Isaiah 46
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 46 of 66 | Day: 193 of 742
Date: August 23, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Isaiah 46 is built on a single devastating wordplay. The chapter opens with Babylonโs chief gods in collapse: โBel is bowed, Nebo is coweringโ (ืืจืข ืื ืงืืจืก ื ืื). Bel (Marduk) and Nebo, the patron deities of the empire that exiled Judah, are pictured not enthroned but strapped as cargo onto exhausted pack animals, โa burden on tired beastsโ (ืืฉื ืืขืืคื). Radak paints the scene concretely: when Babylon falls, the conquerors strip the idols of their silver and gold overlay and load the broken images onto beasts to haul them off to Media and Persia โ the gods themselves go into captivity (ืื ืคืฉื ืืฉืื ืืืื). Rashi, citing a tradition he heard in the name of Rabbenu Gershom Meor HaGolah, reads the verbs with biting scatological mockery: the gods of Babylon squat and soil themselves like a man with failing bowels, unable even to โdeliver their burdenโ in the normal way. Whether one reads the image as broken statuary or bodily humiliation, the point is identical โ these gods are dead weight.
Against this the chapter sets its great inversion. The idols must be carried (ื ืฉืืืืช, ืขืืืกืืช); the God of Israel carries. โListen to Me, House of Jacobโฆ who have been carried since birth (ืืขืืืกืื ืื ื ืืื), supported since leaving the wombโ (verse 3). The same roots โ amus, nasa โ that described idols piled on animals now describe Israel borne in Godโs arms. Rashi makes the contrast explicit: unlike the nations who are laden with their gods and must carry them, โyou are laden and borne in My armsโ since the days of Lavan the Aramean. Metzudat David adds the tender image of the omein, the nursemaid who carries the infant and is never carried by it. Verse 4 then delivers one of the most intimate promises in all of Isaiahโs consolations: โTill old age I am the same; when you turn gray, I will carry. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and I will deliverโ (ืื ื ืขืฉืืชื ืืื ื ืืฉื ืืื ื ืืกืื ืืืืื). Radak hears in it a promise for every stage of national life โ God does not abandon His people even in the old age of history, when they have the least strength of their own; Rashi hears grace beyond merit, God carrying Israel โwith My mercy and My attribute of goodnessโ even when their merits are depleted.
The middle of the chapter (verses 5-7) returns to the satire of idol manufacture familiar from chapters 40 and 44, but now with the carrying motif as its cutting edge. The devotees pour gold from the purse, weigh silver on the balance-beam, and hire a smith to make a god โ then they must hoist it onto their own shoulders, set it down, and watch it stand immobile: โit does not budge from its place; if one cries to it, it does not answer; it cannot save him from his distress.โ Metzudat David asks the obvious question aloud: is there any folly greater than trusting a thing with no substance? A god that must be commissioned, paid for, and carried home cannot be a deliverer.
From polemic the chapter turns to proof. โRemember the first things of old (ืืืจื ืจืืฉืื ืืช ืืขืืื), for I am God and there is none elseโฆ I foretell the end from the beginning (ืืืื ืืจืืฉืืช ืืืจืืช)โ (verses 9-10). Only the God of Israel announces history before it happens and then performs it โ Rashi points to the Covenant between the Parts, where the Egyptian exile and redemption were foretold centuries in advance, while Radak reads the verse as pointing forward: God has already announced that Cyrus will come, topple Babel and its gods, and release Israel. Verse 11 names that agent in a striking figure: โI summoned a bird of prey from the East (ืงืืจื ืืืืจื ืขืื), the man of My counsel from a distant land.โ Radak explains the image โ Cyrus will swoop from his eastern homeland with the speed of a raptor โ and records that his father interpreted the verse of the Melech HaMashiach, who will likewise come swiftly in his time, a reading echoed in Targum Yonatan. Rashi, characteristically, hears in it a memory of Avraham, the man called from the East to be Godโs confidant.
