Isaiah 46

English Standard Version

The Idols of Babylon and the One True God

46 ^(A)Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
    their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
    as burdens on weary beasts.
²They stoop; they bow down together;
    they cannot save the burden,
    but ^(B)themselves go into captivity.

³“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
^(C)who have been borne by me from before your birth,
    carried from the womb;
⁴^(D)even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.

⁵^(E)“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
    and compare me, that we may be alike?
⁶^(F)Those who lavish gold from the purse,
    and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
    ^(G)then they fall down and worship!
⁷^(H)They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
    they set it in its place, and it stands there;
    ^(I)it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
    or save him from his trouble.

⁸“Remember this and stand firm,
    recall it to mind, ^(J)you transgressors,
⁹    remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
¹⁰^(K)declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ^(L)‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
¹¹^(M)calling a bird of prey from the east,
    the man of my counsel from a far country.
^(N)I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
    I have purposed, and I will do it.

¹²“Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
    you who are far from righteousness:
¹³^(O)I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
    and my salvation will not delay;
^(P)I will put salvation in Zion,
    for Israel my glory.”