Isaiah 46
New English Translation
The Lord Carries His People
46 Bel[a] kneels down,
Nebo[b] bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts.[c]
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.[d]
2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images;[e]
they themselves[f] head off into captivity.[g]
3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob,[h]
all you who are left from the family of Israel,[i]
you who have been carried from birth,[j]
you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.[k]
4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you,[l]
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you.[m]
5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale[n]
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;
they put it in its place and it just stands there;
it does not[o] move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
8 Remember this, so you can be brave.[p]
Think about it, you rebels![q]
9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity.[r]
Truly I am God, I have no peer;[s]
I am God, and there is none like me,
10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand[t] what has not yet occurred;
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire;’
11 who summons an eagle[u] from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed,[v]
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn people,[w]
you who distance yourselves from doing what is right.[x]
13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near,[y] it does not wait.
I will save Zion;[z]
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.[aa]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
- Isaiah 46:1 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
- Isaiah 46:1 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
- Isaiah 46:1 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
- Isaiah 46:2 tn Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.
- Isaiah 46:2 tn Heb “Their soul/life has gone into captivity.
- Isaiah 46:2 sn 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.
- Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV “descendants of Jacob.”
- Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “and all the remnant of the house of Israel.”
- Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “from the womb” (so NRSV); KJV “from the belly”; NAB “from your infancy.”
- Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “who have been lifted up from the womb.”
- Isaiah 46:4 tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”
- Isaiah 46:4 sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.
- Isaiah 46:6 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
- Isaiah 46:7 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
- Isaiah 46:8 tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (ʾashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.
- Isaiah 46:8 tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”
- Isaiah 46:9 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
- Isaiah 46:9 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
- Isaiah 46:10 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
- Isaiah 46:11 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
- Isaiah 46:11 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
- Isaiah 46:12 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
- Isaiah 46:12 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
- Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
- Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
- Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”
Isaiah 46
New International Version
Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]
The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(D)
3 “Listen(E) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(F) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(G)
and have carried(H) since you were born.(I)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(J)
I am he,(K) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(L) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(N) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(O)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(P) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(Q)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(R)
it cannot save(S) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
9 Remember the former things,(V) those of long ago;(W)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(X)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(Y)
from ancient times,(Z) what is still to come.(AA)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(AB)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(AC) a bird of prey;(AD)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(AE) that I will do.(AF)
12 Listen(AG) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(AH)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(AI)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(AJ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(AK) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(AL)
my splendor(AM) to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle
Isaiah 46
King James Version
46 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 themselves are gone into captivity.
3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
7 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.
8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
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