Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46 contrasts the impotence of Babylonian idols **Bel** and **Nebo**, which bow down, stoop, and become burdens carried away into captivity by weary beasts, unable to deliver their worshippers[1][2][3][4][5][9]. In opposition, **YHWH** declares He has carried Israel from the womb, will sustain them to old age and gray hairs, and will summon **Cyrus** from the east to execute His purpose and deliver His people, challenging all to remember His unrivaled sovereignty[1][2][3][5].

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Interlinear Text

Verse 1
bows down he knelt down he knelt down Bel Bel Bel stoops bent-backed one bent-backed one Nebo Nebo Nevo have become they were they were their idols their carved-idols their carved-idols to beast to a living creature to a living creature and to cattle and to the beast and to the animal your carriage your carried-loads your carried-loads heavy laden loaded-down ones loaded-down ones burden burden of burden of to the weary weary one weary one
כָּרַ֥ע 𐤊𐤓𐤏 kara bows down he knelt down he knelt down HVqp3ms בֵּל֙ 𐤁𐤋 bel Bel Bel Bel HNp קֹרֵ֣ס 𐤒𐤓𐤎 qores stoops bent-backed one bent-backed one HVqrmsa נְב֔וֹ 𐤍𐤁𐤅 nevo Nebo Nebo Nevo HNp הָיוּ֙ 𐤄𐤉𐤅 hayu have become they were they were HVqp3cp עֲצַבֵּי/הֶ֔ם 𐤏𐤑𐤁𐤉/𐤄𐤌 atsabeyhem their idols their carved-idols their carved-idols HNcmpc/Sp3mp לַ/חַיָּ֖ה 𐤋/𐤇𐤉𐤄 lachayah hai (Swahili) to beast to a living creature to a living creature HRd/Ncfsa וְ/לַ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה 𐤅/𐤋/𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 velabehemah and to cattle and to the beast and to the animal HC/Rd/Ncfsa נְשֻׂאֹתֵי/כֶ֣ם 𐤍𐤔𐤀𐤕𐤉/𐤊𐤌 nesuoteykhem your carriage your carried-loads your carried-loads HVqsfpc/Sp2mp עֲמוּס֔וֹת 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤅𐤕 amusot heavy laden loaded-down ones loaded-down ones HVqsfpa מַשָּׂ֖א 𐤌𐤔𐤀 masa burden burden of burden of HNcmsa לַ/עֲיֵפָֽה 𐤋/𐤏𐤉𐤐𐤄 laayefah to the weary weary one weary one HR/Aafsa
Verse 3
Listen Hear! Hear! to me toward me to me O house house-of house of of Jacob Heel-Grasper Yaaqov and all and whole of and all of the remnant surviving remainder surviving remnant of the house house-of house of of Israel El-Contends Yiserael who are borne the burdened ones the burdened ones by me from me by me from the belly belly from the belly who are carried the lifted ones the carried ones from me from me from me the womb womb-compassion the womb
שִׁמְע֤וּ 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 shimeu Listen Hear! Hear! HVqv2mp אֵלַ/י֙ 𐤀𐤋/𐤉 elay to me toward me to me HR/Sp1cs בֵּ֣ית 𐤁𐤉𐤕 beyt O house house-of house of HNcmsc יַעֲקֹ֔ב 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 yaaqov of Jacob Heel-Grasper Yaaqov HNp וְ/כָל 𐤅/𐤊𐤋 vekhal kila (Swahili) and all and whole of and all of HC/Ncmsc שְׁאֵרִ֖ית 𐤔𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤕 sheerit the remnant surviving remainder surviving remnant HNcfsc בֵּ֣ית 𐤁𐤉𐤕 beyt-2 of the house house-of house of HNcmsc יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 yiserael of Israel El-Contends Yiserael HNp הַֽ/עֲמֻסִים֙ 𐤄/𐤏𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤌 haamusim who are borne the burdened ones the burdened ones HTd/Vqsmpa מִנִּי 𐤌𐤍𐤉 mini by me from me by me HR בֶ֔טֶן 𐤁𐤈𐤍 veten from the belly belly from the belly HNcfsa הַ/נְּשֻׂאִ֖ים 𐤄/𐤍𐤔𐤀𐤉𐤌 hanesuim who are carried the lifted ones the carried ones HTd/Vqsmpa מִנִּי 𐤌𐤍𐤉 mini-2 from me from me from me HR רָֽחַם 𐤓𐤇𐤌 racham the womb womb-compassion the womb HNcbsa
