Isaiah 46:6

⁴ And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

⁵ To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

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.

⁷ They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

⁸ Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they worship.
ASV: Such as lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; they fall down, yea, they worship.
DARBY: They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a God: they fall down, yea, they worship.
BLB: Those lavishing gold from the bag and weighing silver on the scales, they hire a goldsmith, that he might make it a god. They bow low, even bow down;

ÅB: De rister gull ut av pungen og veier sølv på vekten, de leier en gullsmed som skal gjøre det til en gud, så de kan falle ned og tilbe;
OTB: Noen tar gull fra sine poser og måler ut sølv på vekten; de ansetter en gullsmed til å forme det til en guddom, og de bøyer seg og tilber det.
B1930: De ryster gull ut av pungen og veier sølv på vekten, de leier en gullsmed som skal gjøre det til en gud, så de kan falle ned og tilbede;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 17:29
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Read in context
Jeremiah 10:14
Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
Read in context
Isaiah 40:19–20
The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
Read in context
Hosea 8:4–6
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
Read in context
Isaiah 2:8
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:
Read in context
1 Kings 12:28
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Read in context
Daniel 3:5–15
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
Read in context
Jeremiah 10:3–4
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Read in context