Isaiah 46

Dead Idols and the Living God

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops;

Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.

Your carriages were heavily loaded,

A burden to the weary beast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

They could not deliver the burden,

But have themselves gone into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

Who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

5 “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal

And compare Me, that we should be alike?

6 They lavish gold out of the bag,

And weigh silver on the scales;

They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;

They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.

7 They 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 one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer

Nor save him out of his trouble.

8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men;

Recall to mind, O 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 Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure,’

11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,

The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.

Indeed I have spoken it;

I will also bring it to pass.

I have purposed it;

I will also do it.

12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,

Who are far from righteousness:

13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;

My salvation shall not linger.

And I will place salvation in Zion,

For Israel My glory.