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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Isaiah 46:5

"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God Continued...;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - God;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Idol, idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Religion;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Imagery;   Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Election;   Micah, Book of;   Mining and Metals;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Quotations;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bear;   Compare;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for March 21;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Who will you compare me or make me equal to?Who will you measure me with,so that we should be like each other?
Hebrew Names Version
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
King James Version
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
English Standard Version
"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?
New American Standard Bible
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal, and compare Me, That we would be alike?
New Century Version
"Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me or like me.
Amplified Bible
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we may be alike?
World English Bible
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Geneva Bible (1587)
To whom will ye make me like or make me equall, or copare me, yt I should be like him?
Legacy Standard Bible
"To whom would you liken MeAnd make Me equal and compare Me,That we would be alike?
Berean Standard Bible
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
Contemporary English Version
Can anyone compare with me? Is anyone my equal?
Complete Jewish Bible
To whom will you liken me and equate me? With whom will you compare me, as if we were similar?"
Darby Translation
To whom will ye liken me and make me equal, or compare me, that we may be like?
Easy-to-Read Version
"Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me. You cannot understand everything about me. There is nothing like me.
George Lamsa Translation
To whom will you liken me and make me equal and compare me, that we may be alike?
Good News Translation
"To whom will you compare me?" says the Lord . "Is there anyone else like me?
Lexham English Bible
To whom will you liken me, and count as equal, and compare with me, as though we were alike?
Literal Translation
To whom will you compare and make Me equal; yea, compare Me, that we may be alike?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whom will ye make me like, in fashion or ymage, that I maye be like him?
American Standard Version
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Bible in Basic English
Who in your eyes is my equal? or what comparison will you make with me?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?
King James Version (1611)
To whom wil ye liken me, and make me equall, and compare me, that we may be like?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
whom wyll ye make me lyke, or to whom wyll ye make me equall or compare me, that I shoulde be like him?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
To whom have ye compared me? see, consider, ye that go astray.
English Revised Version
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom han ye licned me, and maad euene, and han comparisound me, and han maad lijk?
Update Bible Version
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Webster's Bible Translation
To whom will ye liken me, and make [me] equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
New English Translation
To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
New King James Version
"To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?
New Living Translation
"To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?
New Life Bible
"To whom will you compare Me? With whom will you make Me the same and compare Me, that we should be alike?
New Revised Standard
To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, as though we were alike?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To whom can ye liken me or make me equal? Or compare me, and we be like?
Douay-Rheims Bible
To whom have you likened me, and made me equal, and compared me, and made me like?
Young's Literal Translation
To whom do ye liken Me, and make equal? And compare Me, that we may be like?
THE MESSAGE
"So to whom will you compare me, the Incomparable? Can you picture me without reducing me? People with a lot of money hire craftsmen to make them gods. The artisan delivers the god, and they kneel and worship it! They carry it around in holy parades, then take it home and put it on a shelf. And there it sits, day in and day out, a dependable god, always right where you put it. Say anything you want to it, it never talks back. Of course, it never does anything either!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike?

Contextual Overview

5 "To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? 6 Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! 7 They lift it upon 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. 8 "Remember this and consider, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12 "Hearken to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from deliverance: 13 I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off, and my salvation will not tarry; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25, Exodus 15:11, Psalms 86:8, Psalms 89:6, Psalms 89:8, Psalms 113:5, Jeremiah 10:6, Jeremiah 10:7, Jeremiah 10:16, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:4 - General Numbers 12:8 - similitude 2 Kings 22:17 - the works Psalms 77:13 - who Isaiah 37:12 - the gods Isaiah 46:9 - and there is none like Zechariah 10:2 - the idols Acts 17:29 - graven Acts 19:26 - that they Ephesians 4:18 - the understanding Revelation 9:20 - and idols

Cross-References

Genesis 45:19
Command them also, 'Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
Genesis 45:21
The sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.
Genesis 45:27
But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived;
Genesis 46:17
The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beri'ah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beri'ah: Heber and Mal'chi-el
Genesis 46:18
(these are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob--sixteen persons).
Exodus 10:24
Then Pharaoh called Moses, and said, "Go, serve the LORD; your children also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind."
Exodus 10:26
Our cattle also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there."
Acts 7:15
and Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, himself and our fathers,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To whom will ye liken me?.... Was it lawful that any likeness might be made, which yet is forbidden, Exodus 20:4 what likeness could be thought of? is there any creature in heaven or earth, among all the angels or sons of men, to whom God can be likened, who has done such works of power, and acts of grace, as to care and provide not only for the house of Israel, from the beginning of their state to the close of it, but for all his creatures from the beginning of life to the end thereof, yea, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and has shown such special grace and goodness to his chosen people, in such a kind and tender manner?

And make me equal; or any equal to him in power and goodness, since all are but worms, dust, and ashes, as the small dust of the balance, yea, as nothing in comparison of him.

And compare me, that we may be like? which is impossible to be done; for what comparison or likeness can there be between the Creator and a creature, between an infinite, immense, and eternal Being, possessed of all perfections, and a finite, frail, imperfect one? see Isaiah 40:18. To pretend to frame a likeness of such a Being, is to act the absurd and stupid part the Heathens do, described in the following verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To whom will ye liken me - (see the notes at Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25). The design of this and the following verses is to show the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of trusting in idols. This is a subject that the prophet often dwells on. The argument here is derived from the fact that the idols of Babylon were unable to defend the city, and were themselves carried away in triumph Isaiah 46:1-2. If so, how vain was it to rely on them! how foolish to suppose that the living and true God could resemble such weak and defenseless blocks!


 
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