The closing verses pivot to two audiences. The โstubborn of heart, far from tzedakahโ (verse 12) are read by Radak and Metzudat David as the Babylonians themselves โ hard-hearted and merciless toward Israel โ though Rashi turns the phrase inward, to faithful Jews who have clung to God through a redemption long delayed. To both the answer is the same: โI have brought My righteousness near; it shall not be far, and My salvation shall not delay; I will grant salvation in Zion, to Israel My gloryโ (verse 13). The chapter thus completes the arc begun in 44:28-45:7 with the naming of Cyrus, and sets the stage for chapter 47, where the taunt turns from Babylonโs gods to Babylon herself โ the proud queen commanded to descend and sit in the dust. The theology is inseparable from the pastoral message: a people carried from the womb need not fear an empire whose gods must be carted away on donkeys.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 46
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผึธืจึทึฅืข ืึผึตืึ ืงึนืจึตึฃืก ื ึฐืึืึน ืึธืืึผึ ืขึฒืฆึทืึผึตืืึถึื ืึทืึทืึผึธึื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึตืึธึื ื ึฐืฉืึปืึนืชึตืืึถึฃื ืขึฒืืึผืกึืึนืช ืึทืฉืึผึธึื ืึทืขึฒืึตืคึธึฝืื
English:
BelaBel A Babylonian deity. is bowed, NebobNebo Another Babylonian deity. is cowering,Their images are a burden for beasts and cattle;The things youcyou Emendation yields โthey.โ would carry [in procession]Are now piled as a burdenOn tired [beasts].
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืงึธืจึฐืกึคืึผ ืึธึฝืจึฐืขืึผึ ืึทืึฐืึผึธึื ืึนึฅื ืึธืึฐืึืึผ ืึทืึผึตึฃื ืึทืฉืึผึธึื ืึฐื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธึื ืึผึทืฉืึผึฐืึดึฅื ืึธืึธึฝืึธืืย {ืค}
English:
They cowered, they bowed as well,They could not rescue the burden,dburden Emendation yields โhim who carried [them]โ; cf. Targum. And they themselves went into captivity.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืฉืึดืึฐืขึคืึผ ืึตืึทืึ ืึผึตึฃืืช ืึทืขึฒืงึนึื ืึฐืืืึพืฉืึฐืึตืจึดึืืช ืึผึตึฃืืช ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึทึฝืขึฒืึปืกึดืืึ ืึดื ึผึดืึพืึถึืึถื ืึทื ึผึฐืฉืึปืึดึืื ืึดื ึผึดืึพืจึธึฝืึทืื
English:
Listen to Me, O House of Jacob,All that are left of the House of Israel,Who have been carried since birth,Supported since leaving the womb:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึทืึพืึดืงึฐื ึธืึ ืึฒื ึดึฃื ืึืึผื ืึฐืขึทืึพืฉืึตืืึธึื ืึฒื ึดึฃื ืึถืกึฐืึผึนึื ืึฒื ึดึคื ืขึธืฉืึดึืืชึดืึ ืึทืึฒื ึดึฃื ืึถืฉืึผึธึื ืึทืึฒื ึดึฅื ืึถืกึฐืึผึนึื ืึทืึฒืึทืึผึตึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Till you grow old, I will still be the same;When you turn gray, it is I who will carry;I was the Maker, and I will be the Bearer;And I will carry and rescue [you].
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึดึฅื ืชึฐืึทืึผึฐืึืึผื ึดื ืึฐืชึทืฉืึฐืึืึผ ืึฐืชึทืึฐืฉืึดืึืึผื ึดื ืึฐื ึดืึฐืึถึฝืื
English:
To whom can you compare MeOr declare Me similar?To whom can you liken Me,So that we seem comparable?
