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.
They lift the idol onto their shoulders and carry it around, then set it down in its place where it just stands there. It cannot move from that spot on its own. Even when someone cries out to it for help, it cannot answer or rescue them from their problems.
The writer is showing how powerless man-made idols are—they have to be carried around by people and cannot respond when people pray to them for help.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah was writing during a time when the Israelites were surrounded by nations that worshiped idols made of wood, stone, and metal. These nations would craft elaborate statues of their gods and carry them in religious processions. Isaiah is contrasting these lifeless idols with the living God of Israel, who carries His people rather than being carried by them.
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