13 I bring near H7126 my righteousness; H6666 it shall not be far off, H7368 and my salvation H8668 shall not tarry: H309 and I will place H5414 salvation H8668 in Zion H6726 for Israel H3478 my glory. H8597
For G1063 they being ignorant G50 of God's G2316 righteousness, G1343 and G2532 going about G2212 to establish G2476 their own G2398 righteousness, G1343 have G5293 not G3756 submitted themselves G5293 unto the righteousness G1343 of God. G2316 For G1063 Christ G5547 is the end G5056 of the law G3551 for G1519 righteousness G1343 to every one G3956 that believeth. G4100 For G1063 Moses G3475 describeth G1125 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 the law, G3551 That G3754 the man G444 which doeth G4160 those things G846 shall live G2198 by G1722 them. G846 But G1161 the righteousness G1343 which is of G1537 faith G4102 speaketh G3004 on this wise, G3779 Say G2036 not G3361 in G1722 thine G4675 heart, G2588 Who G5101 shall ascend G305 into G1519 heaven? G3772 (that is, G5123 to bring G2609 Christ G5547 down G2609 from above:) Or, G2228 Who G5101 shall descend G2597 into G1519 the deep? G12 (that is, G5123 to bring up G321 Christ G5547 again G321 from G1537 the dead.) G3498 But G235 what G5101 saith it? G3004 The word G4487 is G2076 nigh G1451 thee, G4675 even in G1722 thy G4675 mouth, G4750 and G2532 in G1722 thy G4675 heart: G2588 that is, G5123 the word G4487 of faith, G4102 which G3739 we preach; G2784 That G3754 if G1437 thou shalt confess G3670 with G1722 thy G4675 mouth G4750 the Lord G2962 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 shalt believe G4100 in G1722 thine G4675 heart G2588 that G3754 God G2316 hath raised G1453 him G846 from G1537 the dead, G3498 thou shalt be saved. G4982 For G1063 with the heart G2588 man believeth G4100 unto G1519 righteousness; G1343 and G1161 with the mouth G4750 confession is made G3670 unto G1519 salvation. G4991 For G1063 the scripture G1124 saith, G3004 Whosoever G3956 believeth G4100 on G1909 him G846 shall G2617 not G3756 be ashamed. G2617 For G1063 there is G2076 no G3756 difference G1293 between G5037 the Jew G2453 and G2532 the Greek: G1672 for G1063 the same G846 Lord G2962 over all G3956 is rich G4147 unto G1519 all G3956 that call upon G1941 him. G846 For G3956 G1063 whosoever G3739 G302 shall call upon G1941 the name G3686 of the Lord G2962 shall be saved. G4982 How G4459 then G3767 shall they call on G1941 him in G1519 whom G3739 they have G4100 not G3756 believed? G4100 and G1161 how G4459 shall they believe in G4100 him of whom G3739 they have G191 not G3756 heard? G191 and G1161 how G4459 shall they hear G191 without G5565 a preacher? G2784 And G1161 how G4459 shall they preach, G2784 except G3362 they be sent? G649 as G2531 it is written, G1125 How G5613 beautiful G5611 are the feet of them G4228 that preach the gospel G2097 of peace, G1515 and bring glad tidings G2097 of good things! G18
But G1161 now G3570 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 without G5565 the law G3551 is manifested, G5319 being witnessed G3140 by G5259 the law G3551 and G2532 the prophets; G4396 Even G1161 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 which is by G1223 faith G4102 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 unto G1519 all G3956 and G2532 upon G1909 all G3956 them that believe: G4100 for G1063 there is G2076 no G3756 difference: G1293 For G1063 all G3956 have sinned, G264 and G2532 come short G5302 of the glory G1391 of God; G2316 Being justified G1344 freely G1432 by his G846 grace G5485 through G1223 the redemption G629 that is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus: G2424 Whom G3739 God G2316 hath set forth G4388 to be a propitiation G2435 through G1223 faith G4102 in G1722 his G846 blood, G129 to G1519 declare G1732 his G846 righteousness G1343 for G1223 the remission G3929 of sins G265 that are past, G4266 through G1722 the forbearance G463 of God; G2316 To G4314 declare, G1732 I say, at G1722 this G3568 time G2540 his G846 righteousness: G1343 that G1519 he might be G1511 just, G1342 and G2532 the justifier G1344 of him G846 which believeth G4102 in G1537 Jesus. G2424
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 46
Commentary on Isaiah 46 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 46
Isa 46:1-13. Babylon's Idols Could Not Save Themselves, Much Less Her. But God Can and Will Save Israel: Cyrus Is His Instrument.
