Isaiah 46:1–7

Babylon’s Idols

46 Bel bows down;

Nebo is stooping.

Their idols are ⌊on⌋a animalsb and ⌊on⌋c cattle;

your ⌊cargo⌋d is carried as a burden ⌊on⌋e weary animals.

2 They stoop;

they bow down together.

They are not able to save the burden,

butf ⌊they themselves go⌋g in captivity.

3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob,

and all the remnant of the house of Israel

who have been carried from the belly,

who have been carried from the womb:

4 Evenh to your old age I am he;

eveni to your advanced age I myself will support you.

I myself have made you,

and I myself will carry you,

and I myself will support you,

and I will save you.

5 To whom will you liken me,

and count as equal,

and compare with me,

as thoughj we were alike?

6 Those who lavish gold from the purse

and weigh out silver in the balance scales;

hire ⌊a goldsmith⌋k

and he makes him a god;

they bow down,

indeed they bow in worship.

7 They carry it on their shoulder;

they support it and they set it in its place,

and it stands in position.

It cannot be removed from its place;

even when he cries out to it, it does not answer.

It does not save him from his trouble.