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Isaiah 46:4
Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.
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Interpretation

The prophet calls a carried that is worked out in solitude and community in Isaiah 46:4—look for "even" and "carry". Let carried with time and attention—turn hope into steady work.

Context

The setting is Isaiah—prophetic oracle, developing carried. Read in Isaiah 46, its force becomes clearer. It also intersects prophetic hope & judgment. Listen for “even” alongside “carry”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Isaiah to the prophet Isaiah. Academic consensus for Isaiah tends toward: Often read as a multi‑stage composition (Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. Here the thread of prophetic hope & judgment comes into view. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). A long compositional arc is often proposed (Proto/Deutero/Trito).

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
In the Masoretic tradition the Hebrew text is preserved, standardized between the 6th–10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-1956 discoveries) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not alter the main meaning. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the most probable original wording text.
Sources & witness notes
MT