The Fall of Bel and Nabo
Isaiah 46
The gods of Babylon, Bel and Nabo, are shown broken and carried off on the backs of weary beasts, unable to save even themselves. The Lord contrasts these lifeless idols with himself, the one who has carried the house of Jacob from the womb and will continue to bear and save them to old age.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonBEL is fallen; Nabo is broken to pieces, Their graven images were a load for wild beasts and cattle. You are carrying them bound like a burden on the weary, fainty, and hungry,
BrentonBel has fallen, Nabo is broken to pieces, their graven images are gone to the wild beasts and the cattle: ye take them packed up as a burden to the weary, exhausted, hungry, and at the same time helpless man;
GreekἜπεσε Βὴλ, συνετρίβη Ναβὼ, ἐγένετο τὰ γλυπτὰ αὐτῶν εἰς θηρία, καὶ τὰ κτήνη· αἴρετε αὐτὰ καταδεδεμένα ὡς φορτίον κοπιῶντι ἐκλευμένῳ,
KJVBel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
JPSBel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle; the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast.
2
Thomsonwho are all without strength and unable to escape from battle; and as for them, they are carried away captives!
Brentonwho will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led away captive.
Greekκαὶ πεινῶντι, οὐκ ἰσχύοντι, ἅμα, οἳ οὐ δυνήσονται σωθῆναι ἀπὸ πολέμου, αὐτοὶ δὲ αἰχμάλωτοι ἤχθησαν.
KJV—
JPS—
3
ThomsonHearken to me O house of Jacob and all ye remnant of Israel, who have been carried from the womb, and instructed from childhood to old age.
BrentonHear me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of Israel, who are borne by me from the womb, and taught by me from infancy, even to old age:
GreekἈκούετέ μου οἶκος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, καὶ πᾶν τὸ κατάλοιπον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οἱ αἰρόμενοι ἐκ κοιλίας, καὶ παιδευόμενοι ἐκ παιδίου ἕως γήρως·
KJVHearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
JPSHearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that are borne [by Me] from the birth, that are carried from the womb:
4
ThomsonI am the Self-Existent. Even till you grow old, I am, I sustain you: I made you and I will bear with you; I will lift you up and I will save you.
BrentonI am he; and until ye shall have grown old, I am he: I bear you, I have made, and I will relieve, I will take up and save you.
Greekἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ ἕως ἂν καταγηράσητε, ἐγώ εἰμι, ἐγὼ ἀνέχομαι ὑμῶν, ἐγὼ ἐποίησα, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνήσω, ἐγὼ ἀναλήμψομαι, καὶ σώσω ὑμᾶς.
KJVAnd even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
JPSEven to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver.
5
Thomson—
BrentonTo whom have ye compared me? see, consider, ye that go astray.
GreekΤίνι με ὡμοιώσατε; ἴδετε, τεχνάσασθε, οἱ πλανώμενοι.
KJV—
JPS—
6
ThomsonCollecting gold from a bag, and silver by weight they will put it in a balance; and having hired a goldsmith they made handiworks and bowing themselves down they will worship them.
BrentonThey that furnish gold out of a purse, and silver by weight, will weigh it in a scale, and they hire a goldsmith and make idols, and bow down, and worship them.
GreekΟἱ συμβαλλόμενοι χρυσίον ἐκ μαρσυππίου, καὶ ἀργύριον ἐν ζυγῷ, στήσουσιν ἐν σταθμῷ, καὶ μισθωσάμενοι χρυσοχόον ἐποίησαν χειροποίητα, καὶ κύψαντες προσκυνοῦσιν αὐτοῖς.
KJVThey lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
JPSYe that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; ye that hire a goldsmith, that he make it a god, to fall down thereto, yea, to worship.
7
ThomsonThey carry it on the shoulder and move on; but if they set it in its place, there it remaineth. It cannot move itself. And if any one cry to it, it cannot hear, nor can it save him from evils.
BrentonThey bear it upon the shoulder, and go; and if they put it upon its place, it remains, it cannot move: and whosoever shall cry to it, it cannot hear; it cannot save him from trouble.
GreekΑἴρουσιν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου, καὶ πορεύονται· ἐὰν δὲ θῶσιν αὐτό ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ, μένει, οὐ μὴ κινηθῇ· καὶ ὃς ἐὰν βοήσῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐ μὴ εἰσακούσῃ, ἀπὸ κακῶν οὐ μὴ σώσῃ αὐτόν.
KJVThey bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
JPSHe is borne upon the shoulder, he is carried, and set in his place, and he standeth, from his place he doth not remove; yea, though one cry unto him, he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
8
ThomsonRemember these things and groan; reform, ye who have been led astray: return with the heart
BrentonRemember ye these things, and groan: repent, ye that have gone astray, return in your heart;
GreekΜνήσθητε ταῦτα, καὶ στενάξατε, μετανοήσατε οἱ πεπλανημένοι, ἐπιστρέψατε τῇ καρδίᾳ,
KJV—
JPS—
9
Thomsonand remember the things of old, that I am God and there is none besides Me,
Brentonand remember the former things that were of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside me,
Greekκαὶ μνήσθητε τὰ πρότερα ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι πλὴν ἐμοῦ,
KJVRemember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
JPSRemember the former things of old: That I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me;
10
ThomsonWho can declare events before they happen, as if they were already accomplished. When I have spoken, all My counsel shall stand; and all that I have determined, I will effect.
Brentontelling beforehand the latter events before they come to pass, and they are accomplished together: and I said, All my counsel shall stand, and I will do all things that I have planned:
Greekἀναγγέλλων πρότερον τὰ ἔσχατα πρὶν γενέσθαι, καὶ ἅμα συνετελέσθη· καὶ εἶπα, πᾶσα ἡ βουλή μου στήσεται, καὶ πάντα ὅσα βεβούλευμαι, ποιήσω·
KJVDeclaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
JPSDeclaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; Saying: ‘My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do’;
11
ThomsonCalling from the east a winged fowl, even from a far distant land, for purposes which I have resolved on, I have spoken and brought, I have created and made, I have brought it and made its way prosperous.
Brentoncalling a bird from the east, and from a land afar off, for the things which I have planned: I have spoken, and brought him; I have created and made him; I have brought him, and prospered his way.
GreekΚαλῶν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν πετεινὸν, καὶ ἀπὸ γῆς πόῤῥωθεν περὶ ὧν βεβούλευμαι, ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἤγαγον, ἔκτισα καὶ ἐποίησα, ἤγαγον αὐτὸν, καὶ εὐώδωσα τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ.
KJVCalling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
JPSCalling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country; Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed, I will also do it.
12
ThomsonHear me, ye who have lost understanding—who are far from righteousness!
BrentonHearken to me, ye senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:
GreekἈκούσατέ μου οἱ ἀπολωλεκότες τὴν καρδίαν, οἱ μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης.
KJVHearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
JPSHearken unto Me, ye stout-hearted, That are far from righteousness:
13
ThomsonI have brought My righteousness near; and the salvation which is from Me I will not delay. I have placed in Sion salvation for Israel, for a subject of glory.
BrentonI have brought near my righteousness, and I will not be slow with the salvation that is from me: I have given salvation in Sion to Israel for glory.
GreekἬγγισα τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου, καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν παρʼ ἐμοῦ οὐ βραδυνῶ· δέδωκα ἐν Σιὼν σωτηρίαν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς δόξασμα.
KJVI bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
JPSI bring near My righteousness, it shall not be far off, And My salvation shall not tarry; And I will place salvation in Zion For Israel My glory.