Isaiah 46:1-13 - Babylon's Idols

¹ Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.
Their idols are consigned to beasts and cattle.
The images you carry are loaded,
as a burden for the weary animal.
² The gods cower; they crouch together;
they are not able to rescue the burden,
but they themselves go into captivity.

³ “Listen to Me, house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been sustained from the womb,
carried along since birth.
⁴ I will be the same until your old age,
and I will bear you up when you turn gray.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will bear and save you.

⁵ “Who will you compare Me or make Me equal to?
Who will you measure Me with,
so that we should be like each other?
⁶ Those who pour out their bags of gold
and weigh out silver on scales—
they hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god.
Then they kneel and bow down to it.
⁷ They lift it to their shoulder and bear it along;
they set it in its place, and there it stands;
it does not budge from its place.
They cry out to it but it doesn’t answer;
it saves no one from his trouble.

⁸ “Remember this and be brave;
take it to heart, you transgressors!
⁹ Remember what happened long ago,
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and no one is like Me.
¹⁰ I declare the end from the beginning,
and from long ago what is not yet done,
saying: My plan will take place,
and I will do all My will.
¹¹ I call a bird of prey from the east,
a man for My purpose from a far country.
Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about.
I have planned it; I will also do it.
¹² Listen to me, you hardhearted,
far removed from justice:
¹³ I am bringing My justice near;
it is not far away,
and My salvation will not delay.
I will put salvation in Zion,
My splendor in Israel.