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 armour, to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
Thus hath said the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom I have taken hold of by his right hand, to subdue nations before him, even the loins of kings will I ungird, to open before him [city-]doors, and gates that they 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 myself will go before thee, and proud eminences will I level: doors of brass will I break in pieces, and bolts of iron will I cut asunder.
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 unto thee the treasures of darkness, and riches hidden in secret places; in order that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, who call thee by thy name, 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 the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect; and I have called thee by thy name: I have designated thee, though thou hast 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, beside me there is no god; I assisted thee, though thou hast 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.
In order that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its setting, that there is nothing without me. I am the Lord, and there is no one else;
7 I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things.
Forming the light, and creating darkness; making peace, and creating 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 ye heavens, and let the skies distil blessing; let the earth open and let them [all] be fruitful of prosperity, and let righteousness spring up likewise: I the Lord have created it.
9 Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot amongst 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 contendeth with the one who formed him—a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath 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 saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What bringest thou 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 hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and he who hath formed him, About events to come will you ask me? concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands will ye command 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.
[When] I myself have made the earth, and created man upon it; [when] I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and I have ordained all their host.
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 Hosts.
I myself have waked him up in righteousness, and all his ways will I make straight: he shall build my city, and my exiles shall he dismiss free, not for purchase-money nor for presents, saith the Lord of hosts.
14 The LORD says: “The labour 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 hath said the Lord, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of high stature, shall pass over unto thee, and thine shall they be: behind thee shall they walk; in chains shall they pass along, and unto thee shall they bow, unto thee shall they pray, [saying] Yea, only among thee is God; and there is no one else beside God.
15 Most certainly you are a God who has hidden yourself, God of Israel, the Saviour.’”
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, 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 are ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: together shall they go to confusion 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 helped by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed and not be confounded unto all eternity.
18 For the LORD who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn’t create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited says: “I am the LORD. There is no other.
For thus hath said the Lord the creator of the heavens; he, the God that formed the earth and made it; he that hath established it, —not for naught did he create it, to be inhabited did he form it: I am the Lord; and there is no one else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I didn’t say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the LORD, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.
Not on a secret spot have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me for naught; [but] 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 can’t save.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye escaped fugitives of the nations! They have no knowledge that carry 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? Haven’t I, the LORD? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Saviour. There is no one besides me.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath announced this in ancient times? told it from the beginning? is it not I the Lord? and there is no other god without 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.
Turn unto me, so that ye may be helped, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one 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.
By myself have I sworn, righteousness is gone out of my mouth, a word [which] shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bend, 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.
Only in the Lord, —shall men say of me, —there are righteousness and strength. Unto him shall come and be ashamed all that are incensed against him.
25 All the offspring of Israel will be justified in the LORD, and will rejoice!
In the Lord shall be justified, and shall glory themselves all the seed of Israel.