Verse 4
even to and up to and up to old age old age old age I I I he he he even to and up to and up to gray hairs gray-haired old age gray-haired old age I I I will carry I will bear I will bear I I I have made I did I did even I and I and I will bear I lift I will lift even I and I and I will carry I will bear I will bear and will deliver I will deliver and I will deliver
וְ/עַד 𐤅/𐤏𐤃 vead even to and up to and up to HC/R זִקְנָה֙ 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤄 ziqenah old age old age old age HNcfsa אֲנִ֣י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I I I HPp1cs ה֔וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu he he he HPp3ms וְ/עַד 𐤅/𐤏𐤃 vead-2 even to and up to and up to HC/R שֵיבָ֖ה 𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄 sheyvah gray hairs gray-haired old age gray-haired old age HNcfsa אֲנִ֣י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani-2 Ine (Bemba) I I I HPp1cs אֶסְבֹּ֑ל 𐤀𐤎𐤁𐤋 esebol will carry I will bear I will bear HVqi1cs אֲנִ֤י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani-3 Ine (Bemba) I I I HPp1cs עָשִׂ֨יתִי֙ 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤉 asiti have made I did I did HVqp1cs וַ/אֲנִ֣י 𐤅/𐤀𐤍𐤉 vaani Ine (Bemba) even I and I and I HC/Pp1cs אֶשָּׂ֔א 𐤀𐤔𐤀 esa will bear I lift I will lift HVqi1cs וַ/אֲנִ֥י 𐤅/𐤀𐤍𐤉 vaani-2 Ine (Bemba) even I and I and I HC/Pp1cs אֶסְבֹּ֖ל 𐤀𐤎𐤁𐤋 esebol-2 will carry I will bear I will bear HVqi1cs וַ/אֲמַלֵּֽט 𐤅/𐤀𐤌𐤋𐤈 vaamalet and will deliver I will deliver and I will deliver HC/Vpi1cs
Verse 6
those who lavish the ones who treat lightly the ones who lavish gold gold gold from the purse money pouch from the purse and silver silver and silver on the scales in the reed on the scales they weigh they will weigh out they weigh hire they will hire they hire a goldsmith the refining-one the refining-one and he makes it and he does it and he makes it a god toward a god they bow down they will prostrate themselves they bow down indeed indeed indeed they worship they will prostrate themselves they will bow down
הַ/זָּלִ֤ים 𐤄/𐤆𐤋𐤉𐤌 hazalim zalilisha (Swahili) those who lavish the ones who treat lightly the ones who lavish HTd/Vqrmpa זָהָב֙ 𐤆𐤄𐤁 zahav dhahabu (Swahili) gold gold gold HNcmsa מִ/כִּ֔יס 𐤌/𐤊𐤉𐤎 mikis from the purse money pouch from the purse HR/Ncmsa וְ/כֶ֖סֶף 𐤅/𐤊𐤎𐤐 vekhesef and silver silver and silver HC/Ncmsa בַּ/קָּנֶ֣ה 𐤁/𐤒𐤍𐤄 baqaneh on the scales in the reed on the scales HRd/Ncmsa יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ 𐤉𐤔𐤒𐤋𐤅 yisheqolu they weigh they will weigh out they weigh HVqi3mp יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤓𐤅 yisekeru hire they will hire they hire HVqi3mp צוֹרֵף֙ 𐤑𐤅𐤓𐤐 tsoref a goldsmith the refining-one the refining-one HVqrmsa וְ/יַעֲשֵׂ֣/הוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤏𐤔/𐤄𐤅 veyaasehu and he makes it and he does it and he makes it HC/Vqi3ms/Sp3ms אֵ֔ל 𐤀𐤋 el a god toward a god HNcmsa יִסְגְּד֖וּ 𐤉𐤎𐤂𐤃𐤅 yisegedu they bow down they will prostrate themselves they bow down HVqi3mp אַף 𐤀𐤐 af indeed indeed indeed HTa יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤇𐤅𐤅 yishetachauu they worship they will prostrate themselves they will bow down HVvi3mp
Verse 7
They lift it they will lift him they lift it upon upon upon the shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder and carry it they bear him they bear it and they set it down and they will set him down and they set it down in its place beneath him; in his place in its place and it stands and he will stand and it will stand from its place from his standing-place from his place not not not it moves he will withdraw it will move even indeed even one cries out he cries out he will cry out to it toward him to it and not and not and not it answers he answers it will answer from his distress his distress from his distress not not not it saves him he will deliver us it saves him
