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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Isaiah 46:6

People open their purses and pour out gold; they weigh out silver on the scales. They hire a goldsmith to make a god; then they bow down and worship it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Balances;   Idolatry;   Money;   Thompson Chain Reference - Arts and Crafts;   False;   Goldsmiths;   Idol;   Idolatry;   Purses;   Worship, False;   Worship, True and False;   The Topic Concordance - Idolatry;   Salvation;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Idol, idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Religion;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Canon (1);   Easton Bible Dictionary - Adore;   Balance;   Goldsmith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Balance;   Money;   Purse;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bag;   Balances;   Exile;   God;   Isaiah;   Wages;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Balance;   Election;   Micah, Book of;   Reed;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gold;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Balances;   Purse;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Purse,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Money;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bag;   Balance;   Bear;   Habakkuk;   Hire;   Reed;   Worship;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Artisans;   Bag;   Balance;   Money;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for March 21;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Those who pour out their bags of goldand weigh out silver on scales—they hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god.Then they kneel and bow down to it.
Hebrew Names Version
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.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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!
New American Standard Bible
"Those who lavish gold from the bag And weigh silver on the scale, Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it.
New Century Version
Some people are rich with gold and weigh their silver on the scales. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god. Then they bow down and worship it.
Amplified Bible
"Those who lavish gold from the bag And weigh out silver on the scales Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it.
World English Bible
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They draw gold out of the bagge & weigh siluer in the balance, and hire a goldsmith to make a god of it, and they bowe downe, and worship it.
Legacy Standard Bible
Those who lavish gold from the purseAnd weigh silver on the scale,They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;They fall down, indeed they worship it.
Berean Standard Bible
Those who pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god they can bow down and worship.
Contemporary English Version
Some people hire a goldsmith and give silver and gold to be formed into an idol for them to worship.
Complete Jewish Bible
They squander the gold from their bags and weigh silver on a scale; they hire a goldsmith to make a god, before which they fall down and worship!
Darby Translation
—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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Some people are rich with gold and silver. Gold falls from their purses, and they weigh their silver on scales. They pay an artist to make a false god from wood. Then they bow down and worship that false god.
George Lamsa Translation
To those who go astray, who pour out gold from their bags and weigh silver in the balance and hire a goldsmith; and they make it a god; they worship it, and they also pray to it?
Lexham English Bible
Those who lavish gold from the purse and weigh out silver in the balance scales; hire a goldsmith and he makes him a god; they bow down, indeed they bow in worship.
Literal Translation
Those who lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the measuring rod; they hire a refiner and he makes it a god. They fall down; yea, they worship.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye fooles (no doute) wil take out syluer and golde out of youre purses, and weye it, and hyre a goldsmyth to make a god of it, that men maye knele downe and worshipe it.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
As for those who take gold out of a bag, and put silver in the scales, they give payment to a gold-worker, to make it into a god; they go down on their faces and give it worship.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Ye that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; ye that hire a goldsmith, that he make it a god, to fall down thereto, yea, to worship.
King James Version (1611)
They lauish gold out of the bagge, and weigh siluer in the balance, and hire a goldsmith, and hee maketh it a god: they fall downe, yea they worship.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Take out siluer and gold out of your purses, and way it, and hyre a goldesmith to make a god of it, that men may kneele downe and worship it:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They that furnish gold out of a purse, and silver by weight, will weigh it in a scale, and they hire a goldsmith and make idols, and bow down, and worship them.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche beren togidere gold fro the bagge, and peisen siluer with a balaunce, and hiren a goldsmyth to make a god, and thei fallen doun, and worschipen; thei berynge beren in schuldris,
Update Bible Version
Such as lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, they hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; they fall down, yes, they worship.
Webster's Bible Translation
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, yes, they worship.
New English Translation
Those who empty out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scale hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god. They then bow down and worship it.
New King James Version
They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
New Living Translation
Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it!
New Life Bible
Those who take much gold from the money bag and weigh silver hire one who works with gold, and he makes it into a god. Then they bow down and worship it.
New Revised Standard
Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales— they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They who pour gold out of a purse, And who weigh silver in a balance, - Who hire a goldsmith that he may make it into a GOD, They adore, yea they bow down;
Douay-Rheims Bible
You that contribute gold out of the bag, and weigh out silver in the scales: and hire a goldsmith to make a god: and they fall down and worship.
Revised Standard Version
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!
Young's Literal Translation
-- They are pouring out gold from a bag, And silver on the beam they weigh, They hire a refiner, and he maketh it a god, They fall down, yea, they bow themselves.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Those who lavish gold from the purse And weigh silver on the scale Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it.

