46

Gods of Babylon

¹Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.⚓
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
²They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.

³“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
⁴Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

⁵“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
⁶Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.
⁷They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;
it cannot save them from their troubles.

⁸“Remember this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.
⁹Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
¹⁰I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
¹¹From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
¹²Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
you who are now far from my righteousness.
¹³I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.

46

Dead Idols and the Living God

¹Bel ⚓bows down, Nebo stoops;
Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
Your carriages were heavily loaded,
⚓A burden to the weary beast.
²They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
⚓But have themselves gone into captivity.
³“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
⚓Who have been upheld by Me from birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
⁴Even to your old age, ⚓I am He,
And even to gray hairs ⚓I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
⁵“To⚓ whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
⁶⚓They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a ⚓goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
⁷⚓They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though ⚓one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble.
⁸“Remember this, and show yourselves men;
⚓Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
⁹⚓Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and ⚓there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
¹⁰⚓Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ⚓‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
¹¹Calling a bird of prey ⚓from the east,
The man ⚓who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed ⚓I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.
¹²“Listen to Me, you ⚓stubborn-hearted,
⚓Who are far from righteousness:
¹³⚓I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation ⚓shall not linger.
And I will place ⚓salvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.