Isaiah 46
New King James Version
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.
2 They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
(C)But have themselves gone into captivity.
3 “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:
4 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.
5 “To(G) whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
6 (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.
7 (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.
8 “Remember this, and [b]show yourselves men;
(L)Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 (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
- Isaiah 46:3 Lit. the belly
- Isaiah 46:8 be men, take courage
- Isaiah 46:13 delay
Isaiah 46
Easy-to-Read Version
False Gods Are Useless
46 The Lord says, “Bel has fallen to the ground. Nebo[a] is kneeling before me.
“Men put those idols on the backs of animals. They are only heavy burdens that must be carried. They do nothing but make people tired. 2 But they all bowed down and fell to the ground. They couldn’t escape; they were all carried away like prisoners.
3 “Family of Jacob, listen to me! You who are left from the family of Israel, listen! I have carried you since you left your mother’s womb. I carried you when you were born, 4 and I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.
5 “Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me. You cannot understand everything about me. There is nothing like me. 6 Some people are rich with gold and silver. Gold falls from their purses, and they weigh their silver on scales. They pay an artist to make a false god from wood. Then they bow down and worship that false god. 7 They put their false god on their shoulders and carry it. That false god is useless; people have to carry it! People set the statue on the ground, and it cannot move. That false god never walks away from its place. People can yell at it, but it will not answer. That false god is only a statue; it cannot save people from their troubles.
8 “Sinners, change your heart and mind. Think about this again. Remember it and be strong. 9 Remember what happened long ago. Remember, I am God and there is no other God. There is no other like me.
10 “In the beginning, I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago, I told you things that have not happened yet. When I plan something, it happens. I do whatever I want to do. 11 I am calling a man from the east to do what I want. He will come like an eagle from a faraway country. He will do all that I have planned. Everything I said will happen just as I said it would.
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn[b] people! You are far from doing what is right. 13 But I am close to making things right. Salvation will not be delayed much longer. I will bring salvation to Zion and to my wonderful Israel.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Nebo A false god of Babylon.
- Isaiah 46:12 stubborn Literally, “mighty of heart.”
Isaiah 46
English Standard Version
The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
46 (A)Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
as burdens on weary beasts.
2 They stoop; they bow down together;
they cannot save the burden,
but (B)themselves go into captivity.
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
(C)who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
4 (D)even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
5 (E)“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be alike?
6 (F)Those who lavish gold from the purse,
and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
(G)then they fall down and worship!
7 (H)They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
(I)it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
or save him from his trouble.
8 “Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, (J)you transgressors,
9 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 (K)declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, (L)‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 (M)calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
(N)I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
