1.
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
1. Bel—the same as the
Phoelignician 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) (Jeremiah 19:13;
Jeremiah 32:29; Zephaniah 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 Zephaniah 1:5). According to the Apocryphal book, Bel and the Dragon,
Bel was cast down by Cyrus.
boweth . . . stoopeth—falleth
prostrate (Isaiah 10:4; 1 Samuel 5:3;
1 Samuel 5:4; Psalms 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 (1 Samuel 5:1 Jeremiah 48:7;
Jeremiah 49:3; Daniel 11:8).
carriages—in the Old
English sense of the things carried, the images borne by you:
the lading (Acts 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, Isaiah 46:3; Isaiah 46:4)
are become burdens" (see on Isaiah 46:4).
2.
They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
2. deliver—from the enemies'
hands.
burden—their images
laid on the beasts (Isaiah 46:1).
themselves—the gods,
here also distinguished from their images.
3.
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:
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
(Isaiah 63:9; Deuteronomy 32:11;
Psalms 71:6; Psalms 71:18).
God compares Himself to a nurse tenderly carrying a child; contrast
Moses' language (Numbers 11:12).
4.
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
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 ().
I am he—that is, the
same (Psalms 102:27; John 8:24;
Hebrews 13:8).
I will bear . . . carry—Not
only do I not need to be borne and carried Myself, as
the idols (Isaiah 46:1).
5.
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
5. (Isaiah 40:18;
Isaiah 40:25).
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.
6. (Isaiah 40:19;
Isaiah 40:20; Isaiah 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.
They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
7. cry . . . can . . . not . . .
save— (Isaiah 45:20, with
which contrast Isaiah 45:19).
8.
Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
8. show yourselves men—Renounce
the childishness of idolatry as shown in what precedes
(1 Corinthians 14:20; 1 Corinthians 16:13;
Ephesians 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.
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
9. former—namely, proofs of
the sole Godship of Jehovah, from predictions fulfilled, and
interpositions of God in behalf of Israel ().
10.
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
10. (Isaiah 45:21;
Isaiah 41:22; Isaiah 41:23;
Isaiah 44:26).
yet—not in the Hebrew.
Translate, "What had not been done" [HORSLEY].
do all my pleasure—
(Isaiah 53:10; Romans 9:19).
11.
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
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 ; Isaiah 46:4; Isaiah 46:4; Isaiah 46:4). 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—
(Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 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—
(Isaiah 43:13).
12.
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
12. stout-hearted—stubborn in
resisting God (Psalms 76:5; Acts 7:51).
far from righteousness—
(Isaiah 59:9; Habakkuk 2:4).
13.
I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
13. near—antithetical to "far"
(Isaiah 46:12; Isaiah 51:5;
Isaiah 56:1; Isaiah 61:10;
Isaiah 61:11; Romans 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 (Isaiah 42:21;
Romans 3:26).
Zion . . . my glory—rather,
"I will give salvation in Zion; to Israel (I will give) my
glory" [HORSLEY].
(Isaiah 63:11; Psalms 14:7;
Luke 2:32).