Isaiah 46 · Verse 7

Isaiah 46:7

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.
Isaiah 46:7, King James Version

Isaiah 46:7 in other translations

BSBThey lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
WEBThey bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.
ASVThey bear it upon the shoulder, they carry it, and set it in its place, and it standeth, from its place shall it not remove: yea, one may cry unto it, yet can it not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
YLTThey lift him up on the shoulder, They carry him, and cause him to rest in his place, And he standeth, from his place he moveth not, Yea, one crieth unto him, and he answereth not, From his adversity he saveth him not.
DARBYThey bear him on the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place; there he standeth, he doth not remove from his place: yea, one crieth unto him, and he answereth not; he saveth him not out of his trouble.
BBEThey put him on their backs, and take him up, and put him in his fixed place, from which he may not be moved; if a man gives a cry for help to him, he is unable to give an answer, or get him out of his trouble.
WebsterThey bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yes, one shall cry to him, yet he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

What does Isaiah 46:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. cry ... can ... not ... save--(Is 45:20, with which contrast Is 45:19).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 They bear him upon the shoulder - and set him in his place - This is the way in which the Hindoos carry their gods; and indeed so exact a picture is this of the idolatrous procession of this people, that the prophet might almost be supposed to have been sitting among the Hindoos when he delivered this prophecy. - Ward'S Customs. Pindar has treated with a just and very elegant ridicule the work of the statuary even in comparison with his own poetry, from this circumstance of its being fixed to a certain station. "The friends of Pytheas," says the Scholiast, "came to the poet, desiring him to write an ode on his victory. Pindar demanded three drachms, (minae, I suppose it should be), for the ode. No, say they, we can have a brazen statue for that money, which will be better than a poem. However, changing their minds afterwards, they came and offered him what he had demanded." This gave him the hint of the following ingenious esordium of his ode: - Ουκ ανδριαντοποιος ειμ' Ὡστ' ελινυσσοντα μ' εργαζε- σθαι αγαλματ' επ' αυτας βαθμιδος Ἑσταοτ.Αλλ' επι πασας Ὁλκαδος εν τ' ακατῳ γλυκει' αοιδα Στειχ' απ' Αιγινας διαγγελ- lois' ὁτι Λαμπωνος ὑιος Πυθεας ευρυσθενης Νικῃ Νεμειοις παγκρατιου στεφανον. Nem. v. Thus elegantly translated by Mr. Francis in a note to Hor. Carm. 4:2. 19. "It is not mine with forming hand To bid a lifeless image stand For ever on its base: But fly, my verses, and proclaim To distant realms, with deathless fame, That Pytheas conquered in the rapid race." Jeremiah, Jer 10:3-5, seems to be indebted to Isaiah for most of the following passage: - "The practices of the people are altogether vanity: For they cut down a tree from the forest; The work of the artificer's hand with the axe; With silver and with gold it is adorned; With nails and with hammers it is fastened, that it may not totter. Like the palm-tree they stand stiff, and cannot speak; They are carried about, for they cannot go: Fear them not, for they cannot do harm; Neither is it in them to do good."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 46:5-13

Here the folly of those who made idols, and then prayed to them, is exposed. How does the profuseness of idolaters shame the niggardliness of many who call themselves God's servants, but are for a religion which costs them nothing! The service of sin always costs a great deal. God puts it to them what senseless, helpless things idols are. Let, then, the Jews show themselves men, avoiding such abominations. Many…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 46:5-13 →

Isaiah 46:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּYi.sa.'u.huthey lift up itH5375
עַל\־'al-onH5921
כָּתֵ֨ףka.Tefa shoulderH3802
יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּyis.be.Lu.huthey carry itH5445
וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּve.ya.ni.Chu.huand they set down itH5117
תַחְתָּיו֙tach.Tavin place itsH8478
וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔דve.ya.'a.Modso it may standH5975
מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹmi.me.ko.Mofrom place itsH4725
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יָמִ֑ישׁya.Mishit departsH4185
אַף\־'af-alsoH637
יִצְעַ֤קyitz.'Akhe cries outH6817
אֵלָיו֙'e.Lavto itH413
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יַעֲנֶ֔הya.'a.Nehit answersH6030
מִצָּרָת֖וֹmi.tza.ra.Tofrom trouble hisH6869
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ\׃\ \סyo.shi.'E.nuit delivers himH3467

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 46:7

  • Isaiah 45:20

    Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

  • Jeremiah 10:5

    They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

  • Isaiah 46:1

    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 Samuel 5:3

    And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

  • Jonah 1:5

    Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

  • 1 Kings 18:40

    And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

  • 1 Kings 18:26

    And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

  • Jonah 1:14-16

    Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

  • Daniel 3:1

    Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 2:28

    But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

  • Judges 10:12-14

    The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

  • Isaiah 37:38

    And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar–haddon his son reigned in his stead.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they carry him.
1Sa 5:3; Jer 10:5; Da 3:1
one shall cry.
37:38; 45:20; Jud 10:12-14; 1Ki 18:26,40; Jer 2:28; Jon 1:5,14-16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 46:6

    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.

  • Isaiah 46:7

    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.

  • Isaiah 46:8

    Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

Read all of Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Echanselo sobre los hombros, llévanlo, y asiéntanlo en su lugar; allí se está, y no se mueve de su sitio. Danle voces, y tampoco responde, ni libra de la tribulación.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
ils le chargent sur l’épaule, ils le portent, et le posent à sa place; et il se tient debout, il ne quitte pas sa place; on crie bien à lui, mais il ne répond pas, il ne les sauve pas de leur détresse.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sie heben ihn auf, tragen ihn auf der Schulter und lassen ihn nieder auf seine Stelle, und er steht da: von seinem Orte weicht er nicht. Auch schreit man zu ihm, aber er antwortet nicht: niemand rettet er aus seiner Not. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Portant illum in humeris gestantes, et ponentes in loco suo, et stabit, ac de loco suo non movebitur: sed et cum clamaverint ad eum, non audiet; de tribulatione non salvabit eos.