41:7 The craftsman encourages the metalsmith,
the one who wields the hammer encourages 1 the one who pounds on the anvil.
He approves the quality of the welding, 2
and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”
46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;
they put it in its place and it just stands there;
it does not 3 move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
46:1 Bel 4 kneels down,
Nebo 5 bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. 6
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 7
5:3 So now, residents of Jerusalem, 8
people 9 of Judah,
you decide between me and my vineyard!
5:4 What more can I do for my vineyard
beyond what I have already done?
When I waited for it to produce edible grapes,
why did it produce sour ones instead?
1 tn The verb “encourages” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
2 tn Heb “saying of the welding, ‘It is good.’”
3 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
4 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
5 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
6 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
7 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
8 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
9 tn Heb “men,” but in a generic sense.