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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.

There is No One Like God

46 Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.(A)
Their idols are consigned to beasts and cattle.
The images you carry are loaded,
as a burden for the weary animal.
The gods cower; they crouch together;
they are not able to rescue the burden,
but they themselves go into captivity.(B)

“Listen to Me, house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been sustained from the womb,
carried along since birth.
I will be the same until your old age,(C)
and I will bear you up when you turn gray.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will bear and save you.

“Who will you compare Me or make Me equal to?
Who will you measure Me with,
so that we should be like each other?(D)
Those who pour out their bags of gold
and weigh out silver on scales—
they hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god.
Then they kneel and bow down to it.(E)
They lift it to their shoulder and bear it along;(F)
they set it in its place, and there it stands;
it does not budge from its place.(G)
They cry out to it but it doesn’t answer;
it saves no one from his trouble.

“Remember this and be brave;[a]
take it to heart, you transgressors!
Remember what happened long ago,(H)
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and no one is like Me.
10 I declare the end from the beginning,
and from long ago what is not yet done,
saying: My plan will take place,
and I will do all My will.(I)
11 I call a bird of prey[b] from the east,(J)
a man for My purpose from a far country.
Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about.(K)
I have planned it; I will also do it.
12 Listen to me, you hardhearted,
far removed from justice:
13 I am bringing My justice near;(L)
it is not far away,
and My salvation will not delay.
I will put salvation in Zion,
My splendor in Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:8 Hb obscure
  2. Isaiah 46:11 = Cyrus

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.
They stoop;
    they bow down together.
They are not able to save the burden,
    but[f] they themselves go[g] in captivity.
“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:
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.
To whom will you liken me,
    and count as equal,
and compare with me,
    as though[j] we were alike?
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.
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.
Remember this and pluck up courage!
    Call to mind,[l] you transgressors!
    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

  1. Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
  2. Isaiah 46:1 Hebrew “animal”
  3. Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
  4. Isaiah 46:1 Literally “things that are carried”
  5. Isaiah 46:1 Literally “to”
  6. Isaiah 46:2 Or “and”
  7. Isaiah 46:2 Literally “their inner self goes”
  8. Isaiah 46:4 Or “And”
  9. Isaiah 46:4 Or “And”
  10. Isaiah 46:5 Or “and”
  11. Isaiah 46:6 Literally “one who smelts”
  12. Isaiah 46:8 Literally “heart”
  13. Isaiah 46:9 Literally “forever”
  14. Isaiah 46:10 Or “do”
  15. Isaiah 46:10 Hebrew “wish”
  16. Isaiah 46:11 The reading tradition (Qere) has “my”
  17. Isaiah 46:13 Or “give”

Babylon’s Idols Will Go into Captivity

46 The god Bel bows down; the god Nebo stoops low.
    Their statues are seated on animals and cattle.
        The gods that you carry are burdens, a load for weary people.
These gods stoop low and bow down together.
    They aren’t able to escape with heavy loads.
    They go away into captivity.

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
    the few people left of the nation of Israel.
        I’ve carried you since your birth.
        I’ve taken care of you from the time you were born.
            Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you.
            Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you.
        I made you and will continue to care for you.
        I’ll support you and save you.

To whom will you compare me and make me equal?
    To whom will you compare me so that we can be alike?

People pour gold out of their bags and weigh silver on scales.
    They hire a goldsmith. He makes it into a god.
    They bow down and worship it.
They lift it on their shoulders and carry it.
    They set the idol in its place, and it stands there.
        It doesn’t move from its place.
        If they cry to it for help, it can’t answer.
        It can’t rescue them from their distress.

Remember this, and take courage.
    Recall your rebellious acts.
Remember the first events,
    because I am El, and there is no other.
        I am Elohim, and there’s no one like me.
10 From the beginning I revealed the end.
    From long ago I told you things that had not yet happened, saying,
    “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.”
11 I will call a bird of prey from the east.
    I will call someone for my plan from a faraway land.
    I have spoken, and I will bring it about.
    I have planned it, and I will do it.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn people who are far from being righteous.
13 I’ll bring my righteousness near; it isn’t far away.
    My salvation will not be delayed.
        I’ll provide salvation for Zion
            and bring my glory to Israel.

46 Bel bows down.
    Nebo stoops.
Their idols are carried by animals,
    and on the livestock.
The things that you carried around are heavy loads,
    a burden for the weary.
They stoop and they bow down together.
    They could not deliver the burden,
    but they have gone into captivity.

“Listen to me, house of Jacob,
    and all the remnant of the house of Israel,
    that have been carried from their birth,
    that have been carried from the womb.
Even to old age I am he,
    and even to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear.
    Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

“To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal,
    and compare me, as if we were the same?
Some pour out gold from the bag,
    and weigh silver in the balance.
They hire a goldsmith,
    and he makes it a god.
They fall down—
    yes, they worship.
They bear it on their shoulder.
    They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there.
    It cannot move from its place.
Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer.
    It cannot save him out of his trouble.

“Remember this, and show yourselves men.
    Bring it to mind again, you transgressors.
Remember the former things of old:
    for I am God, and there is no other.
    I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I declare the end from the beginning,
    and from ancient times things that are not yet done.
I say: My counsel will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.
11 I call a ravenous bird from the east,
    the man of my counsel from a far country.
Yes, I have spoken.
    I will also bring it to pass.
I have planned.
    I will also do it.

12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
    who are far from righteousness!
13 I bring my righteousness near.
    It is not far off,
    and my salvation will not wait.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
    my glory to Israel.