Focused Passage

Isaiah 46:1-4

The LORD Carries His People While Idols Must Be Carried

From the humiliation of Babylon’s gods, to the LORD’s lifelong care for Israel, to the exposure of idolatry’s irrationality, to the certainty of God’s declared purpose and near salvation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.

2 The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.

4 Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Jeremiah 50:2 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 5:3 Classic cross-references Isaiah 21:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 51:44 Classic cross-references Isaiah 30:6 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:7 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 13:5 OliveGrove study links John 10:28-29 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Bel בֵּל֙ H1078 Noun - proper - masculine singular crouches כָּרַ֥ע H3766 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Nebo נְב֔וֹ H5015 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הָיוּ֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural cowers קֹרֵ֣ס H7164 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Their idols עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֔ם H6091 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural [weigh down] beasts לַחַיָּ֖ה H2416 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular and cattle וְלַבְּהֵמָ֑ה H929 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular The images you carry נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶ֣ם H5385 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural are burdensome עֲמוּס֔וֹת H6006 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural a load מַשָּׂ֖א H4853 Noun - masculine singular to the weary [animal] לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃ H5889 Preposition-l | Adjective - feminine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Jeremiah 48:7 Classic cross-references Judges 18:17 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 5:21 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 43:12 Classic cross-references Judges 18:24 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:7 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 13:5 OliveGrove study links John 10:28-29 OliveGrove study links

Original words

The gods cower קָרְס֤וּ H7164 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural they crouch כָֽרְעוּ֙ H3766 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural together יַחְדָּ֔ו H3162 Adverb vvv לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle unable יָכְל֖וּ H3201 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to relieve מַלֵּ֣ט H4422 Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct the burden מַשָּׂ֑א H4853 Noun - masculine singular but they וְנַפְשָׁ֖ם H5315 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural themselves go הָלָֽכָה׃ס H1980 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular into captivity בַּשְּׁבִ֥י H7628 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Isaiah 44:2 Classic cross-references Psalms 139:13 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 7:12 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 1:31 Classic cross-references Psalms 71:6 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:7 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 13:5 OliveGrove study links John 10:28-29 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Listen שִׁמְע֤וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural to Me אֵלַי֙ H413 Preposition | first person common singular O house בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Jacob יַעֲקֹ֔ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the remnant שְׁאֵרִ֖ית H7611 Noun - feminine singular construct of the house בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular who have been sustained הַֽעֲמֻסִים֙ H6006 Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural from מִנִּי־ H4480 Preposition the womb בֶ֔טֶן H990 Noun - feminine singular carried along הַנְּשֻׂאִ֖ים H5375 Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural since מִנִּי־ H4480 Preposition birth רָֽחַם׃ H7356 Noun - masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Psalms 71:18 Classic cross-references Psalms 48:14 Classic cross-references Psalms 68:19 Classic cross-references Hebrews 13:8 Classic cross-references Psalms 92:14 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:7 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 13:5 OliveGrove study links John 10:28-29 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Even to וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition your old age זִקְנָה֙ H2209 Noun - feminine singular I אֲנִ֣י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will be the same ה֔וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and I אֲנִ֣י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will bear you up אֶסְבֹּ֑ל H5445 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular when וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition you turn gray שֵיבָ֖ה H7872 Noun - feminine singular I אֲנִ֤י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular have made you עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and I וַאֲנִ֣י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will carry you אֶשָּׂ֔א H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular I וַאֲנִ֥י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will sustain you אֶסְבֹּ֖ל H5445 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular and deliver you וַאֲמַלֵּֽט׃ס H4422 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular

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