Isaiah 46

¹ Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are on the animals and on the livestock. The things that you carried about are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.

² They stoop. They bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but themselves have gone into captivity.

³ “Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been carried from the womb, and have been borne from the birth;

⁴ and even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

⁵ “To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

⁶ Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; they hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down; yes, they worship.

⁷ They lift it on the shoulder, they carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands; from its place it doesn’t move. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can’t answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

⁸ “Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it again to mind, 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 I declare 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’;

¹¹ calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass. I have planned, I will also do it.

¹² “Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness:

¹³ I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not delay. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.”