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God is Unique and Eternal

46 “Bel[a] bows down, Nebo[b] stoops low.
    Their idols are on beasts, on[c] livestock.
        Your loads are more burdensome than their reports.[d]
They stoop, they bow down together,
    and[e] they are not able to rescue the burden,
        but they themselves go off[f] into captivity.

“Listen[g] to me, house of Jacob,
    and all you remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been upheld from before your birth,
    and who have been carried from the womb.
Even[h] until your[i] old age, I am the one,
    and I’ll carry you even until your gray hairs come.[j]
It is I who have created,[k] and I who will carry,
    and it is I who will bear and save.

“To whom will you compare me,
    count me equal,[l] or liken me,
        so that I[m] may be compared?
Those who pour out gold in[n] a purse,
    weigh silver in a balance,
hire a goldsmith in order to make[o] a god,
    and then[p] they bow down and even worship it.
And[q] they lift it on their shoulders, carry it,
    set it up in its place, and there it stands.
        It cannot move[r] from that spot.
One may even call to[s] it, but it cannot answer
    nor save him from his distress.

“Remember this, and stand firm;
    take it again to heart, you rebels.
Remember the former things from long ago,
    Because I am God, and there is no one else;
        I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I declare from the beginning things to follow,[t]
    and from ancient times things that have not yet been done;
saying, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and he[u] will accomplish everything that I please.’
11 I am calling a bird of prey from the east,
    and from a far country a man with his[v] purpose.
Indeed, I’ve spoken;
    I will certainly make it happen;
I’ve planned it;[w]
    and I will certainly carry it out.

12 “Listen to me, you hard-hearted,
    you who are far removed from righteousness:
13 My righteousness is brought near[x] and[y] it’s not far off,
    and my salvation won’t delay.
I’ll[z] grant salvation in Zion,
    and[aa] to Israel, my glory.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:1 I.e. the Babylonian sun god Marduk
  2. Isaiah 46:1 I.e. Nabu, the Babylonian god of astronomy and learning, son of Marduk
  3. Isaiah 46:1 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read and on
  4. Isaiah 46:1 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsab MT LXX read burdensome, a load for the weary
  5. Isaiah 46:2 So 1QIsaa; MT lacks and
  6. Isaiah 46:2 So 1QIsaa LXX (pl.); 4QIsab MT (sing.)
  7. Isaiah 46:3 So 1QIsaa (sing.); MT LXX (pl.)
  8. Isaiah 46:4 So 1QIsaa; MT reads and even
  9. Isaiah 46:4 1QIsaa MT LXX lack your
  10. Isaiah 46:4 1QIsaa MT LXX lack come
  11. Isaiah 46:4 Or made
  12. Isaiah 46:5 So 1QIsaa (sing.); 1QIsab MT read consider equal (pl.); LXX reads see
  13. Isaiah 46:5 So 1QIsaa; MT reads we
  14. Isaiah 46:6 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read from
  15. Isaiah 46:6 So 1QIsaa LXX; 4QIsab MT read make it
  16. Isaiah 46:6 Lit. and; so 1QIsaa 1QIsab LXX; MT lacks then
  17. Isaiah 46:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack And
  18. Isaiah 46:7 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads one cannot remove it
  19. Isaiah 46:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads may cry out
  20. Isaiah 46:10 So 1QIsaa LXX 4QIsac; MT reads the future
  21. Isaiah 46:10 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab 4QIsac MT LXX read I
  22. Isaiah 46:11 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad MT; 1QIsab MT (vocalization) LXX read of my
  23. Isaiah 46:11 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab 4QIsac MT LXX lack it
  24. Isaiah 46:13 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX 4QIsac read I have brought near;
  25. Isaiah 46:13 So 1QIsaa; MT lacks and
  26. Isaiah 46:13 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab 4QIsac MT read And I
  27. Isaiah 46:13 So 1QIsaa 4QIsac; 1QIsab 4QIsad MT LXX lack and