Bible History
Bible History

Isaiah 46 - New English Translation (NET)

You are here: Home New English Translation (NET) Isaiah 46

The Lord Carries His People

46 Bel[a] kneels down,
Nebo[b] bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts.[c]
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.[d]
2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images;[e]
they themselves[f] head off into captivity.[g]
3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob,[h]
all you who are left from the family of Israel,[i]
you who have been carried from birth,[j]
you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.[k]
4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you,[l]
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you.[m]
5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale[n]
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;
they put it in its place and it just stands there;
it does not[o] move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
8 Remember this, so you can be brave.[p]
Think about it, you rebels![q]
9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity.[r]
Truly I am God, I have no peer;[s]
I am God, and there is none like me,
10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand[t] what has not yet occurred;
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire;’
11 who summons an eagle[u] from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed,[v]
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn people,[w]
you who distance yourselves from doing what is right.[x]
13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near,[y] it does not wait.
I will save Zion;[z]
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.[aa]

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:1 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
  2. Isaiah 46:1 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
  3. Isaiah 46:1 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
  4. Isaiah 46:1 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
  5. Isaiah 46:2 tn Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.
  6. Isaiah 46:2 tn Heb “Their soul/life has gone into captivity.
  7. Isaiah 46:2 sn The downfall of Babylon is depicted here. The idols are carried off by the victorious enemy; the gods are likened to defeated captives who cower before the enemy and are taken into exile.
  8. Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV “descendants of Jacob.”
  9. Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “and all the remnant of the house of Israel.”
  10. Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “from the womb” (so NRSV); KJV “from the belly”; NAB “from your infancy.”
  11. Isaiah 46:3 tn Heb “who have been lifted up from the womb.”
  12. Isaiah 46:4 tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”
  13. Isaiah 46:4 sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.
  14. Isaiah 46:6 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
  15. Isaiah 46:7 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
  16. Isaiah 46:8 tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (ʾashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.
  17. Isaiah 46:8 tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”
  18. Isaiah 46:9 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
  19. Isaiah 46:9 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
  20. Isaiah 46:10 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
  21. Isaiah 46:11 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
  22. Isaiah 46:11 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
  23. Isaiah 46:12 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
  24. Isaiah 46:12 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
  25. Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
  26. Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
  27. Isaiah 46:13 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”

You Might Also Like:

Isaiah 46 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

46 Bowed down hath Bel, stooping is Nebo, Their idols have been for the beast and for cattle, Your burdens are loaded, a burden to the weary. 2 They have stooped, they have bowed together, They have not been able to deliver the burden, And themselves into captivity have gone. 3 Hearken unto Me, O ho...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

46 Bel is broken, Nebo is all-broken; their simulacra like to wild beasts and work beasts be broken; your burdens with heavy charge till to weariness were rotten, (Bel is broken, Nebo is all-broken; their idols that were worshipped/that were carried in your processions, now be loaded upon work beast...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - World English Bible (WEB)

46 Bel bows down. Nebo stoops.Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock.The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.2 They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity. 3 “Listen to me, house of J...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - The Voice (VOICE)

46 Bel and Nebo wobble and duck, as their images sway on the backs of oxen and donkeys—such a heavy burdenFor the weary animals—as they are carried about.2 These “gods” bow and sink together, unable to escape the coming invasion; they march off into captivity. The gods of the nations must have looke...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Idols a Weary Burden46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops over.Their idols are for beasts and cattle.The things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop, they bow down together,they cannot save the burden,but themselves go into captivity.3 “Listen to Me, house of Jacob,all the remnant of ...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops,their idols are on beasts and cattle;these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 “Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Isr...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops,their idols are on beasts and cattle;these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 “Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Isr...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are on beasts and cattle;these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary animals.2 They stoop, they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Isr...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and cattle;these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary animals.(A)2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden but themselves go into captivity.(B)3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Babylon’s False Gods46 Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground.They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight.2 Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people,and the people cannot protect the gods...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New Life Version (NLV)

False Gods and the Living God46 The false gods, Bel and Nebo, bow down. Their objects of worship were put on animals and cattle and the wagons had heavy loads making it hard for the tired animals. 2 They get down, they bow down together. They could not save the heavy load, but are themselves carrie...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Dead Idols and the Living God46 Bel (A)bows down, Nebo stoops;Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.Your carriages were heavily loaded,(B)A burden to the weary beast.2 They stoop, they bow down together;They could not deliver the burden,(C)But have themselves gone into captivity. 3 “Liste...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Gods of Babylon46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden.[a]The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. 3 ‘Listen to me, you descend...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New International Version (NIV)

Gods of Babylon46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.(D) 3 “Listen(E) to ...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The False Gods of Babylon46 The gods named Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame. The statues of them are being carried away on the backs of animals.They used to be carried around by the people who worshiped them. But now they’ve become a heavy load for tired animals.2 The gods named Bel and Nebo a...
Read More

Isaiah 46 - New Century Version (NCV)

False Gods Are Useless46 Bel and Nebo bow down. Their idols are carried by animals.The statues are only heavy loads that must be carried; they only make people tired.2 These gods will all bow down. They cannot save themselves but will all be carried away like prisoners. 3 “Family of Jacob, listen to...
Read More

61 Bible Translations

Popular Articles

Explore the Bible Like Never Before!

Bible History Online

Bible Study Tools

Top Tags