The Idols of Babylon and the One True God

¹Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;

their idols are on beasts and livestock;

these things you carry are borne

as burdens on weary beasts.

²They stoop; they bow down together;

they cannot save the burden,

but themselves go into captivity.

³“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from before your birth,

carried from the womb;

⁴even to your old age I am he,

and to gray hairs I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear;

I will carry and will save.

⁵“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,

and compare me, that we may be alike?

⁶Those who lavish gold from the purse,

and weigh out silver in the scales,

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

then they fall down and worship!

⁷They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,

they set it in its place, and it stands there;

it cannot move from its place.

If one cries to it, it does not answer

or save him from his trouble.

⁸“Remember this and stand firm,

recall it to mind, you transgressors,

⁹remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

¹⁰declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

¹¹calling a bird of prey from the east,

the man of my counsel from a far country.

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;

I have purposed, and I will do it.

¹²“Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,

you who are far from righteousness:

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

and my salvation will not delay;

I will put salvation in Zion,

for Israel my glory.”

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