Isaiah 46
1 Bel has been broken. Nebo has been crushed. Their idols have been placed upon beasts and cattle, your grievous heavy burdens, even unto exhaustion.
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
2 They have been melted down, or have been smashed together. They were not able to save the one who carried them, and their life will go into captivity.
The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.
3 Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried in my bosom, who were born from my womb.
“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.
4 Even to your old age, I am the same. And even with your grey hairs, I will carry you. I have made you, and I will sustain you. I will carry you, and I will save you.
Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
5 To whom would you liken me, or equate me, or compare me, or consider me to be similar?
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
6 You take gold from a bag, and you weigh silver on a scale, so as to hire a goldsmith to make a god. And they fall prostrate and adore.
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
7 They carry him on their shoulders, supporting him, and they set him in his place. And he will stand still and will not move from his place. But even when they will cry out to him, he will not hear. He will not save them from tribulation.
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
8 Remember this, and be confounded. Return, you transgressors, to the heart.
Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors!
9 Remember the past ages. For I am God, and there is no other god. There is no one like me.
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.
10 From the beginning, I announce the last things, and from the start, the things that have not yet been done, saying: My plan will stand firm, and my entire will shall be done.
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
11 I call a bird from the east, and from a far away land, the man of my will. And I have spoken it, and I will carry it out. I have created, and I will act.
I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
12 Hear me, you who are hard of heart, who are far from justice!
Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness:
13 I have brought my justice near. It will not be far away, and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation in Zion, and my glory in Israel.
I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.
