New Living Translation
Isaiah 46:3
3“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born.
Isaiah 46:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
- New International Version (NIV)“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb;
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb:
Context of Isaiah 46:3
1Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight. 2Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. 4I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. 5“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?
Read all of Isaiah 46Isaiah 46:3 word by word
שִׁמְע֤וּ אֵלַי֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכָל־שְׁאֵרִ֖ית בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הַֽעֲמֻסִים֙ מִנִּי־בֶ֔טֶן הַנְּשֻׂאִ֖ים מִנִּי־רָֽחַם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- unto me, O houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and all the remnantשְׁאֵרִיתshe'êrîyth · remnantH7611
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- which are borneעָמַס‛âmas ‛âmaώ · loadH6006
- from the bellyבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
- which are carriedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- from the wombרַחַםracham · wombH7356
Cross-references for Isaiah 46:3
- Isaiah 44:1“But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one.
- Isaiah 48:1“Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah. Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and call on the God of Israel. You don’t keep your promises,
- Isaiah 51:1“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance— all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined.
- Psalms 81:8“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!
- Isaiah 1:9If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.
- Isaiah 10:22But though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. The Lord has rightly decided to destroy his people.
- Isaiah 11:11In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands.
- Isaiah 37:4But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!”
- Isaiah 49:1Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.
- Isaiah 63:9In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.
- Exodus 19:4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
- Deuteronomy 1:31And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place.’
- Deuteronomy 32:11Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions.
- Psalms 22:9Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
- Psalms 71:6Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!
- Ezekiel 16:6“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’
Commentaries on Isaiah 46:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Which are borne by me from the belly "Ye that have been borne by me from the birth" - The prophet very ingeniously, and with great force, contrasts the power of God, and his tender goodness effectually exerted towards his people, with the inability of the false gods of the heathen. He like an indulgent father had carried his people in his arms, "as a man carrieth his son," Deuteronomy 1:31. He had protected them, and delivered them from their distresses…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Hearken unto me - From this view of the captive gods, the address is now turned to the Jews. The utter vanity of the idols had been set before them; and in view of that, God now addresses his own people, and entreats them to put their trust in him. The address he commences with words of great tenderness and endearment, designed to lead them to confide in him as their Father and friend. And all the remnant - All who were left from slaughter, and all who…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3the remnant of the house of Israel: This refers to the survivors after Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC. The Lord, the Creator of humanity, cares for and carries his people, unlike the Babylonian idols that need carrying. sustained from the womb, carried along since birth: The Lord chose Israel even before it became a nation (see also Isaiah 49:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. in contrast to what precedes: Babylon's idols, so far from bearing its people safely are themselves borne off, a burden to the laden beast; but Jehovah bears His people in safety even from the womb to old age (Is 63:9; De 32:11; Psa 71:6, 18). God compares Himself to a nurse tenderly carrying a child; contrast Moses' language (Nu 11:12).Read the comment
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries