Dead Idols and the Living God

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.