יִ֠שָּׂאֻ/הוּ 𐤉𐤔𐤀/𐤄𐤅 yisauhu They lift it they will lift him they lift it HVqi3mp/Sp3ms עַל 𐤏𐤋 al upon upon upon HR כָּתֵ֨ף 𐤊𐤕𐤐 katef the shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder HNcfsa יִסְבְּלֻ֜/הוּ 𐤉𐤎𐤁𐤋/𐤄𐤅 yisebeluhu and carry it they bear him they bear it HVqi3mp/Sp3ms וְ/יַנִּיחֻ֤/הוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤇/𐤄𐤅 veyanichuhu and they set it down and they will set him down and they set it down HC/Vhi3mp/Sp3ms תַחְתָּי/ו֙ 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉/𐤅 tachetayv in its place beneath him; in his place in its place HR/Sp3ms וְ/יַֽעֲמֹ֔ד 𐤅/𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃 veyaamod ima (Bemba) and it stands and he will stand and it will stand HC/Vqi3ms מִ/מְּקוֹמ֖/וֹ 𐤌/𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌/𐤅 mimeqomo from its place from his standing-place from his place HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn יָמִ֑ישׁ 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤔 yamish it moves he will withdraw it will move HVqi3ms אַף 𐤀𐤐 af even indeed even HTa יִצְעַ֤ק 𐤉𐤑𐤏𐤒 yitseaq one cries out he cries out he will cry out HVqi3ms אֵלָי/ו֙ 𐤀𐤋𐤉/𐤅 elayv to it toward him to it HR/Sp3ms וְ/לֹ֣א 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo and not and not and not HC/Tn יַעֲנֶ֔ה 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄 yaaneh it answers he answers it will answer HVqi3ms מִ/צָּרָת֖/וֹ 𐤌/𐤑𐤓𐤕/𐤅 mitsarato from his distress his distress from his distress HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms לֹ֥א 𐤋𐤀 lo-2 not not not HTn יוֹשִׁיעֶֽ/נּוּ 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤏/𐤍𐤅 yoshienu it saves him he will deliver us it saves him HVhi3ms/Sp3ms
Verse 10
declaring the one who makes known the one who declares from the beginning from the first-part of from the beginning the end after-end of the end and from ancient times and from before and from ancient times things which that-which that which not not not have been done were done were done saying the one saying the one saying my counsel my counsel my counsel shall stand you will rise will stand and all and whole of and all of my pleasure my delight my delight I will do I will do I will do
מַגִּ֤יד 𐤌𐤂𐤉𐤃 magid declaring the one who makes known the one who declares HVhrmsa מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֙ 𐤌/𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 mereshit Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ (Yoruba) from the beginning from the first-part of from the beginning HR/Ncfsa אַחֲרִ֔ית 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕 acharit the end after-end of the end HNcfsa וּ/מִ/קֶּ֖דֶם 𐤅/𐤌/𐤒𐤃𐤌 umiqedem and from ancient times and from before and from ancient times HC/R/Ncmsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher things which that-which that which HTr לֹא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn נַעֲשׂ֑וּ 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤅 naasu have been done were done were done HVNp3cp אֹמֵר֙ 𐤀𐤌𐤓 omer saying the one saying the one saying HVqrmsa עֲצָתִ֣/י 𐤏𐤑𐤕/𐤉 atsati my counsel my counsel my counsel HNcfsc/Sp1cs תָק֔וּם 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤌 taqum uku-ima (Bemba) shall stand you will rise will stand HVqi3fs וְ/כָל 𐤅/𐤊𐤋 vekhal kila (Swahili) and all and whole of and all of HC/Ncmsc חֶפְצִ֖/י 𐤇𐤐𐤑/𐤉 chefetsi my pleasure my delight my delight HNcmsc/Sp1cs אֶעֱשֶֽׂה 𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤄 eeseh I will do I will do I will do HVqi1cs
