Isaiah 46:7 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →An idol must be carried, placed, and kept steady by its worshippers; it cannot move, speak, or save anyone.
The Context of Isaiah 46:7
The second instance of the word 'carry' (שׂאל) or 'bear,' now applied to the idol being borne by humans. This inverts the relationship described in verse 3-4: humans carry the idol, not the reverse.
What Does Isaiah 46:7 Mean?
Picture again the physical reality: worshippers bear the idol on their shoulders, place it carefully in the temple or shrine, position it so it will stand upright. Then they pray to it, cry out to it, implore it to answer their need. And the idol stands silent. It cannot move from the place where they set it. It cannot respond. It cannot save anyone—not even itself from the disaster approaching.
The tragedy is not the idol's powerlessness, which is obvious to anyone with eyes; the tragedy is the human heart that knows this and prays anyway, hoping somehow the object will become more than the sum of its materials. Yet even in this despair, there is hope. If this false god cannot answer, then those who cry out are not lost; they are simply calling to the wrong address. Change the address, and everything changes.
Isaiah 46:7 in the Original Language
עָמַד (amad), 'to stand,' is the idol's only 'action'—passively standing in the place where humans set it. The verb emphasizes absolute immobility and helplessness.
How to Apply Isaiah 46:7 Today
Anything that requires us to bear it, sustain it, and hope it will somehow become powerful is not worthy of our worship. True God carries us; we need not carry him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 46:7
What does Isaiah 46:7 mean?
An idol must be carried, placed, and kept steady by its worshippers; it cannot move, speak, or save anyone.
What is the context of Isaiah 46:7?
The second instance of the word 'carry' (שׂאל) or 'bear,' now applied to the idol being borne by humans. This inverts the relationship described in verse 3-4: humans carry the idol, not the reverse.
How can I apply Isaiah 46:7 today?
Anything that requires us to bear it, sustain it, and hope it will somehow become powerful is not worthy of our worship. True God carries us; we need not carry him.