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There Is No One Like God

46 Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.(A)
Idols depicting them 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 grey.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will bear and rescue you.

‘To whom will you compare me or make me equal?
Whom 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 hard-hearted,
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 splendour in Israel.

Footnotes

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

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

46 El dios Bel se dobla,
y el dios Nebo cae al suelo.
Los ídolos son cargados sobre bestias,
y son pesada carga para animales cansados.
Los dioses se doblan y caen al suelo
sin poder salvarse,
y ellos mismos van al destierro.

«Óiganme, descendientes de Jacob,
todos los que quedan del pueblo de Israel:
Yo he cargado con ustedes desde antes que nacieran;
yo los he llevado en brazos,
y seguiré siendo el mismo cuando sean viejos;
cuando tengan canas, todavía los sostendré.
Yo los hice, y seguiré cargando con ustedes;
yo los sostendré y los salvaré.

»¿Con quién pueden ustedes compararme?
¿A quién piensan que puedo parecerme?
Hay quienes sacan mucho oro de sus bolsas,
y pesan plata en la balanza;
luego contratan a un artesano que les haga un dios
para inclinarse ante él y adorarlo.
Lo cargan sobre los hombros y se lo llevan;
lo colocan sobre un soporte
y ahí se queda, sin moverse de su sitio.
Por más que gritan pidiéndole ayuda, no les responde
ni puede salvarlos de sus angustias.

»Recuerden esto, pecadores,
no se hagan ilusiones, piénsenlo bien;
recuerden lo que ha pasado desde tiempos antiguos.
Yo soy Dios, y no hay otro;
soy Dios, y no hay nadie igual a mí.
10 Yo anuncio el fin desde el principio;
anuncio el futuro desde mucho antes.
Yo digo: Mis planes se realizarán;
yo haré todo lo que me propongo.
11 He llamado a un hombre del oriente,
que vendrá de lejos como un ave de rapiña
y llevará a cabo mis planes.
Lo he dicho y así lo haré,
he hecho mi plan y lo cumpliré.
12 Escúchenme, gente obstinada,
que piensan que la liberación está muy lejos:
13 Yo hago que se acerque mi acción liberadora;
mi salvación no se demora, no está lejos.
Yo daré a Sión la salvación,
yo daré a Israel mi honor.