Isaiah 46:5

The NET Bible®

To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Who will you compare me or make me equal to?Who will you measure me with,so that we should be like each other?

Hebrew Names Version
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

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

English Standard Version
"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?

New American Standard Bible
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal, and compare Me, That we would be alike?

New Century Version
"Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me or like me.

Amplified Bible
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we may be alike?

World English Bible
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

Geneva Bible (1587)
To whom will ye make me like or make me equall, or copare me, yt I should be like him?

Legacy Standard Bible
"To whom would you liken MeAnd make Me equal and compare Me,That we would be alike?

Berean Standard Bible
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?

Contemporary English Version
Can anyone compare with me? Is anyone my equal?

Complete Jewish Bible
To whom will you liken me and equate me? With whom will you compare me, as if we were similar?"

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

Easy-to-Read Version
"Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me. You cannot understand everything about me. There is nothing like me.

George Lamsa Translation
To whom will you liken me and make me equal and compare me, that we may be alike?

Good News Translation
"To whom will you compare me?" says the Lord . "Is there anyone else like me?

Lexham English Bible
To whom will you liken me, and count as equal, and compare with me, as though we were alike?

Literal Translation
To whom will you compare and make Me equal; yea, compare Me, that we may be alike?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whom will ye make me like, in fashion or ymage, that I maye be like him?

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

Bible in Basic English
Who in your eyes is my equal? or what comparison will you make with me?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?

King James Version (1611)
To whom wil ye liken me, and make me equall, and compare me, that we may be like?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
whom wyll ye make me lyke, or to whom wyll ye make me equall or compare me, that I shoulde be like him?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
To whom have ye compared me? see, consider, ye that go astray.

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom han ye licned me, and maad euene, and han comparisound me, and han maad lijk?

Update Bible Version
To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

Webster's Bible Translation
To whom will ye liken me, and make [me] equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

New King James Version
"To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?

New Living Translation
"To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?

New Life Bible
"To whom will you compare Me? With whom will you make Me the same and compare Me, that we should be alike?

New Revised Standard
To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, as though we were alike?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To whom can ye liken me or make me equal? Or compare me, and we be like?

Douay-Rheims Bible
To whom have you likened me, and made me equal, and compared me, and made me like?

Revised Standard Version
"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?

Young's Literal Translation
To whom do ye liken Me, and make equal? And compare Me, that we may be like?

THE MESSAGE
"So to whom will you compare me, the Incomparable? Can you picture me without reducing me? People with a lot of money hire craftsmen to make them gods. The artisan delivers the god, and they kneel and worship it! They carry it around in holy parades, then take it home and put it on a shelf. And there it sits, day in and day out, a dependable god, always right where you put it. Say anything you want to it, it never talks back. Of course, it never does anything either!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike?

Contextual Overview

⁵ To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared! ⁶ 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. ⁷ They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress. ⁸ Remember this, so you can be brave! Think about it, you rebels! ⁹ Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, ¹⁰ who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,' ¹¹ who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out. ¹² Listen to me, you stubborn people, you who distance yourself from doing what is right. ¹³ I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25, Exodus 15:11, Psalms 86:8, Psalms 89:6, Psalms 89:8, Psalms 113:5, Jeremiah 10:6, Jeremiah 10:7, Jeremiah 10:16, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:4 - General Numbers 12:8 - similitude 2 Kings 22:17 - the works Psalms 77:13 - who Isaiah 37:12 - the gods Isaiah 46:9 - and there is none like Zechariah 10:2 - the idols Acts 17:29 - graven Acts 19:26 - that they Ephesians 4:18 - the understanding Revelation 9:20 - and idols

Cross-References

Genesis 45:19
You are also commanded to say, ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come.

Genesis 45:21
So the sons of Israel did as he said. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he gave them provisions for the journey.

Genesis 45:27
But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob's spirit revived.

Genesis 46:17
The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.

Genesis 46:18
These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.

Exodus 10:24
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, serve the Lord —only your flocks and herds will be detained. Even your families may go with you."

Exodus 10:26
Our livestock must also go with us! Not a hoof is to be left behind! For we must take these animals to serve the Lord our God. Until we arrive there, we do not know what we must use to serve the Lord ."

Acts 7:15
So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, along with our ancestors,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To whom will ye liken me?.... Was it lawful that any likeness might be made, which yet is forbidden, Exodus 20:4 what likeness could be thought of? is there any creature in heaven or earth, among all the angels or sons of men, to whom God can be likened, who has done such works of power, and acts of grace, as to care and provide not only for the house of Israel, from the beginning of their state to the close of it, but for all his creatures from the beginning of life to the end thereof, yea, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and has shown such special grace and goodness to his chosen people, in such a kind and tender manner?

And make me equal; or any equal to him in power and goodness, since all are but worms, dust, and ashes, as the small dust of the balance, yea, as nothing in comparison of him.

And compare me, that we may be like? which is impossible to be done; for what comparison or likeness can there be between the Creator and a creature, between an infinite, immense, and eternal Being, possessed of all perfections, and a finite, frail, imperfect one? see Isaiah 40:18. To pretend to frame a likeness of such a Being, is to act the absurd and stupid part the Heathens do, described in the following verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To whom will ye liken me - (see the notes at Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25). The design of this and the following verses is to show the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of trusting in idols. This is a subject that the prophet often dwells on. The argument here is derived from the fact that the idols of Babylon were unable to defend the city, and were themselves carried away in triumph Isaiah 46:1-2. If so, how vain was it to rely on them! how foolish to suppose that the living and true God could resemble such weak and defenseless blocks!