Isaiah 46:6

6 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.

Isaiah 46:6 in Other Translations

KJV
6 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.
ESV
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!
NLT
6 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!
MSG
6 People with a lot of money hire craftsmen to make them gods. The artisan delivers the god, and they kneel and worship it!
CSB
6 Those who pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales- they hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god. Then they kneel and bow down to it.

Isaiah 46:6 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 46:6

They lavish gold out of the bag
As if it was of no value and account; that is, the Heathen idolaters, some of them, who are excessively devoted to idolatry; these, being rich, take out their bags of gold, and give it in a very profuse manner to a workman to make a golden image for them, not caring what it cost them; such an one was that which Nebuchadnezzar made, sixty cubits high, and six broad, ( Daniel 3:1 ) see an instance of profuseness this way in the Israelites themselves, ( Exodus 32:2-4 ) . And weigh silver in the balance;
or "with a reed" F15. Others, though idolaters, yet less devoted to idolatry, and more tenacious of their money, make silver do for a god, and weigh it out to the workman, that it be made of such a weight, and no more, and that they might not be cheated of their silver; or they weighed it to pay the workman for his workmanship. Money formerly was not coined and stamped, so not numbered by pieces, but weighed. And hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god;
a "finer" or "founder", with whom they agree for such a sum of money, and he, of the gold or silver that is put into his hands, makes a god: he casts and moulds it into such a form or shape that is agreed upon, and this is called a god; though nothing but a piece of gold or silver fashioned by art and man's device, and the work of his hands: they fall down, yea, they worship;
the god they made; both the artificer, and he that employed him, fall down upon their knees, or their faces, and pay divine worship add adoration to the idol; though the one knew it was made of his own gold or silver, and the other knew it to be the workmanship of his hands. Worshipping is more than falling down, as Ben Melech observes, and therefore it is said, yea, they worship.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hnqb) "in calamo", Pagninus, Montanus. The bar of the balance on which they hang the scales with threads, Ben Meleck says is called (hnq) , the "reed". So Vatablus.

Isaiah 46:6 In-Context

4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
6 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.
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles.
8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Isaiah 40:19
  • 2. S Exodus 20:5; Isaiah 44:17; Hosea 13:2
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