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Babylon's Idols and the True God

^1 (C1)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle.
The things ^(F1)that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary beast.

² They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But ^(F1)have themselves ^(C1)gone into captivity.

³ "^(C1)Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all ^(C2)the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been ^(C3)borne by Me from ^(F1)birth
And have been carried from the womb;

⁴ Even to your old age ^(C1)I ^(F1)will be the same,
And even to your ^(F2)(C2)graying years I will bear you!
I have ^(F3)done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

⁵ "^(C1)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal and compare Me,
That we would be alike?

⁶ "Those who ^(C1)lavish gold from the purse
And weigh silver on the scale
Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They ^(C2)bow down, indeed they worship it.

⁷ "They ^(C1)lift it upon the shoulder and carry it;
They set it in its place and it stands there.
^(C2)It does not move from its place.
Though one may cry to it, it ^(C3)cannot answer;
It ^(C4)cannot deliver him from his distress.

⁸ "^(C1)Remember this, and be ^(F1)assured;
^(C2)Recall it to ^(F2)mind, you ^(C3)transgressors.

⁹ "Remember the ^(C1)former things long past,
For I am God, and there is ^(C2)no other;
I am God, and there is ^(C3)no one like Me,

¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, '^(C1)My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';

¹¹ Calling a ^(C1)bird of prey from the ^(C2)east,
The man of ^(F1)My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have ^(C3)spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.

¹² "^(C1)Listen to Me, you ^(C2)stubborn-minded,
Who are ^(C3)far from righteousness.

¹³ "I ^(C1)bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant ^(C2)salvation in Zion,
And My ^(C3)glory for Israel.