Isaiah 46:9-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 46:5-13

The deliverance of Israel by the destruction of Babylon (the general subject of all these chapters) is here insisted upon, and again promised, for the conviction both of idolaters who set up as rivals with God, and of oppressors who were enemies to the people of God. I. For the conviction of those who made and worshipped idols, especially those of Israel who did so, who would have images of their God, as the Babylonians had of theirs, 1. He challenges them either to frame an image that should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 46:9

Remember the former things of old ,.... The things that were from the beginning, or the ancient things done by the Lord, whether as the effects of power, wisdom, and goodness, or in wrath, or in mercy; such as the creation of the heavens, and the earth, and all things in them; the destruction of the old world, and of Sodom and Gomorrah; the bringing of Israel out of Egypt through the Red sea and wilderness, to Canaan's land, and all the wondrous things then done for them; which are so many... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning ,.... The end of the Jewish state, both as a church, and a commonwealth, from the first settlement of it in the times of Moses, and by him, Deuteronomy 32:29 . The end of the world, and all things in it, as early as the times of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, Judges 1:14 . The end and issue of every event, at least of many very remarkable and momentous ones, before they came to pass; and particularly things relating to Christ, the beginning and end;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 46:11

Calling a ravenous bird from the east ,.... Or "a flying fowl", or "swift winged bird" F21 עיט "avem, a velocitate", Munster; so Vatablus; ab עוט "in volando celeriter et cum impetu", Forerius; so Ben Melech says, Cyrus is surnamed a fowl, because of his great swiftness and haste to come to Babylon; though he observes that some say, that a ravenous fowl is called עיט ; the singular may be put for the plural; so Cocceius renders it, "volucres", birds, and may design the whole army... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 46:11

Calling a ravenous bird from the east "Calling from the east the eagle" - A very proper emblem for Cyrus, as in other respects, so particularly because the ensign of Cyrus was a golden eagle, ΑΕΤΟΣ χρυσους , the very word עיט ayit , which the prophet uses here, expressed as near as may be in Greek letters. Xenoph. Cyrop. lib. 7 sub. init. Kimchi says his father understood this, not of Cyrus, but of the Messiah. From a far country "From a land far distant" - Two MSS. add the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:1-11

The effect of God's temporal judgments upon nations on the religious history of the world. In the ancient world, where religions had no revealed or historic basis, but had been evolved by degrees from the thought or imagination of each people, the fate of a religion depended greatly upon the course of secular history, and the success or failure that attended upon the arms of the nation professing it. As no people could have a rational, or, consequently, a firm belief in a system based upon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:1-13

The religion of Jehovah contrasted with idolatry. I. THE HUMILIATION OF BEL AND NEBO . These were the tutelar gods of Babylon and its suburb, Borsippa. Merodach, or Marduk ( Jeremiah 50:2 ), is another name of a being closely related to or identical with Bel. The idols of the Chaldeans are given up to the beasts, and the images once carried in solemn procession by the priests and nobles are put upon the backs of beasts of burden. Herodotus and Diodorus tell us of the golden... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:9

Remember the former things of old ; i.e. God's wonderful dealings with Israel in times past—the miracles in Egypt, the passage of the Red Sea, the deliverances from Midian, and Ammon, and the Philistines, and Zerah, and Sennacherib—which proved him God in a sense in which the word could be applied to no other. I am God … I am God. In the original, "I am El … I am Elohim. " El is "the Mighty One," "the Omnipotent;" Elohim , "the Godhead" in all its fulness. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:9-11

A FURTHER ADMONITION GROUNDED ON OTHER MOTIVES . Israel is exhorted to continue firm in the faith read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning ; i.e. "possessed of the very highest prophetic power, able to declare from the very beginnings of history its ultimate issues" (see Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 16:12 ; Genesis 21:18 , etc.). My counsel; rather, my purpose, or my plan (comp. Psalms 33:11 ; Job 23:13 ; and supra , Isaiah 14:24 ). read more

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