36ye stouthearted, 37that are far from righteousness:

36 Or, the stout, willful, stiff-necked, obstinate in heart, ye malicious Jews.

37 As if God said: Ye who are altogether unworthy of My grace, because ye do not seriously mind piety and true godliness as it should be done.

1338I bring near 39my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and 40my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion 41for Israel my glory.

38 Or, I shall bring, or, I have brought, and often by the prophets, who by reason of the certainty of their prophecies do oftentimes speak of a thing that is to come as if it were already done and accomplished.

39 That is, the work of My righteousness, namely, the deliverance of My people from captivity in Babylon, and consequently their redemption by the Lord Christ from their spiritual misery. See Isa. 45:8.

40 That is, the deliverance which I shall prove to My people, redeeming and delivering them out of captivity.

41 That is, such a deliverance whereby My people of Israel shall be greatly glorified. Other, for my glory, namely, which shall be published and extolled publicly by this glorious work of redemption. Other, for Israel’s sake, which is my glory.