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Dead Idols and the Living God

46 Bel (A)bows down, Nebo stoops;
Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
Your carriages were heavily loaded,
(B)A burden to the weary beast.
They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
(C)But have themselves gone into captivity.

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
(D)Who have been upheld by Me from [a]birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
Even to your old age, (E)I am He,
And even to gray hairs (F)I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

“To(G) whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
(H)They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a (I)goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
(J)They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though (K)one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble.

“Remember this, and [b]show yourselves men;
(L)Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
(M)Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and (N)there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 (O)Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, (P)‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey (Q)from the east,
The man (R)who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed (S)I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.

12 “Listen to Me, you (T)stubborn-hearted,
(U)Who are far from righteousness:
13 (V)I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation (W)shall not [c]linger.
And I will place (X)salvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:3 Lit. the belly
  2. Isaiah 46:8 be men, take courage
  3. Isaiah 46:13 delay

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.
They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But [b]have themselves (B)gone into captivity.

(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;
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.

(H)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal, and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
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.
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.

(O)Remember this, and be [i]assured;
(P)Recall it to [j]mind, you (Q)wrongdoers.
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

  1. Isaiah 46:1 Lit carried by you
  2. Isaiah 46:2 Or their soul has
  3. Isaiah 46:3 Lit the belly
  4. Isaiah 46:4 Lit will be He
  5. Isaiah 46:4 Lit gray hairs
  6. Isaiah 46:4 Or support
  7. Isaiah 46:4 Or made you
  8. Isaiah 46:4 Or support
  9. Isaiah 46:8 Lit firm
  10. Isaiah 46:8 Lit heart
  11. Isaiah 46:11 Lit His

Babylon’s Idols and the True God

46 Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their idols are on the beasts [of burden] and on the cattle.
Your burdens [of idols] are loaded [on them],
Burdens on the weary animals.

They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden [of their own idols],
But have themselves gone into captivity.


“Listen to Me,” [says the Lord], “O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been carried by Me from your birth
And have been carried [in My arms] from the womb,

Even to your old age I am He,
And even to your advanced old age I will carry you!
I have made you, and I will carry you;
Be assured I will carry you and I will save you.


“To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal and compare Me,
That we may be alike?(A)

“Those who lavish gold from the bag
And weigh out silver on the scales
Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They bow down, indeed they worship it.

“They lift it on their shoulders [in religious processions or into battle] and carry it;
They set it in its place and there it remains standing.
It cannot move from its place.
Even if one cries to it [for help], the idol cannot answer;
It cannot save him from his distress.


“Remember this, and take courage;
Take it to heart, you rebellious and disloyal people.

“Remember [carefully] the former things [which I did] from ages past;
For I am God, and there is no one else;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 
Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,
And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’
11 
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
From a far country, the man (Cyrus) of My purpose.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, be assured I will do it.

12 
“Listen to Me, you stiff-necked people,
You who are far from righteousness (right standing with God).
13 
“I bring near My righteousness [in the salvation of Israel], it is not far away;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant salvation in Zion,
And My glory for Israel.

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.
They stoop and bow down together;
    unable to rescue the burden,
    they themselves go off into captivity.(D)

“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)
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.

“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
    To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
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)
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.

“Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
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

  1. Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle

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.

They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

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:

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.

To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

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.

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.

Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

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.