46 Bel bends down to the ground.
Nebo lies down low. [ a ]
Their images are heavy loads on the backs of animals.
The animals become tired and weak as they carry them away.
2 Those gods fall down and they lie together on the ground!
They have no power to rescue their images.
The gods themselves go as prisoners to a foreign land,
together with their images.
3 The Lord says,
‘Listen to me, you family of Jacob.
Yes, listen to me, all you Israelites who are still alive.
I have taken care of you since you first became a nation.
I have carried you since you were born.
4 I will continue to take care of you until you are old,
until your hair becomes grey.
I made you who you are,
and I will supply everything that you need.
I will carry you,
and I will save you.
5 You know that there is no God like me!
You cannot say about any god,
that he is the same as me.
6 Some people make idols for themselves.
They pour out gold coins from their purse.
They weigh silver on their scales.
They pay a worker with special skill to use the silver and the gold
to make a god.
Then they bend down low in front of it,
and they worship it!
7 They lift the idol onto their shoulders
and they carry it home.
They put it in its place and it stands there.
It cannot move anywhere else.
If someone calls out to it for help,
it does not answer.
It cannot save anyone from their trouble.
8 Remember this, you people who do not obey me.
Think about it carefully.
9 Remember all the things that I did a long time ago.
I am God. There is nobody else like me.
There is no other God, except me.
10 From the beginning, I say what will happen at the end.
Long ago, I spoke about future things that have not yet happened.
I say this: “My purpose will not change.
I will do everything that I want to do.”
11 Now I will call somebody to come from the east.
He will come down quickly,
like an eagle that catches small birds to eat.
He will come from a country that is far away.
He will do for me what I want to do.
Yes, I will surely do what I have decided to do.
I have given the command,
and I will cause it to happen.
12 Listen to me, you people who refuse to obey me.
You choose not to do anything that is right.
13 But now I am ready to rescue you,
and I will show you what is right.
This will soon happen!
I will save the people in Zion.
I will make Israel great and beautiful.’
46 The Lord says, “Bel has fallen to the ground. Nebo [ a ] is kneeling before me.
“Men put those idols on the backs of animals. They are only heavy burdens that must be carried. They do nothing but make people tired. 2 But they all bowed down and fell to the ground. They couldn’t escape; they were all carried away like prisoners.
3 “Family of Jacob, listen to me! You who are left from the family of Israel, listen! I have carried you since you left your mother’s womb. I carried you when you were born, 4 and I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.
5 “Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me. You cannot understand everything about me. There is nothing like me. 6 Some people are rich with gold and silver. Gold falls from their purses, and they weigh their silver on scales. They pay an artist to make a false god from wood. Then they bow down and worship that false god. 7 They put their false god on their shoulders and carry it. That false god is useless; people have to carry it! People set the statue on the ground, and it cannot move. That false god never walks away from its place. People can yell at it, but it will not answer. That false god is only a statue; it cannot save people from their troubles.
8 “Sinners, change your heart and mind. Think about this again. Remember it and be strong. 9 Remember what happened long ago. Remember, I am God and there is no other God. There is no other like me.
10 “In the beginning, I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago, I told you things that have not happened yet. When I plan something, it happens. I do whatever I want to do. 11 I am calling a man from the east to do what I want. He will come like an eagle from a faraway country. He will do all that I have planned. Everything I said will happen just as I said it would.
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn [ b ] people! You are far from doing what is right. 13 But I am close to making things right. Salvation will not be delayed much longer. I will bring salvation to Zion and to my wonderful Israel.”
46 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
3 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 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 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, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; 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 this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
9 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, 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 a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth 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 unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
13 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.
46 ( A ) Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle.
The things [ a ] that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary animal .
2 They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But [ b ] have themselves ( B ) gone into captivity.
3 “ ( C ) Listen to Me, house of Jacob,
And all ( D ) the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been ( E ) carried by Me from [ c ] birth
And have been carried from the womb;
4 Even to your old age ( F ) I [ d ] will be the same,
And even to your [ e ] ( G ) graying years I will [ f ] carry you !
I have [ g ] done it , and I will bear you ;
And I will [ h ] carry you and I will save you .
5 “ ( H ) To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal, and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
6 Those who ( I ) lavish gold from the bag
And weigh silver on the scale,
Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They ( J ) bow down, indeed they worship it.
7 They ( K ) lift it on the shoulder, carry it,
And set it in its place, and it stands there .
( L ) It does not move from its place.
Though one may shout to it, it ( M ) cannot answer;
It ( N ) cannot save him from his distress.
8 “ ( O ) Remember this, and be [ i ] assured;
( P ) Recall it to [ j ] mind, you ( Q ) wrongdoers.
9 Remember the ( R ) former things long past,
For I am God, and there is ( S ) no other;
I am God, and there is ( T ) no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘ ( U ) My plan will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a ( V ) bird of prey from the ( W ) east,
The man of [ k ] My purpose from a distant country.
Truly I have ( X ) spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it , I will certainly do it.
12 “ ( Y ) Listen to Me, you ( Z ) stubborn-minded,
Who are ( AA ) far from righteousness.
13 I ( AB ) bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant ( AC ) salvation in Zion,
And My ( AD ) glory for Israel.
46 Bel ( A ) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols ( B ) are borne by beasts of burden. [ a ]
The images that are carried ( C ) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity. ( D )
3 “Listen ( E ) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant ( F ) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth, ( G )
and have carried ( H ) since you were born. ( I )
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs ( J )
I am he, ( K ) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain ( L ) 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? ( M )
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith ( N ) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it. ( O )
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry ( P ) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move. ( Q )
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; ( R )
it cannot save ( S ) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember ( T ) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels. ( U )
9 Remember the former things, ( V ) those of long ago; ( W )
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me. ( X )
10 I make known the end from the beginning, ( Y )
from ancient times, ( Z ) what is still to come. ( AA )
I say, ‘My purpose will stand, ( AB )
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon ( AC ) a bird of prey; ( AD )
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, ( AE ) that I will do. ( AF )
12 Listen ( AG ) to me, you stubborn-hearted, ( AH )
you who are now far from my righteousness. ( AI )
13 I am bringing my righteousness ( AJ ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation ( AK ) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion, ( AL )
my splendor ( AM ) to Israel.
