Comments on Isaiah 46

     With the identification of Cyrus as Judah's deliverer from
Babylon, Isaiah launches into a polemic against Babylon's idols. 
Using symbols from the legalistic trials the Lord's holds against 
the idols in the preceding chapters, Isaiah makes a more specific 
attack on Babylon's idols and their failure to deliver their 
worshippers from the Lord's anointed servant.  This chapter
also serves as a segue between the announcement of the Lord's
anointed who is to sack Babylon (ch. 45) and the announcement of
the sack of Babylon (ch. 47).  

     The greater ambiguity of this chapter than that of the
preceding two chapters also makes an eschatological interpretation
possible.  We know from numerous blatantly eschatological
scriptures that the figures of Babylon and Zion are pitted against
each other, and that is the same setting here.

     The text can be arranged as an alternating A-B-A-B and/or as
a chiasm:

  A - Babylon's Idols (v. 1-2)
    B - Israel's Lord (v. 3-4)
  A - Babylon debased by their idols (v. 5-8)
    B - Israel redeemed by the Lord (v. 9-13)

  A - (v. 1-2) Babylon's gods do not deliver it
    B - (v. 3-4) Listen to Me, you whom I support
      C - (v. 5) Who compares to Me?
        D - (v. 6-7) Man fabricates dead idols that do nothing
          E - (v. 8a) Keep this in mind
            F - (v. 8b) Take this to heart, you sinners!
          E - (v. 9a) Bear in mind
        D - (v. 9b-10) I am independent, divine and do my will
      C - (v. 11) I predict and bring about My will
    B - (v. 12) Listen to Me, you whom reject me
  A - (v. 13) Israel's God deliver and exalts Zion

v1-2  These two verses are a taunt aimed at those who carry their
idols in religious processions.  The tradition was to set the idols
upon stands and carry them about in procession during festivals. 
Here Isaiah indicates these idol gods could not walk or move even 
under good circumstances, and now that Babylon is to be sacked they 
cannot escape or deliver themselves so they go into captivity with 
the idolaters.  Isaiah presents the ironic circumstance that the 
worshippers of these gods are not delivered by them, but instead 
the worshippers become the saviours of the idols.

     It should be noted as a historical fact that with Cyrus' sack
of Babylon none of her idols were removed as loot.  Cyrus had a
very benevolent attitude towards occupied nations, especially with
regard to their religious practices.  The result is this passage is
ripe for eschatology.

v1  The WB offers the following rendering:

  Bel bows down             Nebo stoops
  Their idols have become   burdens for cattle!
  Burdens for cattle        burdens for the weary!

Then indicate their rendering attempts to preserve the Hebrew 
alliteration and rhythm:

  hayu 'asabbehem massa' lahayya
  nisuo' tekem labbehamma 'ammusot la'ayepa

v1a "Bel...Nebo", Bel is the Akkadian cognate of the Hebrew
Baal.  It is not a name but a title of "lord".  Nebo is the
Akkadian god Nabu, the god of wisdom and patron of scribes,
considered to be Marduk's son after adoption by the Babylonians. 
The title "Bel" was applied to Marduk of Babylon to make Bel-
Marduk, who was the chief god.  Nebo was the most popular god among
the Chaldean dynasty and his popularity is manifested in the names
of various leaders such as Nebuchadnezzar and Nabopolaaser.

v2c  Notice the JPS footnote on "burden".  The Targum (i.e. the
Aramaic translation of the OT) has the reading "him who carried
them", which delivers a reading of "the idols could not rescue
those that worshipped them".

v3-4  Where Babylonians had to carry their gods, Israel's God
carries them, cp. 1:14, 40:28-31, 63:9, Exod. 19:4, Deut. 1:31,
Deut. 32:11.  This section also presents the image of the Lord
supporting Israel from birth to death in both an individual and
corporate sense.  Also note that v. 3b addresses the remnant of
Israel and identifies them as those whom the Lord protects and
rescues (cp. 45:20).  Those among Israel who are not found among
the righteous remnant are not protected and rescued.

     This contrast between v. 1-2 and v. 3-4 shows where the real
might and strength is.  Babylon at that time was a mighty and
powerful nation and Israel was small and militarily weak.  But,
because the Babylonians rely on idols, they are intrinsically weak
where the Israelites are intrinsically strong.  Thus, Isaiah is
showing the intrinsic flaws of arm of flesh strength.

     This section is also derivative of 43:22-28 and 53:4-6 where 
the Lord states that Israel has forced the Lord into the position 
of servant as a result of her sins.  Idols are a burden to Israel,
which makes Israel a burden on the Lord.

v5-8  The general theme here is reminiscent of 44:9-20.  It also
conjures the mammon=idolatry theme again (cp. 2:7, 31:7) by stating
that people spend their gold and silver for molten images of gold
and silver.  Verse 5 is also very similar to 40:18, and therefore
indicates the same idolatry context.

v7 emphasizes the futility of idol worship.  No matter how much
they plead with their idols, it accomplishes them nothing because
these idols have no other aspect to their existence.

v8-9a  The "sinners" here are obviously those among Israel who take
Babylon's gods seriously.  The theme is derivative of 40:12-26. 
The Lord is trying to remind Israel who their true God is.

     Other translators render this verse as "Remember...,
Return/Recall..., Remember...." which remains more faithful to the
KJV than the JPS rendering.  The invocation for "remembering" is
most often applied to the Lord remember His covenants with Israel. 
In this case, the Lord is delivering Israel from her enemies (i.e.
Babylon), so it is Israel who must remember the Lord's actions on
her behalf.  The Lord has done His part in fulfilling the
covenants, now Israel must do her part.

     The curious thing here is these three lines appear to be the
opposite of 43:18, where Israel is told to forget about bygone
events.  See my comments on 43:18 where I argue the reference is
specifically aimed at forgetting their past mistakes.  Thus, here,
Isaiah is trying to get Israel to remember the consistency with
which the Lord has saved and supported Israel and that He has been
faithful in keeping His end of the covenant.

v9-10 are derivative of the preceding legalistic trial speeches
where Israel is elected as the Lord's witness, cp. 43:9-10, 44:6-8,
45:20-22, 48:6-8.

v11  This verse has reference to Cyrus, cross reference the usage
of "east" with that of 41:2.  See also 45:28-46:4 for references to
Cyrus.  But, the more ambiguous references to a physical deliverer
in connection with the "bird of prey" (cp. 40:31) reference make it
possible to develop a more eschatological interpretation here.

v11a "swooping bird", the Hebrew word here, frequently translated
"eagle" is more ambiguous and can be in reference to several types
of large birds of prey.

v11c-d  Here the veracity of the Lord's speech is held up, as it is
in v. 10 as well.  If the Lord says something is to occur it will
occur, period.  He has the ability to bring about His will
regardless of earthly opposition or disregard.  No earthly force 
can claim this.

v12  The people being referenced here are those from v. 3 and v. 8-
9a.

v12a  See the JPS footnote.

v13  The foundation and exaltation of Zion contrasts the sack of
Babylon in v. 1-2, which also just happens to be the subject of the
next chapter.  This verse also indicates that the exaltation of
Zion is coincident with the sack of Babylon.