Isaiah 46
1 Bel is bowed downe: Nebo is fallen: their idoles were vpon the beastes, and vpon the cattell: they which did beare you, were laden with a wearie burden.
[It is as though] Bel and Nebo, the statues of the gods [of Babylonia], are bowing down as those statues are put on animals and carried away! The statues are heavy burdens and will cause the animals to become tired [SAR]!
2 They are bowed downe, and fallen together: for they coulde not rid them of the burden, and their soule is gone into captiuitie.
[It seems like] both gods are bowing down; not only can they not save themselves, but they themselves are being (exiled/taken to another country)!
3 Heare ye me, O house of Iaakob, and all that remaine of the house of Israel, which are borne of me from the wombe, and brought vp of me from the birth.
[Yahweh says], “You descendants of Jacob who were exiled, [I am not like the gods of Babylonia that must be carried]; [instead, it is as though] I have carried you since you first became a nation [MET]. I carried you [even] before you became a nation.
4 Therefore vnto olde age, I the same, euen I will beare you vntill the hoare heares: I haue made you: I will also beare you, and I will cary you and I will deliuer you.
I will be your God, and I will carry you for many years, until [it is as though] [MET] your nation is an old man with gray hair. I caused [you to become a nation], and I will sustain you and rescue you.
5 To whom will ye make me like or make me equall, or copare me, that I should be like him?
There is certainly [RHQ] no one to whom I can be compared. There is [RHQ] no one who is equal to me [DOU].
6 They draw gold out of the bagge and weigh siluer in the balance, and hire a goldsmith to make a god of it, and they bowe downe, and worship it.
[So it is stupid/ridiculous that] some people pour out gold and silver from their bags and weigh it on a scale. [Then] they hire a man who makes things from gold to make an idol from it. [After he makes an idol], they bow down and worship it!
7 They beare it vpon the shoulders: they carie him and set him in his place: so doeth he stand, and cannot remoue from his place. Though one crie vnto him, yet can he not answere, nor deliuer him out of his tribulation.
They lift it up and carry it on their shoulders. They put it in a [special] place, and it stays there. It cannot move! And when someone prays to it, it does not answer. So [obviously] it cannot rescue anyone from his troubles!
8 Remember this, and be ashamed: bring it againe to minde, O you transgressers.
[You people of Judah], do not forget this; keep thinking about it, you sinful people!
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none other God, and there is nothing like me,
Think about the things [that I did] long ago. Only I am God; I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 Which declare the last thing from the beginning: and from of olde, the things that were not done, saying, My counsell shall stand, and I will doe whatsoeuer I will.
Only I can tell what will happen in the future before it occurs; I tell it long before it happens. I will accomplish everything that I plan to accomplish, and I will do everything that I want to do.
11 I call a birde from the East, and the man of my counsell from farre: as I haue spoken, so will I bring it to passe: I haue purposed it, and I will doe it.
So I will summon [someone to come] from the east [like a swift and powerful] eagle; he will come from a distant country. He will accomplish what I want him to. [He is the one who] will do what I have said that I want him to do, what I have planned.
12 Heare me, ye stubburne hearted, that are farre from iustice.
You stubborn people [of Israel], [you think that] it will be a long time before you are allowed to return to your own country.
13 I bring neere my iustice: it shall not be farre off, and my saluation shall not tarie: for I wil giue saluation in Zion, and my glory vnto Israel.
But I will rescue you, and it will not be a long time [before that happens]. I will do it soon. I will rescue Jerusalem and show to you Israeli [people] that I am glorious.”