1. Bel—the same as the Phœnician Baal, that is, lord, the chief god of Babylon; to it was dedicated the celebrated tower of Babylon, in the center of one of the two parts into which the city was divided, the palace being in the center of the other. Identical with the sun, worshipped on turrets, housetops, and other high places, so as to be nearer the heavenly hosts (Saba) (Jer 19:13; 32:29; Zep 1:5). Gesenius identifies Bel with the planet Jupiter, which, with the planet Venus (under the name Astarte or Astaroth), was worshipped in the East as the god of fortune, the most propitious star to be born under (see on Isa 65:11). According to the Apocryphal book, Bel and the Dragon, Bel was cast down by Cyrus.
boweth … stoopeth—falleth prostrate (Isa 10:4; 1Sa 5:3, 4; Ps 20:8).
Nebo—the planet Mercury or Hermes, in astrology. The scribe of heaven, answering to the Egyptian Anubis. The extensive worship of it is shown by the many proper names compounded of it: Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuzar-adan, Nabonassar, &c.
were upon—that is, were a burden (supplied from the following clause) upon. It was customary to transport the gods of the vanquished to the land of the conquerors, who thought thereby the more effectually to keep down the subject people (1Sa 5:1, &c.; Jer 48:7; 49:3; Da 11:8).
carriages—in the Old English sense of the things carried, the images borne by you: the lading (Ac 21:15), "carriages," not the vehicles, but the baggage. Or, the images which used to be carried by you formerly in your solemn processions [Maurer].
were heavy loaden—rather, are put as a load on the beasts of burden [Maurer]. Horsley translates, "They who should have been your carriers (as Jehovah is to His people, Isa 46:3, 4) are become burdens" (see on Isa 46:4).
2. deliver—from the enemies' hands.
burden—their images laid on the beasts (Isa 46:1).
themselves—the gods, here also distinguished from their images.
3. 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 (Isa 63:9; De 32:11; Ps 71:6, 18). God compares Himself to a nurse tenderly carrying a child; contrast Moses' language (Nu 11:12).
4. old age—As "your"—"you"—"you," are not in the Hebrew, the sentiment is more general than English Version, though of course it includes the Jews from the infancy to the more advanced age of their history (Isa 47:6).
I am he—that is, the same (Ps 102:27; Joh 8:24; Heb 13:8).
I will bear … carry—Not only do I not need to be borne and carried Myself, as the idols (Isa 46:1).
5. (Isa 40:18, 25).
6. (Isa 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.
7. cry … can … not … save—(Isa 45:20, with which contrast Isa 45:19).
8. show yourselves men—Renounce the childishness of idolatry as shown in what precedes (1Co 14:20; 16:13; Eph 4:14). In order to be manly we must be godly; for man was made "in the image of God," and only rises to his true dignity when joined to God; virtue is derived from the Latin vir, "a man."
bring … to mind—rather, "lay it to heart."
transgressors—addressed to the idolaters among the Jews.
9. former—namely, proofs of the sole Godship of Jehovah, from predictions fulfilled, and interpositions of God in behalf of Israel (Isa 45:5).
10. (Isa 45:21; 41:22, 23; 44:26).
yet—not in the Hebrew. Translate, "What had not been done" [Horsley].
do all my pleasure—(Isa 53:10; Ro 9:19).
11. ravenous bird—Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on Isa 41:2; Isa 41:25; Jer 49:22; Eze 17:3). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenophon, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit).
executeth my counsel—(Isa 44:28; 45:13). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief.
purposed … also do it—(Isa 43:13).
12. stout-hearted—stubborn in resisting God (Ps 76:5; Ac 7:51).
far from righteousness—(Isa 59:9; Hab 2:4).
13. near—antithetical to "far" (Isa 46:12; Isa 51:5; 56:1; 61:10, 11; Ro 10:6-8).
righteousness—answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause; therefore it means here, "my righteous deliverance"; righteous, because proving the truth of God's promises, and so contrived as to not compromise, but vindicate, His righteousness (Isa 42:21; Ro 3:26).
Zion … my glory—rather, "I will give salvation in Zion; to Israel (I will give) my glory" [Horsley]. (Isa 63:11; Ps 14:7; Lu 2:32).