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The Prophets · Old Testament

Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46: Bel and Nebo carried into captivity while the Lord carries Jacob

General context

The chapter begins with Bel bowing down and Nebo stooping. Their idols are loaded on beasts and cattle as heavy burdens, and the text says they could not deliver the burden but have themselves gone into captivity. The Lord then addresses the house of Jacob and the remnant of the house of Israel as those he has carried from the womb, and promises to carry them even to old age and grey hairs. He asks to whom they will liken him. He describes people lavishing gold, weighing silver, hiring a goldsmith, and worshipping the result; they carry the god on their shoulders, set it in its place, and it cannot move, answer or save. The transgressors are told to remember this and bring it to mind. The Lord says he declares the end from the beginning, that his counsel shall stand, and that he is calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes his counsel from a far country, and will bring it to pass. He closes by addressing the stouthearted who are far from righteousness, saying his righteousness is near, his salvation shall not tarry, and he will place salvation in Zion for Israel his glory.

Cited passages: Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Isaiah 46:3, Isaiah 46:4, Isaiah 46:5, Isaiah 46:6, Isaiah 46:7, Isaiah 46:8, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 46:11, Isaiah 46:12, Isaiah 46:13

Isaiah 46 (KJV)

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.

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

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:

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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:

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.

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

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.

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Historical context

Bel and Nebo are named at the opening and described only as idols loaded on beasts and taken into captivity; the chapter does not say whose gods they are, though the following chapter addresses the daughter of Babylon and the Chaldeans. The speaker throughout is the Lord, who says I am God, and there is none else. The addressees are named in stages: the house of Jacob and the remnant of the house of Israel, then the transgressors, then the stouthearted that are far from righteousness. The man that executes the Lord's counsel from a far country is not named in this chapter; the previous chapter names Cyrus, and an earlier chapter speaks of one raised up from the east, but this chapter leaves the figure as a ravenous bird from the east. The text gives no date, no place and no account of the captivity of the idols beyond the single line that they are gone into captivity. It does not say who carries them away. Salvation is placed in Zion, but nothing in this chapter describes a return or a journey; the promise is stated, not narrated.

Cited passages: Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Isaiah 47:1, Isaiah 46:9, Isaiah 46:3, Isaiah 46:8, Isaiah 46:12, Isaiah 46:11, Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 41:2, Isaiah 46:13

Literary context

The chapter turns on one verb: to carry. The idols of Bel and Nebo are carried by weary beasts and are a burden; the house of Jacob is carried by the Lord from the womb to old age. Worshippers bear their god on the shoulder and set him where he cannot move; the Lord says I will bear, I will carry, I will deliver. The idol cannot answer when one cries to him; the Lord says he declares the end from the beginning. The chapter is built in short paired sections, each ending in a claim: the idols fall (verses 1 and 2), Jacob is carried (3 and 4), a question (5), the making of a god (6 and 7), a call to remember (8 to 11), and salvation drawn near (12 and 13). The two calls to hearken, at verses 3 and 12, open the two addresses to the Lord's own people. The refrain there is none else carries over from the previous chapter, and the words near and far are set against each other at the close: the stouthearted are far from righteousness, but the Lord brings his righteousness near and says it shall not be far off.

Cited passages: Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:3, Isaiah 46:4, Isaiah 46:7, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 46:5, Isaiah 46:8, Isaiah 46:9, Isaiah 45:22, Isaiah 46:12, Isaiah 46:13

Key moments

  1. Bel and Nebo loaded on beasts (Isaiah 46:1). The idols of Bel and Nebo are carried as heavy burdens on weary animals.
  2. Carried from the womb to old age (Isaiah 46:4). The Lord promises to carry the house of Jacob even to grey hairs.
  3. A god that cannot answer (Isaiah 46:7). The made god is set in its place and cannot move, answer or save.
  4. The end declared from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). The Lord says his counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure.
  5. A ravenous bird from the east (Isaiah 46:11). The Lord says he is calling a man from a far country to execute his counsel.
  6. Salvation placed in Zion (Isaiah 46:13). The Lord tells the stouthearted his righteousness is near and salvation will not tarry.

For reflection

The gods in this chapter have to be carried and set down, and the people are told they themselves have been carried from the womb. Which things in a life are being carried, and which are doing the carrying, and how would a person tell the difference?

People in this chapter