Rashi: How did the image help Bavel?

Radak: How did the image help Melech Bavel, that he boasted about it and attributed strength to it? How did it help him on the day of his demise? And so it says "Kara Bel Kores Nevo" (Yeshayah 46:1).

Malbim: The Navi disputes with them why they praised gods of silver and gold, like Daniel said "v'Al Marei Shemaya Hisromamta ul'Manaya Di Vaysei Haysiv Kadamach? velei'Lahei Kaspa v'Dahava Nechasha Parzela? Di Lo Chazayin v'Lo Sham'in v'Lo Yad'in Shabachta velei'Laka Di Nishmesach bi'Ydei? Lo Hadarta" (Daniel 5:23). How did the image help you, that you praised it, that it defeated the supreme G-d?! Did it save you from His hand?

Radak: The craftsman who formed it ? what benefit did he have from it?

Malbim: He degrades the image based on its material, form, maker and purpose. The maker was a person!

Radak: What did it help, the mold into which [the metal to make the image] was melted? And what does the image help ? it is Sheker to the one who serves it!

Malbim: He degrades the image based on its material ? melted metal, and its form ? "u'Moreh Shaker ¹ ."

Rashi: The man who formed it, the idol's maker, trusted in it. Radak ? the object formed is called Yetzer, and the artisan is called Yotzer, like "v'Yetzer Amar l'Yotzero Lo Hevin" (Yeshayah 29:16).

Malbim: He degrades the image based on its purpose. The formed object trusts in its maker to make a mute idol (he cannot do more ? he cannot put in Ru'ach Chayim and speech), and this itself the maker hopes to get from the idol that he makes ? it will make him a mute idol. This is a metaphor for Belshatzar ? he was killed, and Ru'ach Chayim departed from him, and he lied like a lifeless rock, like the idol that he made and trusted in it.

Rashi: He trusts in this formed matter to help him, that he comes to make mute gods.