Isaiah 46:11-13

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 46:11

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 46:12

Hearken unto me, ye stout hearted ,.... This is not an address to the Chaldeans, as Kimchi and others think, who were merciless and cruel to the Jews, and far from doing that which was right unto them, but oppressed them, and would not let them go; but to the Jews themselves, at least to the wicked and profligate among them, who were always a stouthearted, stiffnecked, and a rebellious people; and even those who made more presences to religion were only self-righteous, and were far from true... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 46:13

I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off ,.... Meaning either the faithfulness of God, in fulfilling his promises; or the justice of God displayed, in redemption by Christ; or Christ himself, God's righteous One, and the Lord our righteousness; or rather the righteousness of Christ itself, which Jehovah the Father may call his, because he sent his Son to work it out, approved of it, accepted it, and imputes it to his people, and justifies them by it; and which was near to be... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 46:12

Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted - This is an address to the Babylonians, stubbornly bent on the practice of injustice towards the Israelites. 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 46:9-11

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 46:11

Calling a ravenous bird ; rather, a bird of prey. The imagery is quite natural, and exactly parallel to that by which Nebuchadnezzar is termed "an eagle," both by Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 44:22 ) and Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 17:3 ). There is no need to suppose any allusion to the fact, if fact it be, that the Persians from the time of Cyrus had for a standard a golden eagle, with wings outspread, on the top of a spear-shaft (Xen; 'Cyrop.,' 7.1, § 4; 'Anab.,' 1.10, § 12). From the east (comp. ... read more

Group of Brands