Isaiah 45
1 The Lord says to the man of his selection, to Cyrus, whom I have taken by the right hand, putting down nations before him, and taking away the arms of kings; making the doors open before him, so that the ways into the towns may not be shut;
Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, To Cyrus, whom I hold by his right hand, To subdue nations before him, And ungird the loins of kings; To open before him the two-leaved gates, And the doors shall not be shut.
2 I will go before you, and make the rough places level: the doors of brass will be broken, and the iron rods cut in two:
I will go before thee, And make the high places plain; I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron.
3 And I will give you the stores of the dark, and the wealth of secret places, so that you may be certain that I am the Lord, who gave you your name, even the God of Israel.
I will give thee the treasures of darkness, And hidden riches of secret places, That thou mayst know that I am Jehovah Who calleth thee by name, the God of Israel.
4 Because of Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have taken for myself, I have sent for you by name, giving you a name of honour, though you had no knowledge of me.
For the sake of Jacob, my servant, And Israel, my chosen, I have called thee by thy name; I have spoken to thee as a friend, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me: I will make you ready for war, though you had no knowledge of me:
I am Jehovah, and none else; There is no God besides me; I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me.
6 So that they may see from the east and from the west that there is no God but me: I am the Lord, and there is no other.
That men may know from the rising of the sun, And from the West, that there is none besides me; I am Jehovah, and none else.
7 I am the giver of light and the maker of the dark; causing blessing, and sending troubles; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I, Jehovah, do all these things.
8 Let righteousness come down, O heavens, from on high, and let the sky send it down like rain: let the earth be open to give the fruit of salvation, causing righteousness to come up with it; I the Lord have made it come about.
Pour forth, ye heavens, from above; Ye clouds, shower down prosperity! Let the earth open, and bring forth salvation; Yea, let righteousness spring up together! I, Jehovah, create it.
9 Cursed is he who has an argument with his Maker, the pot which has an argument with the Potter! Will the wet earth say to him who is working with it, What are you doing, that your work has nothing by which it may be gripped?
Woe to him that contendeth with his Maker! A potsherd of the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? Or thy work say of thee, He hath no hands?
10 Cursed is he who says to a father, To what are you giving life? or to a woman, What are you in birth-pains with?
Woe to him that saith to his father, Why dost thou beget? Or to his mother, Why dost thou bring forth?
11 The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, says, Will you put a question to me about the things which are to come, or will you give me orders about my sons, and the work of my hands?
Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask of me concerning things to come; My children, the work of my hands, leave them to me!
12 I have made the earth, forming man on it: by my hands the heavens have been stretched out, and all the stars put in their ordered places.
I made the earth, And created man upon it; My hands spread out the heavens, And all their host did I arrange.
13 I have sent him out to overcome the nations, and I will make all his ways straight: I will give him the work of building my town, and he will let my prisoners go free, without price or reward, says the Lord of armies.
I have raised him up for salvation, And I will make all his ways plain; He shall build my city, and release my captives, Not for price, and not for ransom, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
14 The Lord says, The workmen of Egypt, and the traders of Ethiopia, and the tall Sabaeans, will come over the sea to you, and they will be yours; they will go after you; in chains they will come over: and they will go down on their faces before you, and will make prayer to you, saying, Truly, God is among you; and there is no other God.
Thus saith Jehovah: The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of the Ethiopians and Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to thee, and be thine; They shall follow thee; in chains shall they pass along; They shall fall down to thee, and make supplication to thee: “In thee alone is God, and there is none else; There is no other God.”
15 Truly, you have a secret God, the God of Israel is a Saviour!
Truly thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the saviour!
16 All those who have gone against him will be put to shame; the makers of images will be made low.
They shall all be ashamed and confounded, They shall go to confusion together, That are makers of idols.
17 But the Lord will make Israel free with an eternal salvation: you will not be put to shame or made low for ever and ever.
But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation; Ye shall never be ashamed, nor confounded.
18 For this is the word of the Lord who made the heavens; he is God; the maker and designer of the earth; who made it not to be a waste, but as a living-place for man: I am the Lord, and there is no other.
For thus saith Jehovah, who created the heavens; The God that formed the earth and made it; he that made it firm; He created it not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah, and none else.
19 I have not given my word in secret, in a place in the underworld; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, Go into a waste land to make request of me: I the Lord say what is true, my word is righteousness.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I have not said to the race of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain! I, Jehovah, speak truth; I declare that which is right.
20 Come together, even come near, you nations who are still living: they have no knowledge who take up their image of wood, and make prayer to a god in whom is no salvation.
Assemble yourselves and come; Gather yourselves together, ye that are escaped of the nations! They are without understanding, who carry about with them the wood of their graven image, And pray to a god that cannot save.
21 Give the word, put forward your cause, let us have a discussion together: who has given news of this in the past? who made it clear in early times? did not I, the Lord? and there is no God but me; a true God and a saviour; there is no other.
Proclaim ye, and bring them near, And let them take counsel together: Who hath made this known from ancient time? Who hath declared it of old? Is it not I, Jehovah, besides whom there is no God? A God that uttereth truth, and giveth salvation; there is none besides me.
22 Let your hearts be turned to me, so that you may have salvation, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.
Look to me, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is none else.
23 By myself have I taken an oath, a true word has gone from my mouth, and will not be changed, that to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give honour.
By myself have I sworn, The truth hath gone from my mouth, The word, that shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow, That to me every tongue shall swear.
24 Only in the Lord will Jacob overcome and be strong: together all those who were angry with him will be put to shame and come to destruction.
“Only in Jehovah,” shall men say, “Is salvation and strength; To him shall come and be put to shame, All that are incensed against him.”
25 In the Lord will all the seed of Israel get their rights, and they will give glory to him.
Through Jehovah shall all the race of Israel be delivered, And in him shall they glory.
