Bel The chief idol of the Babylonians, called by profane historians Jupiter Belus; boweth down As the Babylonians used to bow down to him to worship him, so now he bows down, and submits himself to the victorious Persians. Nebo stoopeth Another of their famous idols, probably a deified prophet, the word signifying to deliver oracles, or to prophesy. The names of these idols were included in the names of several of their princes, as Bel, in Belshazzar; Nebo, in Nabonassar; Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan. Their idols were upon their beasts Were taken and broken, and the materials of them, which were gold, and silver, and brass, were carried upon beasts into Persia. Your carriages O ye Persians, to whom he suddenly turns his speech, were heavy loaden With these useless gods, which were so far from being able to come forward to the help of their worshippers, that they could not move themselves, but must be dragged on carriages by cattle. They bow down together The Babylonians and their idols, neither of them being able to help the other. They could not deliver the burden The Babylonians could not deliver their idols, which he now had called a burden; but themselves are gone into captivity They as well as their idols.
Related Commentaries of Isaiah 46:1
Isaiah 46:1-2
1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselvesa are gone into captivity.