Isaiah 46 (New American Standard Bible)

Isaiah 46

Babylon's Idols and the True God

    ^1(A)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
         Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle.
         The things that you carry are burdensome,
         A load for the weary beast.
    ²They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
         They could not rescue the burden,
         But have themselves ^(B)gone into captivity.
    ³"^(C)Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
         And all ^(D)the remnant of the house of Israel,
         You who have been ^(E)borne by Me from birth
         And have been carried from the womb;
    ⁴Even to your old age ^(F)I will be the same,
         And even to your ^(G)graying years I will bear you!
         I have done it, and I will carry you;
         And I will bear you and I will deliver 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 purse
         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 upon the shoulder and carry it;
         They set it in its place and it stands there
         ^(L)It does not move from its place
         Though one may cry to it, it ^(M)cannot answer;
         It ^(N)cannot deliver him from his distress.
    ⁸"^(O)Remember this, and be assured;
         ^(P)Recall it to mind, you ^(Q)transgressors.
    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,
    ¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning,
         And from ancient times things which have not been done,
         Saying, '^(U)My purpose will be established,
         And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';
    ¹¹Calling a ^(V)bird of prey from the ^(W)east,
         The man of My purpose from a far country
         Truly I have ^(X)spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
         I have planned it, surely I will 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.