Isaiah 46:5

5 To whom have ye likened me, and made even (and made me even to), and have comparisoned me, and have made (me) like?

Isaiah 46:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 46:5

To whom will ye liken me?
&c.] Was it lawful that any likeness might be made, which yet is forbidden, ( Exodus 20:4 ) what likeness could be thought of? is there any creature in heaven or earth, among all the angels or sons of men, to whom God can be likened, who has done such works of power, and acts of grace, as to care and provide not only for the house of Israel, from the beginning of their state to the close of it, but for all his creatures from the beginning of life to the end thereof, yea, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and has shown such special grace and goodness to his chosen people, in such a kind and tender manner? And make me equal;
or any equal to him in power and goodness, since all are but worms, dust, and ashes, as the small dust of the balance, yea, as nothing in comparison of him. And compare me, that we may be like?
which is impossible to be done; for what comparison or likeness can there be between the Creator and a creature, between an infinite, immense, and eternal Being, possessed of all perfections, and a finite, frail, imperfect one? see ( Isaiah 40:18 ) . To pretend to frame a likeness of such a Being, is to act the absurd and stupid part the Heathens do, described in the following verses.

Isaiah 46:5 In-Context

3 The house of Jacob, and all the residue of the house of Israel, hear ye me, which be borne of my womb, which be borne of my womb. (The house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, listen to me, ye who be carried by me from the womb, yea, who be carried by me from the womb, or from thy birth.)
4 Till to eld I myself, and till to hoar hairs, I shall bear; I made, and I shall bear, and I shall save. (Until your old age, yea, until your hoar hairs, I myself shall carry you; for I made you, and I shall carry you, and I shall save you.)
5 To whom have ye likened me, and made even (and made me even to), and have comparisoned me, and have made (me) like?
6 Which bear together gold from the bag (Ye who take out all the gold from thy bag), and weigh (out) silver with a balance, and hire a goldsmith to make a god, and (then) they (all) fall down, and worship (it);
7 they bearing bear (him) in shoulders, and setting in his place (they carry him upon their shoulders, and put him in his place); and he shall stand, and shall not be moved from his place; but also when they cry to him, he shall not hear, and he shall not save them from (any trials or) tribulation.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.