Isaiah 46:6

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

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? Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! 7They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble. 8“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones.

Isaiah 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 40:19Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
• Isaiah 41:6The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!”
• Isaiah 44:12The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint.
• Isaiah 45:20“Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!
• Exodus 32:2So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
• Judges 17:3He returned the money to her, and she said, “I now dedicate these silver coins to the Lord. In honor of my son, I will have an image carved and an idol cast.”
• 1 Kings 12:28So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”
• Jeremiah 10:3Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
• Hosea 8:4The people have appointed kings without my consent, and princes without my approval. By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction.
• Habakkuk 2:18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk!
• Acts 17:29And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
• Isaiah 2:8Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands.
• Isaiah 44:17Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. “Rescue me!” he says. “You are my god!”
• Daniel 3:5When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.

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

• Balances
• Idolatry
• Money

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Adore
• Balance
• Goldsmith
• Pleasure
• Purpose
• Bag
• Bear; Borne
• Hire

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