Isaiah 46:7 kjv
They 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.
Isaiah 46:7 nkjv
They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble.
Isaiah 46:7 niv
They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles.
Isaiah 46:7 esv
They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble.
Isaiah 46:7 nlt
They carry it around on their shoulders,
and when they set it down, it stays there.
It can't even move!
And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.
It can't rescue anyone from trouble.
Isaiah 46 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 46:5 | "To whom will you liken me, that we may be equal?" | Direct parallel of God's uniqueness |
| Isa 41:23 | "Tell us what is to come, that we may know that you are gods." | Challenge to idols for foresight |
| Isa 41:24 | "Behold, you are from nothing, and your work is from nothing." | Origin of idols is nothing |
| Psa 115:4 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of man's hands." | Description of idols as man-made |
| Psa 115:5 | "They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see;" | Idols lack senses and actions |
| Psa 115:6 | "They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell;" | Further depiction of idol incapacities |
| Psa 115:7 | "They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk;" | Lack of movement and sensation |
| Psa 115:8 | "Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them." | The effect of idol worship on worshippers |
| Jer 10:5 | "They are upright like a palm tree, but cannot speak;" | Comparison of idols to lifeless objects |
| Jer 10:8 | "but they are altogether stupid and foolish." | Intellectual and functional deficiency |
| Jer 10:14 | "Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols;" | Shame of idol makers |
| Jer 16:19 | "O LORD, my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of trouble," | Contrast with God as helper |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | Exhortation against idolatry |
| 1 John 5:21 | "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." | New Testament command against idols |
| Rom 1:23 | "and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." | Worship of created things over Creator |
| Isa 44:9 | "They who fashion idols are all to be put to shame" | Judgment on idol makers |
| Isa 44:10 | "Who would make a god or melt a worthless metal image that will be of no use?" | Questioning the wisdom of idol creation |
| Deut 32:37 | "And he will say, 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge?" | Idols fail in times of need |
| Hos 2:8 | "But she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil," | Israelites attributing provision to Baals |
| Hab 2:18 | "What profit is an idol from its maker, that he makes it, or a cast image that teaches lies?" | Profitless nature of idols |
Isaiah 46 verses
Isaiah 46 7 Meaning
This verse highlights the utter powerlessness and inability of idols to help their creators or worshippers. It emphasizes that since they are lifeless objects, they cannot offer true salvation or sustenance, unlike the true God.
Isaiah 46 7 Context
Isaiah 46 is part of a larger prophetic oracle directed against Babylon. In this chapter, Isaiah vividly contrasts the true God, Yahweh, with the impotent idols of Babylon, particularly its gods Bel and Nebuchadnezzar (implicitly or explicitly, representing royal power). The context is the impending fall of Babylon to the Persians. The people of Babylon, and their leaders, were relying on their gods and military might for security. Isaiah mocks these idols by showing how they need to be carried, demonstrating their helplessness, a stark contrast to the omnipresent and all-sustaining God of Israel. This verse directly follows the description of Bel and Nebuchadnezzar needing to be carried off.
Isaiah 46 7 Word Analysis
- כִּי (ki) - "for," "because," "indeed." Introduces a reason or confirmation.
- יַעֲמֹד (ya'amod) - "he will stand," "he will remain," "he will endure," "he will be of any avail." Implies steadfastness, ability to function or provide support. Here it conveys inability to stand up for itself or offer help.
- וְלֹא (wəlo) - "and not." A conjunction emphasizing negation.
- יִשָּׂא (yiśśa') - "he will carry," "he will lift." Denotes bearing a burden, support, or rescue.
- כִּי (ki) - "for," "because." Again, introducing a reason.
- נשׂא (naśā') - from the root נשא (nasa), meaning "to carry," "to lift," "to bear." This word appears twice, first in its negative form (not carrying) and then positively (is carried).
- יִנָּשֵׂא (yinnase') - "he will be carried." Passive form of nasa. Signifies being transported or borne by others. This passive voice underscores the helplessness and dependence of the idol.
Words Group Analysis:
- "כי יעמוד" (ki ya'amod) - The combination emphasizes that because an idol cannot stand or remain firm, it is utterly ineffective. It lacks inherent strength or permanence.
- "ולא ישא" (wəlo yiśśa') - This signifies its inability to provide support or carry any burden, contrasting with the God who upholds all things.
- "כי נשא ינשא" (ki naśā' yinnase') - The repetition and shift to the passive voice highlight the object's nature: it requires others to be carried because it cannot lift or support anything, including itself. It is a dependent entity, a burden to be moved.
Isaiah 46 7 Bonus Section
The prophetic contrast presented in Isaiah 46 goes beyond mere intellectual argument; it is deeply practical and emotive. For the Babylonian populace, seeing their most revered deities like Bel and Nebuchadnezzar treated as mere objects to be carried away by conquerors would have been a profound spiritual and psychological blow. It validates the message that the gods they relied upon were fundamentally powerless. This illustrates a core theme in prophetic literature: God’s sovereignty over all nations and the ultimate exposure of the emptiness of false worship when tested by historical events and divine judgment. The ease with which the idols are carried highlights the deceptive nature of idols—they appear majestic and powerful but are ultimately burdens. This image of an idol needing to be carried resonates with the concept of carrying a dead idol in funeral processions of pagan cultures.
Isaiah 46 7 Commentary
Isaiah 46:7 delivers a devastating critique of idolatry. It dismantles the claims of efficacy associated with Babylonian deities by stating, plainly and unequivocally, that they cannot stand (offer support, endure, or act) and they cannot carry (provide deliverance, protection, or sustenance). The verse then pivots to the ultimate demonstration of this weakness: these "gods" themselves are incapable of even bearing their own weight; they must be carried by others. This physical necessity of being transported exposes their utter lack of inherent power, divinity, or capability. The Persian conquerors, rather than being impressed or intimidated by these gods, will simply carry them away as spoils of war. This contrasts sharply with the God of Israel, who is eternally powerful, sustains creation, and bears the burdens of His people. Trusting in idols is therefore foolish, leading only to disappointment and shame. The verse underscores that true worship is directed towards the one being who is inherently self-sufficient, capable of bearing all things, and who can truly stand for His people.