Isaiah 46:1

New International Reader's Version

The gods named Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame. The statues of them are being carried away on the backs of animals. They used to be carried around by the people who worshiped them. But now they’ve become a heavy load for tired animals.

Cross References

Job 39:11

Will you depend on them for their great strength? Will you let them do your heavy work?

Exodus 12:12

“That same night I will pass through Egypt. I will strike down all those born first among the people and animals. And I will judge all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.

Isaiah 2:18

And the statues of gods will totally disappear.

Isaiah 2:20

People had made some statues of gods out of silver. They had made others out of gold. Then they worshiped them. But when the Lord comes, they will throw the statues away to the moles and bats.

Isaiah 21:9

Look! Here comes a man in a chariot! It’s being pulled by a team of horses. He’s calling out the news, ‘Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the statues of its gods lie broken in pieces on the ground!’ ”

Isaiah 30:6

Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.

Isaiah 45:20

“Come together, you people of the nations who escaped from Babylon. Gather together and come into court. Only people who do not know anything would carry around gods that are made out of wood. They pray to false gods that can’t save them.

Isaiah 46:7

They lift it up on their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place, and there it stands. It can’t move from that spot. Someone might cry out to it. But it does not answer. It can’t save them from their troubles.

Jeremiah 10:5

The statues of their gods can’t speak. They are like scarecrows in a field of cucumbers. Their statues have to be carried around because they can’t walk. So do not be afraid of their gods. They can’t do you any harm. And they can’t do you any good either.”

Jeremiah 50:2

“Announce this message among the nations. Lift up a banner. Let the nations hear the message. Do not keep anything back. Say, ‘Babylon will be captured. The god named Bel will be put to shame. The god named Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon’s gods will be put to shame. The gods its people made will be filled with terror.’

Jeremiah 50:38

There will not be any rain for their rivers. So they will dry up. Those things will happen because their land is full of statues of gods. Those gods will go crazy with terror.

Jeremiah 51:44

I will punish the god named Bel in Babylon. I will make Bel spit out what he has swallowed. The nations will not come and worship him anymore. And Babylon’s walls will fall down.

Jeremiah 51:47

I will punish the gods of Babylon. That time will certainly come. Then the whole land will be full of shame. Its people will lie down and die there.

Jeremiah 51:52

“But the days are coming,” announces the Lord. “At that time I will punish the gods of Babylon. And all through its land wounded people will groan.

Daniel 11:8

He will take the metal statues of their gods. He will also take away their priceless objects of silver and gold. He will carry everything off to Egypt. For many years he will leave the king of Syria alone.

Daniel 3:14

The king said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is what I heard about you true? Don’t you serve my gods? Don’t you worship the gold statue I set up?

Nahum 1:14

Nineveh, the Lord has given an order concerning you. He has said, “You will not have any children to carry on your name. I will destroy the wooden and metal statues that are in the temple of your gods. I will get your grave ready for you. You are worthless.”

Numbers 32:38

They also built up Nebo, Baal Meon and Sibmah. They gave new names to the cities they had built up.

Matthew 23:4

They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry. Then they put them on other people’s shoulders. But they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.

1 Samuel 5:3

The people of Ashdod got up early the next day. They saw the statue of Dagon. There it was, lying on the ground! It had fallen on its face in front of the ark of the Lord. So they picked up the statue of Dagon. They put it back in its place.