Isaiah 46:6-7
Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just describe the cost of idols, but also the sheer effort and process involved—from lavishly spending money to meticulously weighing it and hiring a craftsman. This highlights the immense human energy and resources poured into something that is ultimately lifeless and incapable of responding.
Isaiah contrasts the lifeless idols of Babylon with the living God who carries His people. He mocks the extravagance of idolaters who pour out vast sums of money and silver to craft gods, only to bow down to their own creations. This vividly illustrates the futility and absurdity of seeking help from something made by human hands, especially when compared to the God who sustains and delivers.
Imagine spending a fortune to create something you then bow down to. That's the striking picture Isaiah paints.
The prophet Isaiah calls out the sheer wastefulness and absurdity of idol worship. He describes people who 'lavish gold out of the bag' and 'weigh out silver in the scales' – sparing no expense. They pour out their wealth, almost as if the precious metals were worthless, all to commission a craftsman to fashion them a god.
This wasn't just about simple devotion; it was about immense financial investment. The idolaters spared no cost, hiring a goldsmith, a skilled artisan, to craft their deity. The emphasis is on the sheer extravagance poured into creating something inanimate. This highlights a stark contrast: their willingness to spend lavishly on lifeless objects, versus the ultimate emptiness and inability of these idols to offer anything in return.
What's the difference between a god you can build and the God who builds everything?
Isaiah uses the creation of idols to highlight the fundamental difference between the gods of human making and the true God. The idols are made by human hands, from materials humans possess. They are crafted by goldsmiths, shaped according to human design and desire.
In stark contrast, the true God is the uncreated Creator. He doesn't need to be made; He is. He is the one who sustains and carries His people, as the surrounding verses emphasize. The idols are passive, inert objects that cannot act, speak, or save. They are the product of human labor and expense, yet they are treated with divine worship. This illustrates the profound irony and delusion of idolatry – worshipping the work of one's own hands, or the hands of another, instead of the One who is truly worthy of all worship.
Understand the original words
'el · Hebrew Noun
A broad term for deities, frequently used in the Old Testament to refer to the true God of Israel, but here sarcastically applied to man-made idols. It denotes a being or object deserving of worship and possessing power over human destiny.
chawah · Hebrew Verb
To bow down or prostrate oneself before someone or something, signifying submission, reverence, and acknowledgment of the object's superiority or divinity. In an idolatrous context, it is the act of giving divine honor to a created thing.
This passage critiques the futility of idol worship, highlighting the immense resources spent on creating gods that are ultimately powerless. This critique would have resonated deeply with Judeans experiencing the devastation of the Babylonian exile, contrasting their suffering with the seemingly prosperous but hollow worship of idols in Babylon.
c. 705 BC
Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib
Isaiah is prophesying during a period of significant tension between the Assyrian Empire and Judah. King Sennacherib's campaigns often threatened Jerusalem, creating a backdrop of fear and political instability.
c. 681-668 BC
Reign of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal
The Assyrian Empire continued its dominance, with periods of both conflict and relative peace impacting Judah. The ongoing imperial power and its religious practices served as a constant comparison and challenge to Israel's faith.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Jewish elites and skilled workers to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of profound crisis for Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
More significant deportations occur after a rebellion by Judah. The loss of leaders and craftsmen intensifies the despair and spiritual questioning among the exiles.
This passage also mocks the futility of idols made of wood and metal, highlighting how they are lifeless and cannot help their worshippers, drawing a stark contrast to the living God.
Exodus 32:1-4This narrative vividly illustrates the Israelites' own costly devotion to idol-making, detailing how they melted down their gold earrings to fashion a golden calf, mirroring the extravagance described in Isaiah.
Psalm 115:4-8Similar to Isaiah's critique, this psalm emphasizes the inanimate nature of idols, describing them as having mouths that do not speak, eyes that do not see, and hands that do not work, ultimately declaring that those who make them will be like them.
Isaiah 44:9-20This earlier section of Isaiah provides a more detailed, polemical account of the absurdity of idol-making, showing the complete process from the raw materials to the final worship, which directly parallels and reinforces the message of chapter 46.
barnesIsaiah 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."
They lavish gold - The word used here means properly to shake out; and then to pour out abundantly, or in a lavish manner. It is used in connection with the idea of squandering in Deuteronomy 21:20 ; Proverbs 23:21 ; Proverbs 28:7 . Here the idea is, that they spared no expense; they poured out gold as if it were vile and worthless, in…
pooleIsaiah 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."
Maketh it a god; let us suppose, a god made with the greatest cost and art.
The verse doesn't just describe the cost of idols, but also the sheer effort and process involved—from lavishly spending money to meticulously weighing it and hiring a craftsman. This highlights the immense human energy and resources poured into something that is ultimately lifeless and incapable of responding.
Isaiah contrasts the lifeless idols of Babylon with the living God who carries His people. He mocks the extravagance of idolaters who pour out vast sums of money and silver to craft gods, only to bow down to their own creations. This vividly illustrates the futility and absurdity of seeking help from something made by human hands, especially when compared to the God who sustains and delivers.
Isaiah contrasts the lifeless idols of Babylon with the living God who carries His people. He mocks the extravagance of idolaters who pour out vast sums of money and silver to craft gods, only to bow down to their own creations. This vividly illustrates the futility and absurdity of seeking help from something made by human hands, especially when compared to the God who sustains and delivers.
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c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, the heart of Israel's worship and national identity. This catastrophic event is a central moment of crisis and suffering for the people of God.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon. This event offers a glimmer of hope and foreshadows the eventual return of the exiles, as prophesied by Isaiah.
"Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set i…" — The verse doesn't just describe the cost of idols, but also the sheer effort and process involved—from lavishly spending money to meticulously weighing it and hiring a craftsman. This highlights…
