Isaiah 46

¹ Bel is crouching, Nebo cowering, their idols are being put on animals, on beasts of burden, the loadsyou have been carrying are a burden to a weary beast.

² They are cowering and crouching together, no one can save this burden, they themselves have goneinto captivity.

³ Listen to me, House of Jacob, al who remain of the House of Israel, whom I have carried since thewomb, whom I have supported since you were conceived.

⁴ Until your old age I shal be the same, until your hair is grey I shall carry you. As I have done, so I shalsupport you, I myself shall carry and shall save you.

⁵ With whom can you compare me, equate me, to whom can you liken me, making equals of us?

⁶ They lavish gold from their purses and weigh out silver on the scales. They engage a goldsmith tomake a god, then bow low and actually adore!

⁷ They lift it on their shoulders and carry it, and put it down where it is meant to stand, so that it nevermoves from the spot. You may cry out to it in distress, it never replies, it never saves anyone in trouble.

⁸ Remember this and stand firm; rebels, look into your hearts.

⁹ Remember the things that happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and thereis none like me.

¹⁰ From the beginning I revealed the future, in advance, what has not yet occurred. I say: My purposewil come about, I shal do whatever I please;

¹¹ I cal a bird of prey from the east, my man predestined, from a distant land. What I have said, I shaldo, what I have planned, I shal perform.

¹² Listen to me, you hard-hearted people far removed from saving justice:

¹³ I am bringing my justice nearer, it is not far away, my salvation wil not delay. I shal place mysalvation in Zion and my glory in Israel.