God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 46:6
6People pour gold out of their bags and weigh silver on scales. They hire a goldsmith. He makes it into a god. They bow down and worship it.
Isaiah 46:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
- New International Version (NIV)Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!
- New King James Version (NKJV)They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
Context of Isaiah 46:6
4Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you. Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you. I made you and will continue to care for you. I’ll support you and save you. 5To whom will you compare me and make me equal? To whom will you compare me so that we can be alike? People pour gold out of their bags and weigh silver on scales. They hire a goldsmith. He makes it into a god. They bow down and worship it. 7They lift it on their shoulders and carry it. They set the idol in its place, and it stands there. It doesn’t move from its place. If they cry to it for help, it can’t answer. It can’t rescue them from their distress. 8Remember this, and take courage. Recall your rebellious acts.
Read all of Isaiah 46Isaiah 46:6 word by word
הַזָּלִ֤ים זָהָב֙ מִכִּ֔יס וְכֶ֖סֶף בַּקָּנֶ֣ה יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ צוֹרֵף֙ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ אֵ֔ל יִסְגְּד֖וּ אַף־יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They lavishזוּלzûl · to lavish/despiseH2107
- goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- out of the bagכִּיסkîys · purseH3599
- and weighשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
- silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- in the balanceקָנֶהqâneh · branch: scalesH7070
- hireשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
- a goldsmithצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
- and he makethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- it a godאֵל'êl · godH410
- they fall downסָגַדsâgad · to prostrateH5456
- yea, they worshipשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
Cross-references for Isaiah 46:6
- Isaiah 40:19Craftsmen make idols. Goldsmiths cover them with gold. Silversmiths make silver chains for them.
- Isaiah 41:6People help their neighbors and say to their relatives, “Be brave!”
- Isaiah 44:12Blacksmiths shape iron into tools. They work them over the coals and shape them with hammers, working them with their strong arms. They get hungry, and their strength fails. If they don’t drink water, they will faint.
- Isaiah 45:20Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save ⌞anyone⌟.
- Exodus 32:2Aaron said to them, “Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing, and bring them to me.”
- Judges 17:3So Micah gave the 1,100 pieces of silver back to his mother. Then his mother said, “I dedicate this silver to the Lord for my son’s benefit. I want to make a carved idol and a metal idol. So now I’m giving the silver back to you.”
- 1 Kings 12:28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said, “You’ve been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.”
- Jeremiah 10:3The religion of the people is worthless. Woodcutters cut down trees from the forest. The hands of craftsmen prepare them with axes.
- Hosea 8:4“They chose their own kings, kings I didn’t approve. They chose their own princes, princes I didn’t know. They chose to make idols with their own silver and gold. Because of this, they will be destroyed.
- Habakkuk 2:18“What benefit is there in a carved idol when its maker has carved it? What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, when its maker has molded it? The one who formed it trusts himself to make worthless idols that cannot speak.
- Acts 17:29So if we are God’s children, we shouldn’t think that the divine being is like an image made from gold, silver, or stone, an image that is the product of human imagination and skill.
- Isaiah 2:8Their land is filled with idols, and they worship what their hands have shaped and what their fingers have molded.
- Isaiah 44:17But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them, saying, “Rescue us, because you are our gods.”
- Daniel 3:5When you hear the sound of rams’ horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments, bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
Commentaries on Isaiah 46:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6They lavish gold - The word used here means properly to shake out; and then to pour out abundantly, or in a lavish manner. It is used in connection with the idea of squandering in Deuteronomy 21:20; Proverbs 23:21; Proverbs 28:7. Here the idea is, that they spared no expense; they poured out gold as if it were vile and worthless, in order to make an idol. The design of this verse is, to show the superstition of those who were idolaters; and, particularly…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-13Verses 5-13 Here the folly of those who made idols, and then prayed to them, is exposed. How does the profuseness of idolaters shame the niggardliness of many who call themselves God's servants, but are for a religion which costs them nothing! The service of sin always costs a great deal. God puts it to them what senseless, helpless things idols are. Let, then, the Jews show themselves men, avoiding such abominations. Many Scripture prophecies, delivered…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. (Is 40:19, 20; 41:7.) They lavish gold out of their purses and spare no expense for their idol. Their profuseness shames the niggardliness of professors who worship God with what cost them nothing. Sin is always a costly service.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 46:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 46
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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