Contextual Overview

5 "To whom will you compare me?" says the Lord . "Is there anyone else like me? 6 People open their purses and pour out gold; they weigh out silver on the scales. They hire a goldsmith to make a god; then they bow down and worship it. 7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they put it in place, and there it stands, unable to move from where it is. If any pray to it, it cannot answer or save them from disaster. 8 "Remember this, you sinners; consider what I have done. 9 Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me. 10 From the beginning I predicted the outcome; long ago I foretold what would happen. I said that my plans would never fail, that I would do everything I intended to do. 11 I am calling a man to come from the east; he will swoop down like a hawk and accomplish what I have planned. I have spoken, and it will be done. 12 "Listen to me, you stubborn people who think that victory is far away. 13 I am bringing the day of victory near— it is not far away at all. My triumph will not be delayed. I will save Jerusalem and bring honor to Israel there."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lavish: Isaiah 40:19, Isaiah 40:20, Isaiah 41:6, Isaiah 41:7, Isaiah 44:12-19, Isaiah 45:20, Exodus 32:2-4, Judges 17:3, Judges 17:4, 1 Kings 12:28, Jeremiah 10:3, Jeremiah 10:4, Jeremiah 10:9, Jeremiah 10:14, Hosea 8:4-6, Habakkuk 2:18-20, Acts 17:29

they fall: Isaiah 2:8, Isaiah 44:17, Daniel 3:5-15

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:3 - General Exodus 32:4 - fashioned Exodus 34:17 - General Numbers 23:14 - built seven Nehemiah 3:8 - the goldsmiths Psalms 115:4 - Their idols Psalms 135:15 - idols Isaiah 2:20 - his idols of silver Isaiah 30:22 - thy graven images of silver Isaiah 44:9 - and their Isaiah 55:2 - spend Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns Jeremiah 2:27 - to a stock Daniel 3:1 - made Daniel 5:4 - of gold Daniel 5:23 - which Hosea 2:8 - which they prepared for Baal Hosea 13:2 - have made Habakkuk 2:19 - it is Luke 4:7 - worship me

Cross-References

Genesis 15:13
The Lord said to him, "Your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land; they will be slaves there and will be treated cruelly for four hundred years.
Numbers 20:15
how our ancestors went to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated our ancestors and us,
Deuteronomy 10:22
When your ancestors went to Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Deuteronomy 26:5
Then, in the Lord 's presence you will recite these words: ‘My ancestor was a wandering Aramean, who took his family to Egypt to live. They were few in number when they went there, but they became a large and powerful nation.
Joshua 24:4
and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Edom as his possession, but your ancestor Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
1 Samuel 12:8
When Jacob and his family went to Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, your ancestors cried to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron, who brought them out of Egypt and settled them in this land.
Psalms 105:23
Then Jacob went to Egypt and settled in that country.
Isaiah 52:4
When you went to live in Egypt as foreigners, you did so of your own free will; Assyria, however, took you away by force and paid nothing for you.
Acts 7:15
Then Jacob went to Egypt, where he and his sons died.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They lavish gold out of the bag,.... As if it was of no value and account; that is, the Heathen idolaters, some of them, who are excessively devoted to idolatry; these, being rich, take out their bags of gold, and give it in a very profuse manner to a workman to make a golden image for them, not caring what it cost them; such an one was that which Nebuchadnezzar made, sixty cubits high, and six broad, Daniel 3:1 see an instance of profuseness this way in the Israelites themselves, Exodus 32:2.

And weigh silver in the balance; or "with a reed" o. Others, though idolaters, yet less devoted to idolatry, and more tenacious of their money, make silver do for a god, and weigh it out to the workman, that it be made of such a weight, and no more, and that they might not be cheated of their silver; or they weighed it to pay the workman for his workmanship. Money formerly was not coined and stamped, so not numbered by pieces, but weighed.

And hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; a "finer" or "founder", with whom they agree for such a sum of money, and he, of the gold or silver that is put into his hands, makes a god: he casts and moulds it into such a form or shape that is agreed upon, and this is called a god; though nothing but a piece of gold or silver fashioned by art and man's device, and the work of his hands:

they fall down, yea, they worship; the god they made; both the artificer, and he that employed him, fall down upon their knees, or their faces, and pay divine worship add adoration to the idol; though the one knew it was made of his own gold or silver, and the other knew it to be the workmanship of his hands. Worshipping is more than falling down, as Ben Melech observes, and therefore it is said, yea, they worship.

o בקנה "in calamo", Pagninus, Montanus. The bar of the balance on which they hang the scales with threads, Ben Meleck says is called

קנה, the "reed". So Vatablus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 order to make an idol. The design of this verse is, to show the superstition of those who were idolaters; and, particularly, how much they were willing to devote in order to maintain idol-worship.

Out of the bag - They pour their gold out of the bag, or purse, where they have kept it; that is, they lavish it freely.

And weigh silver in the balance - Perhaps the idea is here, that they used silver so lavishly that they did not wait to count it, but weighed it as they would the grosser metals. The word used here and translated ‘balance’ (קנה qâneh), means properly “cane, reed, calamus”; then a measuring reed or rod Ezekiel 40:3, Ezekiel 40:5; then a rod, or beam of a balance, or scales (Greek ζυγὸς zugos).

And hire a goldsmith - (See the notes at Isaiah 40:19-20).

And he maketh it a god - The goldsmith manufactures the gold and the silver into an image. The object of the prophet is to deride the custom of offering divine homage to a god formed in this manner (see the notes at Isaiah 44:9-19).


 
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