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.

They bear {H5375} him upon the shoulder {H3802}, they carry {H5445} him, and set him in his place {H3240}, and he standeth {H5975}; from his place {H4725} shall he not remove {H4185}: yea, one shall cry {H6817} unto him, yet can he not answer {H6030}, nor save {H3467} him out of his trouble {H6869}.

It is borne on shoulders and carried, then set in its place; and there it stands. From its place it does not move. If one cries to it, it cannot answer or save anyone from his troubles.

They 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.

They 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.

Commentary

Commentary on Isaiah 46:7

Isaiah 46:7 powerfully illustrates the stark contrast between the lifeless idols worshipped by pagan nations and the living, sovereign God of Israel. This verse is part of a larger prophetic discourse where the Lord challenges the Babylonian gods, Bel and Nebo, highlighting their impotence compared to His own active power and enduring faithfulness.

Context

The book of Isaiah, particularly chapters 40-48, focuses on God's supremacy over all other gods and nations. Leading up to this verse, Isaiah 46:1-2 describes the Babylonian gods (Bel and Nebo) being carried away as plunder, unable to save themselves or their worshippers. In stark contrast, Isaiah 46:3-4 presents the Lord as the one who carries His people from birth to old age, sustaining and delivering them. Verse 7 specifically targets the physical burden and inherent weakness of idols, which require human effort to be moved and maintained, rather than possessing any inherent power.

Key Themes

  • The Impotence of Idolatry: The primary message is the absolute powerlessness of man-made gods. They cannot move, cannot speak, and cannot save. They are dependent on humans for their very existence and placement.
  • The Burden of False Worship: The verse emphasizes the physical labor involved in worshipping idols ("They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him"). This stands in sharp contrast to the true God, who carries His people and bears their burdens.
  • The Silence and Incapacity of Idols: Despite fervent cries or pleas ("one shall cry unto him"), the idol cannot respond ("can he not answer") nor provide deliverance ("nor save him out of his trouble"). This highlights their utter uselessness in times of genuine need.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV's descriptive phrases "bear him upon the shoulder" and "carry him" vividly portray the physical effort required to transport and install an idol. The Hebrew original reinforces this sense of a heavy, inanimate object. The phrase "from his place shall he not remove" underscores the idol's immobility; it is fixed and inert, possessing no volition or power of its own. The final declaration, "can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble," uses strong Hebrew terms that emphasize the idol's absolute inability to respond ('anah) or deliver (yasha') in any meaningful way.

Related Scriptures

This verse aligns with many other biblical passages that condemn idolatry and highlight the futility of worshipping false gods:

  • Psalm 115:4-7 describes idols as having mouths but not speaking, eyes but not seeing, ears but not hearing, hands but not handling, feet but not walking.
  • Jeremiah 10:5 likens idols to scarecrows in a cucumber field, unable to do evil or good.
  • Isaiah 44:9-20 provides a detailed, satirical account of the foolishness involved in carving idols from wood, even using part of the same wood for fuel.

Practical Application

While modern society may not typically worship carved images, the principle of idolatry remains highly relevant. Anything we place above God in our lives—money, power, possessions, career, relationships, self-image, or even ideologies—becomes a functional idol. Like the idols of old, these things ultimately prove to be immobile, silent, and incapable of truly answering our deepest needs or saving us from our troubles. This verse is a powerful reminder to place our trust and dependence solely on the living God, who is active, hears our prayers, and possesses the power to deliver and sustain us through all circumstances.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 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].

  • 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.

  • Judges 10:12

    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.

  • Judges 10:14

    Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

  • 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.