Isaiah 46:1-7

New American Standard Bible

Babylon’s Idols and the True God

46 ^(A)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle.
The things ^[a]that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary animal.
²They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But ^[b]have themselves ^(B)gone into captivity.

³“^(C)Listen to Me, house of Jacob,
And all ^(D)the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been ^(E)carried by Me from ^[c]birth
And have been carried from the womb;
⁴Even to your old age ^(F)I ^[d]will be the same,
And even to your ^[e]^(G)graying years I will ^[f]carry you!
I have ^[g]done it, and I will bear you;
And I will ^[h]carry you and I will save you.

⁵“^(H)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal, and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
⁶Those who ^(I)lavish gold from the bag
And weigh silver on the scale,
Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They ^(J)bow down, indeed they worship it.
⁷They ^(K)lift it on the shoulder, carry it,
And set it in its place, and it stands there.
^(L)It does not move from its place.
Though one may shout to it, it ^(M)cannot answer;
It ^(N)cannot save him from his distress.