< Esias 45 >
1 Thus says the Lord God to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, that nations might be obedient before him; and I will break through the strength of kings; I will open doors before him, and cities shall not be closed.
2 I will go before you, and will level mountains: I will break to pieces brazen doors, and burst iron bars.
3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, I will open to you hidden, unseen [treasures], that you may know that I, the Lord your God, that call you by name, am the God of Israel.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel mine elect, I will call you by your name, and accept you: but you have not known me.
5 For I am the Lord God, and there is no other God beside me; I strengthened you, and you have not known me.
6 That they that [come] from the east and they that [come] from the west may know that there is no God but me. I am the Lord God, and there is none beside.
7 I am he that prepared light, and formed darkness; who make peace, and create evil; I am the Lord God, that does all these things.
8 Let the heaven rejoice from above, and let the clouds rain righteousness: let the earth bring forth, and blossom [with] mercy, and bring forth righteousness likewise: I am the Lord that created you.
9 What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the ploughman plough the earth all day? shall the clay say to the potter, What are you doing that you do not work, nor have hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?
10 As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
11 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who has formed the things that are to come, Enquire of me concerning my sons, and concerning the works of my hands command me.
12 I have made the earth, and man upon it: I with my hand have established the heaven; I have given commandment to all the stars.
13 I have raised him up [to be] a king with righteousness, and all his ways are right: he shall build my city, and shall turn the captivity of my people, not for ransoms, nor for rewards, says the Lord of hosts.
14 Thus says the Lord of hosts, Egypt has laboured [for you]; and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you, and shall be your servants; and they shall follow after you bound in fetters, and shall pass over to you, and shall do obeisance to you, and make supplication to you: because God is in you; and there is no God beside you, [O Lord].
15 For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: you isles, keep a feast to me.
17 Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
18 Thus says the Lord that made the heaven, this God that created the earth, and made it; he marked it out, he made it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is none beside.
19 I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek vanity: I, even I, am the Lord, speaking righteousness, and proclaiming truth.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; take counsel together, you that escape of the nations: they that set up wood, [even] their graven image, have no knowledge, nor they who pray to gods that do not save.
21 If they will declare, let them draw near, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God, and there is not another beside me; a just [God] and a Saviour; there is none but me.
22 Turn you to me, and you shall be saved, you that [come] from the end of the earth: I am God, and there is none other.
23 By myself I swear, righteousness shall surely proceed out of my mouth; my words shall not be frustrated; that to me every knee shall bend, and every tongue shall swear by God,
24 saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
25 By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
