Isaiah 46
Evangelical Heritage Version
Judgment Against the Idols of Babylon
46
Bel bows down. Nebo stoops.
Babylon’s idols are a heavy load, carried by animals and cattle.
They are dead weight for the tired animals that carry them.
2 The animals stoop. They bow down together.
They are not able to save their burdensome load.
They go into captivity.
3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all of you who are left from the house of Israel,
you who have been carried from birth,
you who have been lifted up from before you were born.
4 Until your old age, I am he,
and until you have gray hair, I myself will hold you up.
I myself made you, and I myself will lift you up.
I myself will hold you up, and I will rescue you.
5 Whom can you set beside me as if we were equal?
Whom can you compare to me as if we were alike?
6 People pour out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on a scale.
They hire a smith,
and he makes the metal into a god.
They bow down to it. They even worship it.
7 They lift it up. They carry it on their shoulders.
They set it up in its place, but it just stands there.
It cannot move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not answer.
It cannot save him from his distress.
8 Remember this, and stand firm.
You rebels, take this to heart!
9 Remember the former[a] things that took place long ago,
for I am God, and there is no other.
I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 I am the one who announces the final outcome already in the beginning.
I announce ahead of time things that have not yet been done.
I am the one who says, “My plan will stand,
and I will do everything I want to do.”
11 I am the one who calls a bird of prey from the east.
I call the man who fulfills my plan from a faraway land.
Yes, I have spoken. I will certainly bring it to pass.
I have formed a plan, and I will certainly carry it out.
12 Listen to me, you who have stubborn hearts,
you who are far from righteousness.
13 I will bring my righteousness near. It will not be far away.
I will bring my salvation near. It will not be delayed.
I will set up salvation in Zion,
and I will show my splendor to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:9 Or first
Isaiah 46
Lexham English Bible
Babylon’s Idols
46 Bel bows down;
Nebo is stooping.
Their idols are on[a] animals[b] and on[c] cattle;
your cargo[d] is carried as a burden on[e] weary animals.
2 They stoop;
they bow down together.
They are not able to save the burden,
but[f] they themselves go[g] in captivity.
3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob,
and all the remnant of the house of Israel
who have been carried from the belly,
who have been carried from the womb:
4 Even[h] to your old age I am he;
even[i] to your advanced age I myself will support you.
I myself have made you,
and I myself will carry you,
and I myself will support you,
and I will save you.
5 To whom will you liken me,
and count as equal,
and compare with me,
as though[j] we were alike?
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse
and weigh out silver in the balance scales;
hire a goldsmith[k]
and he makes him a god;
they bow down,
indeed they bow in worship.
7 They carry it on their shoulder;
they support it and they set it in its place,
and it stands in position.
It cannot be removed from its place;
even when he cries out to it, it does not answer.
It does not save him from his trouble.
8 Remember this and pluck up courage!
Call to mind,[l] you transgressors!
9 Remember the former things from a long time ago,[m]
for I am God and there is none besides me,
God and there is none like me,
10 who from the beginning declares the end,
and from before, things that have not been done,
who says, ‘My plan shall stand,’
and, ‘I will accomplish[n] all my wishes,’[o]
11 who calls a bird of prey from the east,
the man of his[p] plan from a country from afar.
Indeed I have spoken; indeed I will bring it to being.
I have formed it; indeed I will do it.
12 Listen to me, strong of heart,
far from righteousness!
13 I bring my righteousness near; it is not far.
And my salvation will not delay;
and I will put[q] salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
- Isaiah 46:1 Hebrew “animal”
- Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
- Isaiah 46:1 Literally “things that are carried”
- Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
- Isaiah 46:2 Or “and”
- Isaiah 46:2 Literally “their inner self goes”
- Isaiah 46:4 Or “And”
- Isaiah 46:4 Or “And”
- Isaiah 46:5 Or “and”
- Isaiah 46:6 Literally “one who smelts”
- Isaiah 46:8 Literally “heart”
- Isaiah 46:9 Literally “forever”
- Isaiah 46:10 Or “do”
- Isaiah 46:10 Hebrew “wish”
- Isaiah 46:11 The reading tradition (Qere) has “my”
- Isaiah 46:13 Or “give”
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