Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.
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 me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(F) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(G)
and have carried(H) since you were born.(I)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(J)
I am he,(K) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(L) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(N) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(O)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(P) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(Q)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(R)
it cannot save(S) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
9 Remember the former things,(V) those of long ago;(W)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(X)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(Y)
from ancient times,(Z) what is still to come.(AA)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(AB)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(AC) a bird of prey;(AD)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(AE) that I will do.(AF)
12 Listen(AG) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(AH)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(AI)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(AJ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(AK) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(AL)
my splendor(AM) to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1
Cross references
- Isaiah 46:1 : S Isa 21:9; Jer 50:2; 51:44
- Isaiah 46:1 : S 1Sa 5:2
- Isaiah 46:1 : ver 7; S Isa 45:20
- Isaiah 46:2 : S Jdg 18:17-18; S 2Sa 5:21; Jer 51:47
- Isaiah 46:3 : ver 12; Isa 48:12; 51:1
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Isa 1:9
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Ps 139:13; Isa 44:2
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Dt 1:31; S Ps 28:9
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Ps 22:10
- Isaiah 46:4 : Ps 71:18
- Isaiah 46:4 : S Dt 32:39; S Isa 43:13
- Isaiah 46:4 : S Ps 18:35; S 119:117
- Isaiah 46:5 : S Ex 15:11; Job 41:10; Isa 40:18, 25; Jer 49:19
- Isaiah 46:6 : S Isa 40:19
- Isaiah 46:6 : S Ex 20:5; Isa 44:17; Hos 13:2
- Isaiah 46:7 : S ver 1
- Isaiah 46:7 : S 1Sa 5:3; S Isa 41:7
- Isaiah 46:7 : S 1Ki 18:26
- Isaiah 46:7 : S Isa 44:17; S 47:13
- Isaiah 46:8 : S Isa 44:21
- Isaiah 46:8 : S Isa 1:2
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Isa 41:22
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Dt 32:7
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Ex 8:10; S Isa 45:5, 21; Mk 12:32
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 41:4
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 45:21
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 41:22
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Pr 19:21; S Isa 7:7, 9; S 44:26; Ac 5:39; Eph 1:11
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Jdg 4:10; S Ezr 1:2
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Isa 8:8
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Isa 25:1
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Ge 41:25; Jer 44:28
- Isaiah 46:12 : S ver 3
- Isaiah 46:12 : S Ex 32:9; S Isa 9:9
- Isaiah 46:12 : Ps 119:150; Isa 48:1; Jer 2:5
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Isa 1:26; S 45:8; Ro 3:21
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Ps 85:9
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Ps 74:2; Joel 2:32
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Isa 44:23
