John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors." — Isaiah 46:8 (ASV)
Remember this
Or "these things", as the Syriac version, concerning the matter of which, and the manner in which idols are made; their impotency to move themselves, and their inability to help their votaries, and the difference between them and the true God: and show yourselves men ;
and not brutes, as the makers and worshippers of images are, or show themselves as if they were; who unmanly themselves, and act contrary to the natural reason of mankind: or "be you strong" F17 ; so the Targum and Jarchi; fortify yourselves against all temptations to idolatry, and against all the arguments and persuasions of idolaters; or "burn you" F18 or "be you inflamed", so Rabenu Hal and Joseph Kimchi; that is, blush and be ashamed at such sottishness and stupidity, as men when they are ashamed look as if their faces were inflamed; so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "be you confounded" F19 ; or the sense is, be fervent in spirit, be fired F20 with zeal for God and his glory, and with indignation against such gross idolatry.
bring it again to mind, O you transgressors ;
of the law of God, in this instance of idolatry; meaning either the Babylonians, or rather the Jews, who had been drawn in by them to idolatrous practices; calling upon them to return to their senses; to use and exercise your reason; to recollect and reconsider things, and observe and repent of the folly and wickedness they had been guilty of.