Isaiah 46

Gods of Babylon

¹Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;

their idols are borne by beasts of burden.

The images that are carried about are burdensome,

a burden for the weary.

²They stoop and bow down together;

unable to rescue the burden,

they themselves go off into captivity.

³“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

all the remnant of the people of Israel,

you whom I have upheld since your birth,

and have carried since you were born.

⁴Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

⁵“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?

To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

⁶Some pour out gold from their bags

and weigh out silver on the scales;

they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,

and they bow down and worship it.

⁷They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;

they set it up in its place, and there it stands.

From that spot it cannot move.

Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;

it cannot save them from their troubles.

⁸“Remember this, keep it in mind,

take it to heart, you rebels.

⁹Remember the former things, those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

¹⁰I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say, ‘My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.’

¹¹From the east I summon a bird of prey;

from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that I will bring about;

what I have planned, that I will do.

¹²Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,

you who are now far from my righteousness.

¹³I am bringing my righteousness near,

it is not far away;

and my salvation will not be delayed.

I will grant salvation to Zion,

my splendor to Israel.