Isaiah 46:1–13
46 Bel abows down, Nebo stoops;
Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
Your carriages were heavily loaded,
bA burden to the weary beast.
2 They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
cBut have themselves gone into captivity.
3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
dWho have been upheld by Me from 1birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
4 Even to your old age, eI am He,
And even to gray hairs fI will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
5 “To gwhom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
6 hThey lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a igoldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
7 jThey bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though kone cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble.
8 “Remember this, and 2show yourselves men;
lRecall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 mRemember the former things of old,
For I am God, and nthere is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 oDeclaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, p‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey qfrom the east,
The man rwho executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed sI have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.
12 “Listen to Me, you tstubborn-hearted,
uWho are far from righteousness:
13 vI bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation wshall not 3linger.
And I will place xsalvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.