Isaiah 46 — with JFB Commentary
The King James text with the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary (1871, public domain) directly beneath the verses it explains. Verses without a JFB note stand alone.
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1Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
CHAPTER 46
Is 46:1-13. Babylon's Idols Could Not Save Themselves, Much Less Her. But God Can and Will Save Israel: Cyrus Is His Instrument.
1. Bel--the same as the Phoenician Baal, that is, lord, the chief god of Babylon; to it was dedicated the celebrated tower of Babylon, in the center of one of the two parts into which the city was divided, the palace being in the center of the other. Identical with the sun, worshipped on turrets, housetops, and other high places, so as to be nearer the heavenly hosts (Saba) (Jr 19:13; 32:29; Zep 1:5). Gesenius identifies Bel with the planet Jupiter, which, with the planet Venus (under the name Astarte or Astaroth), was worshipped in the East as the god of fortune, the most propitious star to be born under (see on Is 65:11). According to the Apocryphal book, Bel and the Dragon, Bel was cast down by Cyrus.
boweth ... stoopeth--falleth prostrate (Is 10:4; 1Sa 5:3, 4; Psa 20:8).
Nebo--the planet Mercury or Hermes, in astrology. The scribe of heaven, answering to the Egyptian Anubis. The extensive worship of it is shown by the many proper names compounded of it: Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuzar-adan, Nabonassar, &c.
were upon--that is, were a burden (supplied from the following clause) upon. It was customary to transport the gods of the vanquished to the land of the conquerors, who thought thereby the more effectually to keep down the subject people (1Sa 5:1, &c.; Jr 48:7; 49:3; Da 11:8).
carriages--in the Old English sense of the things carried, the images borne by you: the lading (Ac 21:15), "carriages," not the vehicles, but the baggage. Or, the images which used to be carried by you formerly in your solemn processions [Maurer].
were heavy loaden--rather, are put as a load on the beasts of burden [Maurer]. Horsley translates, "They who should have been your carriers (as Jehovah is to His people, Is 46:3, 4) are become burdens" (see on Is 46:4).
2They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
2. deliver--from the enemies' hands.
burden--their images laid on the beasts (Is 46:1).
themselves--the gods, here also distinguished from their images.
3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
3. in contrast to what precedes: Babylon's idols, so far from bearing its people safely are themselves borne off, a burden to the laden beast; but Jehovah bears His people in safety even from the womb to old age (Is 63:9; De 32:11; Psa 71:6, 18). God compares Himself to a nurse tenderly carrying a child; contrast Moses' language (Nu 11:12).
4And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
4. old age--As "your"--"you"--"you," are not in the Hebrew, the sentiment is more general than English Version, though of course it includes the Jews from the infancy to the more advanced age of their history (Is 47:6).
I am he--that is, the same (Psa 102:27; Joh 8:24; He 13:8).
I will bear ... carry--Not only do I not need to be borne and carried Myself, as the idols (Is 46:1).
5To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
5. (Is 40:18, 25).
6They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
6. (Is 40:19, 20; 41:7.) They lavish gold out of their purses and spare no expense for their idol. Their profuseness shames the niggardliness of professors who worship God with what cost them nothing. Sin is always a costly service.
7They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in 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 him out of his trouble.
7. cry ... can ... not ... save--(Is 45:20, with which contrast Is 45:19).
8Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
8. show yourselves men--Renounce the childishness of idolatry as shown in what precedes (1Co 14:20; 16:13; Ep 4:14). In order to be manly we must be godly; for man was made "in the image of God," and only rises to his true dignity when joined to God; virtue is derived from the Latin vir, "a man."
bring ... to mind--rather, "lay it to heart."
transgressors--addressed to the idolaters among the Jews.
9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
9. former--namely, proofs of the sole Godship of Jehovah, from predictions fulfilled, and interpositions of God in behalf of Israel (Is 45:5).
10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
10. (Is 45:21; 41:22, 23; 44:26).
yet--not in the Hebrew. Translate, "What had not been done" [Horsley].
do all my pleasure--(Is 53:10; Ro 9:19).
11Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
11. ravenous bird--Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on Is 41:2; Is 41:25; Jr 49:22; Eze 17:3). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenophon, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit).
executeth my counsel--(Is 44:28; 45:13). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief.
purposed ... also do it--(Is 43:13).
12Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
12. stout-hearted--stubborn in resisting God (Psa 76:5; Ac 7:51).
far from righteousness--(Is 59:9; Ha 2:4).
13I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
13. near--antithetical to "far" (Is 46:12; Is 51:5; 56:1; 61:10, 11; Ro 10:6-8).
righteousness--answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause; therefore it means here, "my righteous deliverance"; righteous, because proving the truth of God's promises, and so contrived as to not compromise, but vindicate, His righteousness (Is 42:21; Ro 3:26).
Zion ... my glory--rather, "I will give salvation in Zion; to Israel (I will give) my glory" [Horsley]. (Is 63:11; Psa 14:7; Lu 2:32).