Verse 11
calling calling one calling one from the east from the sunrise-place from the east bird of prey swooping raptor bird of prey from a land from land from land far remoteness remoteness man man man of his counsel his counsel his counsel My counsel my counsel my counsel indeed indeed indeed I have spoken I spoke I spoke indeed indeed indeed I will bring it I will bring her I will bring her I have purposed I fashioned I formed indeed indeed indeed I will do it I will make her I will do her
קֹרֵ֤א 𐤒𐤓𐤀 qore calling calling one calling one HVqrmsa מִ/מִּזְרָח֙ 𐤌/𐤌𐤆𐤓𐤇 mimizerach from the east from the sunrise-place from the east HR/Ncmsa עַ֔יִט 𐤏𐤉𐤈 ayit bird of prey swooping raptor bird of prey HNcmsa מֵ/אֶ֥רֶץ 𐤌/𐤀𐤓𐤑 meerets Ayé (Yoruba) from a land from land from land HR/Ncbsc מֶרְחָ֖ק 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤒 merechaq far remoteness remoteness HNcmsa אִ֣ישׁ 𐤀𐤉𐤔 ish man man man HNcmsc עצת/ו 𐤏𐤑𐤕/𐤅 tstv of his counsel his counsel his counsel HNcfsc/Sp3ms עֲצָתִ֑/י 𐤏𐤑𐤕/𐤉 atsati My counsel my counsel my counsel HNcfsc/Sp1cs אַף 𐤀𐤐 af indeed indeed indeed HTa דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי֙ 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤕𐤉 dibareti I have spoken I spoke I spoke HVpp1cs אַף 𐤀𐤐 af-2 indeed indeed indeed HTa אֲבִיאֶ֔/נָּה 𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤀/𐤍𐤄 avienah I will bring it I will bring her I will bring her HVhi1cs/Sp3fs יָצַ֖רְתִּי 𐤉𐤑𐤓𐤕𐤉 yatsareti I have purposed I fashioned I formed HVqp1cs אַף 𐤀𐤐 af-3 indeed indeed indeed HTa אֶעֱשֶֽׂ/נָּה 𐤀𐤏𐤔/𐤍𐤄 eesenah I will do it I will make her I will do her HVqi1cs/Sp3fs
Verse 13
I have brought near I brought near I have brought near my righteousness my righteousness my righteousness not not not will be far you will move away will be far and my salvation and my deliverance and my salvation not not not will delay you delay will delay and I will give and I will give and I will give in Zion in Zion in Tsion salvation deliverance deliverance to Israel to El-Contends to Yiserael my glory my splendor my splendor
קֵרַ֤בְתִּי 𐤒𐤓𐤁𐤕𐤉 qeraveti I have brought near I brought near I have brought near HVpp1cs צִדְקָתִ/י֙ 𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤕/𐤉 tsideqati my righteousness my righteousness my righteousness HNcfsc/Sp1cs לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn תִרְחָ֔ק 𐤕𐤓𐤇𐤒 tirechaq will be far you will move away will be far HVqi3fs וּ/תְשׁוּעָתִ֖/י 𐤅/𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤕/𐤉 uteshuati and my salvation and my deliverance and my salvation HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo-2 not not not HTn תְאַחֵ֑ר 𐤕𐤀𐤇𐤓 teacher will delay you delay will delay HVpi3fs וְ/נָתַתִּ֤י 𐤅/𐤍𐤕𐤕𐤉 venatati and I will give and I will give and I will give HC/Vqq1cs בְ/צִיּוֹן֙ 𐤁/𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 vetsion in Zion in Zion in Tsion HR/Np תְּשׁוּעָ֔ה 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤄 teshuah salvation deliverance deliverance HNcfsa לְ/יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל 𐤋/𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 leyiserael to Israel to El-Contends to Yiserael HR/Np תִּפְאַרְתִּֽ/י 𐤕𐤐𐤀𐤓𐤕/𐤉 tifeareti my glory my splendor my splendor HNcfsc/Sp1cs
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