The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
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Bel a bows down, Nebo stoops;
Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
Your carriages were heavily loaded,
b A burden to the weary beast.
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They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
c But have themselves gone into captivity.
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"Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
d Who have been upheld by Me from birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
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Even to your old age, e I am He,
And even to gray hairs f I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
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"To g whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
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h They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a i goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
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j They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though k one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble.
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"Remember this, and show yourselves men;
l Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
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m Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and n there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
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o Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, p 'My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,'
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Calling a bird of prey q from the east,
The man r who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed s I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.
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"Listen to Me, you t stubborn-hearted,
u Who are far from righteousness:
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v I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation w shall not linger.
And I will place x salvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.
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Cross References
Isaiah 21:9
And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!" Then he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.
Jeremiah 50:2
"Declare among the nations, Proclaim, and set up a standard; Proclaim - do not conceal it - Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodach is broken in pieces; Her idols are humiliated, Her images are broken in pieces.'
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Cross References
Jeremiah 10:5
They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.
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Cross References
Judges 18:17
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the l...
Judges 18:18
When these went into Micah's house and took the...
Judges 18:24
So he said, "You have taken away my gods which ...
2 Samuel 5:21
And they left their images there, and David and...
Jeremiah 48:7
For because you have trusted in your works and ...
Hosea 10:5
The inhabitants of Samaria fear Because of the ...
Hosea 10:6
The idol also shall be carried to Assyria As a ...
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:11
As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings.
Psalms 71:6
By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You.
Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.
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Cross References
Malachi 3:6
For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
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Cross References
Psalms 48:14
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.
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Cross References
Isaiah 40:18
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
Isaiah 40:25
To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One.
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Cross References
Isaiah 40:19
The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.
Isaiah 41:6
Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, "Be of good courage!
Jeremiah 10:4
They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
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Cross References
Isaiah 44:12
The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint.
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Cross References
Isaiah 45:20
Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.
Isaiah 46:1
Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast.
Jeremiah 10:5
They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.
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Cross References
Isaiah 45:20
Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.
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Cross References
Isaiah 44:19
And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you:
Isaiah 42:9
Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 65:17
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
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Cross References
Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me.
Isaiah 45:21
Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
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Cross References
Isaiah 45:21
Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
Isaiah 48:3
I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
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Cross References
Psalms 33:11
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The pla...
Proverbs 19:21
There are many plans in a man's heart, Neverthe...
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel ...
Isaiah 14:24
The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, a...
Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I wil...
Acts 5:39
"but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it -...
Hebrews 6:17
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly t...
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Cross References
Isaiah 41:2
Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow?
Isaiah 41:25
I have raised up one from the north, And he shall come; From the rising of the sun he shall call on My name; And he shall come against princes as though mortar, As the potter treads clay.
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Cross References
Isaiah 44:28
Who says of Cyrus, ' He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."
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Cross References
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
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Cross References
Psalms 76:5
The stouthearted were plundered; They have sunk into their sleep; And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
Isaiah 48:4
Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze.
Zechariah 7:11
But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.
Zechariah 7:12
Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 3:13
"Your words have been harsh against Me," Says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'
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Cross References
Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
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Cross References
Romans 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith.
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Cross References
Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
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Cross References
Isaiah 62:11
Indeed the LORD has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.'
Joel 3:17
"So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again."
1 Peter 2:6
Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.