Isaiah 45
1 The LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
2 “I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces and cut apart the bars of iron.
I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in two the bars of iron:
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, who calls you by your name, even the God of Israel.
And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me.
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me,
I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me:
6 that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no one besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else.
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things.
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
8 Rain, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.
Drop down, all of you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
9 Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands’?
Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What make you? or your work, He has no hands?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you given birth to?’”
Woe unto him that says unto his father, What brought forth you? or to the woman, What have you brought forth?
11 The LORD, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker says: “You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons, and you command me concerning the work of my hands!
Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command all of you me.
12 I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens. I have commanded all their army.
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward,” says the LORD of Armies.
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of hosts.
14 The LORD says: “The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you, and they will be yours. They will go after you. They shall come over in chains. They will bow down to you. They will make supplication to you: ‘Surely God is in you; and there is no one else. There is no other god.
Thus says the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto you, and they shall be yours: they shall come after you; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto you, they shall make supplication unto you, saying, Surely God is in you; and there is none else, there is no God.
15 Most certainly you are a God who has hidden yourself, God of Israel, the Savior.’”
Verily you are a God that hide yourself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.
They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
17 Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: all of you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
18 For the LORD who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and did not create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited says: “I am the LORD. There is no other.
For thus says the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the LORD, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek all of you me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20 “Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image, and pray to a god that cannot save.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, all of you that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21 Declare and present it. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has shown this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Have not I, the LORD? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior. There is no one besides me.
Tell all of you, and bring them near; yea, 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 God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
22 “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
Look unto me, and be all of you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24 They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in the LORD.’” Even to him will men come. All those who raged against him will be disappointed.
Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
25 All the offspring of Israel will be justified in the LORD, and will rejoice!
In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
