Font Size
Isaiah 46
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 46
New American Standard Bible
Babylon’s Idols and the True God
46 (A)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle.
The things [a]that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary animal.
2 They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But [b]have themselves (B)gone into captivity.
3 “(C)Listen to Me, house of Jacob,
And all (D)the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been (E)carried by Me from [c]birth
And have been carried from the womb;
4 Even to your old age (F)I [d]will be the same,
And even to your [e](G)graying years I will [f]carry you!
I have [g]done it, and I will bear you;
And I will [h]carry you and I will save you.
5 “(H)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal, and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
6 Those who (I)lavish gold from the bag
And weigh silver on the scale,
Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They (J)bow down, indeed they worship it.
7 They (K)lift it on the shoulder, carry it,
And set it in its place, and it stands there.
(L)It does not move from its place.
Though one may shout to it, it (M)cannot answer;
It (N)cannot save him from his distress.
8 “(O)Remember this, and be [i]assured;
(P)Recall it to [j]mind, you (Q)wrongdoers.
9 Remember the (R)former things long past,
For I am God, and there is (S)no other;
I am God, and there is (T)no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘(U)My plan will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a (V)bird of prey from the (W)east,
The man of [k]My purpose from a distant country.
Truly I have (X)spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, I will certainly do it.
12 “(Y)Listen to Me, you (Z)stubborn-minded,
Who are (AA)far from righteousness.
13 I (AB)bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant (AC)salvation in Zion,
And My (AD)glory for Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Lit carried by you
- Isaiah 46:2 Or their soul has
- Isaiah 46:3 Lit the belly
- Isaiah 46:4 Lit will be He
- Isaiah 46:4 Lit gray hairs
- Isaiah 46:4 Or support
- Isaiah 46:4 Or made you
- Isaiah 46:4 Or support
- Isaiah 46:8 Lit firm
- Isaiah 46:8 Lit heart
- Isaiah 46:11 Lit His
Isaiah 46
New International Version
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
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.