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Babylon’s Idols and the True God

46 (A)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their images are on the beasts and the cattle.
The things [a]that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary beast.
They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the load,
But [b]have themselves (B)gone into captivity.

(C)Hear Me, O house of Jacob,
And all (D)the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been (E)burdening Me from [c]birth
And have been carried from the womb;
Even to your old age [d](F)I will be the same,
And even to your [e](G)graying years I will bear you!
I have [f]done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you, and I will rescue you.

(H)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
Those who (I)lavish gold from the purse
And weigh silver on the scale,
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They (J)fall down, indeed they worship it.
They (K)carry it upon the shoulder and bear it;
They set it in its place, and it stands there.
(L)It does not move from its place.
Though one may cry to it, it (M)cannot answer;
It (N)cannot save him from his distress.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:1 Lit carried by you
  2. Isaiah 46:2 Or their soul has
  3. Isaiah 46:3 Lit the belly
  4. Isaiah 46:4 Lit I am He
  5. Isaiah 46:4 Lit gray hairs
  6. Isaiah 46:4 Or made you

46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops,
their idols are on beasts and cattle;
these things you carry are loaded
    as burdens on weary beasts.
They stoop, they bow down together,
    they cannot save the burden,
    but themselves go into captivity.

“Hearken to me, O house of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from your birth,
    carried from the womb;
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.

“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
    and compare me, that we may be alike?
Those who lavish gold from the purse,
    and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
    then they fall down and worship!
They lift it upon their shoulders, they carry it,
    they set it in its place, and its stands there;
    it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
    or save him from his trouble.

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