Isa. 46 The ruin of Babylon and her idols, Isa. 46:1–2. God’s love and faithfulness to the Jews, Isa. 46:3–4. Idols not to be compared with God, Isa. 46:5–8, for power, knowledge, and sure salvation, Isa. 46:9–13.

Bel; the chief idol of the Babylonians, Jer. 50:2, Jer. 51:44, called by profane historians Jupiter Belus. Boweth down; as the Babylonians used to bow down to him to worship him, so now he boweth down and submits himself to the victorious Persians.

They; either, 1. The idols, of whom these words are used, Isa. 46:1. Or, 2. The Babylonians, who are sufficiently implied in that expression, their idols, Isa. 46:1. They bow down together; either, 1. One as well as another; or, 2.

All the remnant of the house of Israel; fitly so called, with respect either, 1. To all the tribes of Israel, ten of which were now lost and gone; or, 2. To the state of the Jews at their return from Babylon, there being only a remnant of the two tribes which did return.

And that care and kindness which I have had for you from the beginning, I will continue to you to the end; never forsaking you, unless you wilfully and obstinately cast me off, as the Jews did when their Messiah came.

If you are tempted or inclined at any time to exchange me for an idol, do me and yourselves this right, seriously to consider, whether you can find another God who will be more able and more ready to do you good than I have been; which if you can do, I am content you should prefer him before me;…

Maketh it a god; let us suppose, a god made with the greatest cost and art.

They carry him; either, 1. In pomp upon solemn occasions; or, 2. From that place where he is made, unto that place where they intend to set him up, as it is expressed in the following words. Shall he not remove; or rather, he cannot remove. He can stir neither hand nor foot to help his people.

Remember this, consider these things which I now speak, O ye Israelites, and show yourselves men; act like reasonable creatures, and be not so brutish as to worship your own works; be so wise and courageous as to withstand all solicitation to idolatry.

Remember the former things of old; what I have done for you, and in the world, my evident predictions of future things justified by the event, and those other miraculous works whereby I have abundantly proved my Divinity.

Declaring the end from the beginning; foretelling from the beginning of the world, or from the beginning of your nation, those future events which should happen in succeeding ages, even to the end of the world, or to the end of your commonwealth; for such predictions we find delivered by Moses, the…

Calling a ravenous bird; Cyrus, called a bird for his swiftness and great expedition, and ravenous for his fierceness and victoriousness over his enemies. From the east; from Persia, as Isa. 41:2.

Ye stout-hearted; or, ye whose hearts are proud, or hard, or stubborn. He speaks either, 1. To the Babylonians, You who are stout against God, and say or think that neither God nor any man can deliver my people out of your hands: or rather, 2. To the house of Jacob, expressed Isa.

I bring near my righteousness: though you are most unrighteous persons, and have given me just cause to make you to know my breach of promise, as I threatened in the like case, Num.