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธืึดึคืื ืึธืึธืึ ืึดืึผึดึืืก ืึฐืึถึืกึถืฃ ืึผึทืงึผึธื ึถึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืงึนึืืึผ ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึฐืจึคืึผ ืฆืึนืจึตืฃึ ืึฐืึทืขึฒืฉืึตึฃืืึผ ืึตึื ืึดืกึฐืึผึฐืึืึผ ืึทืฃึพืึดึฝืฉืึฐืชึผึทืึฒืึฝืึผื
English:
Those who squander gold from the purseAnd weigh out silver on the balance,ebalance Lit. โbeam [of the balance].โ They hire a metal worker to make it into a god,To which they bow down and prostrate themselves.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึดึ ืฉืึผึธืึปึ ืืึผ ืขึทืึพืึผึธืชึตึจืฃ ืึดืกึฐืึผึฐืึปึืืึผ ืึฐืึทื ึผึดืืึปึคืืึผ ืชึทืึฐืชึผึธืืึ ืึฐืึทึฝืขึฒืึนึื ืึดืึผึฐืงืึนืึืึน ืึนึฃื ืึธืึดึืืฉื ืึทืฃึพืึดืฆึฐืขึทึคืง ืึตืึธืืึ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึทืขึฒื ึถึื ืึดืฆึผึธืจึธืชึืึน ืึนึฅื ืืึนืฉืึดืืขึถึฝื ึผืึผืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
They must carry it on their backs and transport it;When they put it down, it stands,It does not budge from its place.If they cry out to it, it does not answer;It cannot save them from their distress.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึดืึฐืจืึผึพืึนึืืช ืึฐืึดืชึฐืึนืฉืึธึืฉืืึผ ืึธืฉืึดึฅืืืึผ ืคืึนืฉืึฐืขึดึืื ืขึทืึพืึตึฝืื
English:
Keep this in mind, and stand firm!fstand firm Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Take this to heart, you sinners!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึดืึฐืจึฅืึผ ืจึดืืฉืึนื ึืึนืช ืึตืขืึนืึธึื ืึผึดึฃื ืึธื ึนืึดึฅื ืึตืึ ืึฐืึตึฃืื ืขึืึนื ืึฑืึนืึดึืื ืึฐืึถึฅืคึถืก ืึผึธืึฝืึนื ึดืื
English:
Bear in mind what happened of old;For I am God, and there is none else,I am divine, and there is none like Me.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดึคืื ืึตึฝืจึตืืฉืึดืืชึ ืึทืึฒืจึดึืืช ืึผืึดืงึผึถึืึถื ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึนืึพื ึทึฝืขึฒืฉืึืึผ ืึนืึตืจึ ืขึฒืฆึธืชึดึฃื ืชึธืงึืึผื ืึฐืืืึพืึถืคึฐืฆึดึื ืึถืขึฑืฉืึถึฝืื
English:
I foretell the end from the beginning,And from the start, things that had not occurred.I say: My plan shall be fulfilled;I will do all I have purposed.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืงึนืจึตึคื ืึดืึผึดืึฐืจึธืึ ืขึทึืึดื ืึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึถืจึฐืึธึืง ืึดึฃืืฉื (ืขืฆืชื) [ืขึฒืฆึธืชึดึื] ืึทืฃึพืึผึดืึผึทึืจึฐืชึผึดืึ ืึทืฃึพืึฒืึดืืึถึื ึผึธื ืึธืฆึทึืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึทืฃึพืึถืขึฑืฉืึถึฝื ึผึธืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
I summoned that swooping bird from the East;gthat swooping bird from the East I.e., Cyrus; cf. 41.2โ3; 44.28โ45.1. From a distant land, the man for My purpose.I have spoken, so I will bring it to pass;I have designed it, so I will complete it.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืฉืึดืึฐืขึฅืึผ ืึตืึทึื ืึทืึผึดึฃืืจึตื ืึตึื ืึธืจึฐืืึนืงึดึืื ืึดืฆึผึฐืึธืงึธึฝืื
English:
Listen to Me, you stubborn of heart,hstubborn of heart Septuagint reads, โwho have lost heart.โ Who are far from victory:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืงึตืจึทึคืึฐืชึผึดื ืฆึดืึฐืงึธืชึดืึ ืึนึฃื ืชึดืจึฐืึธึืง ืึผืชึฐืฉืืึผืขึธืชึดึื ืึนึฃื ืชึฐืึทืึตึืจ ืึฐื ึธืชึทืชึผึดึคื ืึฐืฆึดืึผืึนืึ ืชึผึฐืฉืืึผืขึธึื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืชึผึดืคึฐืึทืจึฐืชึผึดึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
I am bringing My victory close;It shall not be far,And My triumph shall not be delayed.I will grant triumph in ZionTo Israel, in whom I glory.
โถCommentaries (1)