Isaiah 46
1 Bel is bowed down, Nebo sinketh, their idols are [delivered] unto the beasts, and unto the cattle; those which were once carried by you are now laden up a burden to the weary beasts.
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 are sunk, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, but they 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, who are borne [by me] from their birth, who 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 And even unto old age I am the same; and even unto the time of hoary hairs will I bear: l have done it, and I will carry [you]; even I will bear, and deliver you.
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 and assimilate me, and compare me, that we may be like?
To whom have you compared me? see, consider, you that go astray.
6 [There are those] that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; that hire a melter, that he may make of it a god; they [then] bend the knee, yea, they bow themselves down;
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 They carry him, upon the shoulder they bear him, and set up him in his spot, and he remaineth standing, from his place he doth not move: yea, though one should cry unto him, he cannot answer, out of his trouble he cannot help him.
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 take courage: take it again to heart, 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 olden times; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is nothing like me.
and remember the former things [that were] of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside me,
10 Declaring from the beginning the end, and from the earliest days the things that have not yet been done, saying, My counsel shall stand firm, 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 from the east the eagle, from a far-off country the man of my counsel; yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also execute 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 of heart, that are far from righteousness:
Listen to me, you senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:
13 I have brought near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will grant unto Zion salvation, unto 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.
