Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 46

Verses 1-13

The Contrast between Jehovah and the Deities of Babylon

1, 2. The idols of Babylon will be borne away by the conquerors amongst the spoil, the gods being powerless to save their images. i. Bel] the chief Babylonian deity (Jeremiah 50:2).

Boweth.. stoopeth] before the conqueror.

Nebo] son of Bel, the Babylonian Mercury. The name means ’revealer.’ Your carriages, etc.] RV ’the things that ye carried about in processions are made a load,’ of spoil for the conquerors: see on Isaiah 10:28.

3, 4. So far from being thus ignominiously carried about, Jehovah, on the other hand, carries His people.

5-7. The argument against idolatry renewed (Isaiah 40:18.; Isaiah 44:9).

8f. These vv. are addressed to those amongst the Jews who were inclined to object to God’s manner of deliverance (cp. Isaiah 45:9); they are bidden to remember the things He has done for His people in the past (Isaiah 46:9), and how He has shown by prophecy that He orders events according to His purpose (Isaiah 46:10); they may accordingly rely on the fulfilment of the prophecies concerning Cyrus (Isaiah 46:11).

11. A ravenous bird] i.e. Cyrus. The conqueror is compared to a bird of prey as in Jeremiah 49:22; Ezekiel 17:3. The image is the more appropriate, because the standard of Cyrus was a golden eagle.

12. Stouthearted] i.e. stubborn.