Babylon’s Idols and the True God

¹Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;

Their images are on the beasts and the cattle.

The things that you carry are burdensome,

A load for the weary beast .

²They stooped over, they have bowed down together;

They could not rescue the load,

But have themselves gone into captivity.

³¶“Hear Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

You who have been burdening Me from birth

And have been carried from the womb;

⁴Even to your old age I will be the same,[#46:4 Lit I am He]

And even to your graying years I will bear you !

I have done it , and I will carry you ;

And I will bear you , and I will rescue you .

⁵¶“To whom would you liken Me

And make Me equal and compare Me,

That we would be alike?

⁶“Those who lavish gold from the purse

And weigh silver on the scale,

They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;

They fall down, indeed they worship it.

⁷“They carry it upon the shoulder and bear it;

They set it in its place, and it stands there .

It does not move from its place.

Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer;

It cannot save him from his distress.

⁸¶“Remember this, and be assured;[#46:8 Lit firm]

Cause it to return to your heart, you transgressors.

⁹“Remember the former things long past,

For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is no one like Me,

¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things which have not been done,

Saying, ‘My counsel will be established,

And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’,

¹¹Calling a bird of prey from the east,

The man of My counsel from a far country.

Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.

I have formed it , surely I will do it.

¹²¶“Hear Me, you stubborn of heart,

Who are far from righteousness.

¹³“I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;

And My salvation will not delay.

And I will grant salvation in Zion,

And My glory for Israel.