< Isaiah 46 >
1 Bel sinketh down; Nebo falleth; Their images are laid upon beasts and cattle; Those that ye once bore are packed upon them; A burden to the weary beast!
Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaded; they are a burden to the weary beast.
2 They sink down; they fall together; They cannot rescue the burden; They themselves go into captivity.
They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
3 Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel; Ye that have been borne by me from your birth, That have been carried by me from your earliest breath!
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
4 Even to your old age I am the same; Even to hoar hairs I will carry you; I have done it, and I will still bear you; I will carry, and will deliver you.
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
5 To whom will ye liken me, and compare me? Yea, to whom will ye compare me, that we may be like?
To whom will all of you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
6 They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver in the balance; They hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; They fall down, yea, they worship it.
They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he makes it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
7 They lift him upon the shoulder, and carry him; They set him in his place, and there he standeth; From his place he moveth not; Yea, one may cry to him, yet doth he not answer, Nor save him out of his distress.
They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he stands; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
8 Remember these things, and show yourselves men; Lay them to heart, ye apostates!
Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O all of you transgressors.
9 Remember the former things in ancient times! For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning; From ancient times the things that were not yet done; Saying, My purpose shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure;
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
11 Calling from the East the eagle, The man that executeth my purpose from a far country; I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
12 Hearken to me, ye stubborn-hearted, That are far from deliverance!
Hearken unto me, all of you stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
13 I have brought near my deliverance; it is not far off; My salvation shall not tarry; I will give to Zion salvation, To Israel, my glory.
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.