Isaiah 46:4-13

46:4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you, ¹ 

even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.

I made you and I will support you;

I will carry you and rescue you. ² 

46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?

Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!

46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse

and weigh out silver on the scale ³ 

hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.

They then bow down and worship it.

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 ⁴  move from its place.

Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;

it does not deliver him from his distress.

46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! ⁵ 

Think about it, you rebels! ⁶ 

46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! ⁷ 

Truly I am God, I have no peer; ⁸ 

I am God, and there is none like me,

46:10 who announces the end from the beginning

and reveals beforehand ⁹  what has not yet occurred,

who says, ‘My plan will be realized,

I will accomplish what I desire,’

46:11 who summons an eagle ¹⁰  from the east,

from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.

Yes, I have decreed, ¹¹ 

yes, I will bring it to pass;

I have formulated a plan,

yes, I will carry it out.

46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, ¹² 

you who distance yourself from doing what is right. ¹³ 

46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;

I am bringing my salvation near, ¹⁴  it does not wait.

I will save Zion; ¹⁵ 

I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” ¹⁶ 

[46:4]  ¹ tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”

[46:4]  ² sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.

[46:6]  ³ tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.

[46:7]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.

[46:8]  ⁵ tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (’ashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.

[46:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”

[46:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”

[46:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[46:10]  ⁹ tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”

[46:11]  ¹⁰ tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).

[46:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”

[46:12]  ¹² tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”

[46:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”

[46:13]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).

[46:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”

[46:13]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”