Isaiah 46
1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle; the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast.
Bel has fallen, Nabo is broken to pieces, their graven images are gone to the wild beasts and the cattle: you take them packed up as a burden to the weary, exhausted, hungry, and [at the same time] helpless man;
2 They stoop, they bow down together, they could not deliver the burden; and themselves are gone into captivity.
who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led [away] captive.
3 Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that are borne by Me from the birth, that are carried from the womb:
Hear me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of Israel, who are borne [by me] from the womb, and taught [by me] from infancy, [even] to old age:
4 Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver.
I am [he]; and until you shall have grown old, I am [he]: I bear you, I have made, and I will relieve, I will take up and save you.
5 To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?
To whom have you compared me? see, consider, you that go astray.
6 Ye that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; ye that hire a goldsmith, that he make it a god, to fall down thereto, yea, to worship.
They that furnish gold out of a purse, and silver by weight, will weigh it in a scale, and they hire a goldsmith and make idols, and bow down, and worship them.
7 He is borne upon the shoulder, he is carried, and set in his place, and he standeth, from his place he doth not remove; yea, though one cry unto him, he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
They bear it upon the shoulder, and go; and if they put it upon its place, it remains, it can’t move: and whoever shall cry to it, it can’t hear; it can’t save him from trouble.
8 Remember this, and stand fast; bring it to mind, O ye transgressors.
Remember you these things, and groan: repent, you that have gone astray, return in your heart;
9 Remember the former things of old: that I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me;
and remember the former things [that were] of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: 'My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do';
telling beforehand the latter events before they come to pass, and they are accomplished together: and I said, all my counsel shall stand, and I will do all things that I have planned:
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed, I will also do it.
calling a bird from the east, and from a land afar off, for the things which I have planned: I have spoken, and brought [him]; I have created and made [him]; I have brought him, and prospered his way.
12 Hearken unto Me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness:
Listen to me, you senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near My righteousness, it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory.
I have brought near my righteousness, and I will not be slow with the salvation that is from me: I have given salvation in Sion to Israel for glory.
