What does Isaias Chapter 46 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The passage retains its particular declarations, images and conditions. Edition interpretations remain identified separately from the chapter’s speech. Historical additions and universal practical guarantees are not treated as source facts.

Chapter breakdown

Isaias 46 opens with broken Bel and destroyed Nebo. Their images burden beasts and cattle to weariness, cannot save their carrier and themselves go captive. Jacob's remnant is contrasted as carried by the Lord's bowels and womb, with a promise of carrying and saving through old age and grey hairs. The unusual parental image remains the speaker's own, rather than being replaced with the people's mothers or a guarantee through every trial.

A question asks who can be equal or comparable. Gold from a bag and silver weighed out hire a goldsmith to make a god; worshippers carry it on shoulders, set it in place and cry without hearing or rescue. A particular pedestal and wealthy donor class are not specified. Transgressors are called to remember, feel shame and return to the heart.

The Lord claims incomparable divinity, declaring final things from the beginning and uncompleted things from ancient times, with counsel standing and will accomplished. A bird is called from the east and a man of his will from a distant country. The name Cyrus and the description bird of prey are not given here. Hardhearted people far from justice are called to hear: justice has come near and salvation in Sion will not tarry, with glory in Israel. The edition heading separately reads this salvation through Christ.

The story inside

Opening: The passage retains its particular declarations, images and conditions. Development: Edition interpretations remain identified separately from the chapter’s speech. Conclusion: Historical additions and universal practical guarantees are not treated as source facts.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The passage retains its particular declarations, images and conditions.
2
Edition interpretations remain identified separately from the chapter’s speech.
3
Historical additions and universal practical guarantees are not treated as source facts.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 82425–82429
46:1. Bel is broken, Nebo is destroyed: their idols are put upon beasts and cattle, your burdens of heavy weight even unto weariness. 46:2. They are consumed, and are broken together: they could not save him that carried them, and they themselves shall go into captivity.
Lines 82431–82436
46:3. Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel who are carried by my bowels, are borne up by my womb. 46:4. Even to your old age I am the same, and to your grey hairs I will carry you: I have made you, and I will bear: I will carry and will save.
Lines 82441–82448
46:6. You that contribute gold out of the bag, and weigh out silver in the scales: and hire a goldsmith to make a god: and they fall down and worship. 46:7. They bear him on their shoulders and carry him, and set him in his place, and he shall stand, and shall not stir out of his place. Yea, when they shall cry also unto him, he shall not hear: he shall not save them from tribulation.
Lines 82453–82458
46:9. Remember the former age, for I am God, and there is no God beside, neither is there the like to me: 46:10. Who shew from the beginning the things that shall be at last, and from ancient times the things that as yet are not done, saying: My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done:
Lines 82465–82467
46:12. I have brought my justice near, it shall not be afar off: and my salvation shall not tarry. I will give salvation in Sion, and my glory in Israel.