KJV ORIGINAL
Bel 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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Bel bows down, Nebo bends low, their idols are loaded onto animals and cattle. Your heavy loads are packed up; they are a burden that makes the tired animals weary.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is describing how the false gods of Babylon are now just heavy cargo being hauled away by exhausted animals, showing their complete powerlessness.
📚 Historical Context
This verse refers to the fall of Babylon, when the city's patron gods Bel (also called Marduk) and Nebo would be carried away as spoils of war. Unlike living gods who could protect their people, these idol statues had to be physically transported by weary pack animals during the exile.
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