Isa 46:2 | NETfull | STEP | Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity.

Isaiah 46:2

2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images; ^{▼▼ Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.}
they themselves ^{▼▼ נַפְשָׁם (nafsham, “their souls/lives”) is equivalent here to a third masculine plural suffix, but the third feminine singular verb הָלָכָה (halakhah, “they go”) agrees with the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul, life”).} head off into captivity. ^{▼▼ The downfall of Babylon is depicted here. The idols are carried off by the victorious enemy; the gods are likened to defeated captives who cower before the enemy and are taken into exile.}