< Isaiah 45 >
1 Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and that the gates may not be shut:
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Koresh, 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:
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron;
"I will go before you, and make the mountains level. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.
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 call you by your name, even the God of Israel.
4 For the sake of Jacob My servant, and Israel Mine elect, I have called thee by thy name, I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, beside Me there is no God; I have girded thee, though thou hast not known Me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen 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 none beside Me; I am the LORD; and there is none else;
that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things.
I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, that they may bring forth salvation, and let her cause righteousness to spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Distil, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.
9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker, as a potsherd with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it: 'What makest thou?' Or: 'Thy work, it hath no hands'?
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?'
10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father: 'Wherefore begettest thou?' Or to a woman: 'Wherefore travailest thou?'
Woe to him who says to a father, 'What have you become the father of?' or to a mother, 'To what have you given birth?'"
11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask Me of the things that are to come; concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands, command ye Me.
Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons, and you command me concerning the work of my hands.
12 I, even 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.
I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and I have commanded all their army.
13 I have roused him up in victory, and I make level all his ways; he shall build My city, and he shall let Mine exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways. He shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward," says the LORD of hosts.
14 Thus saith the LORD: The labour of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine; they shall go after thee, in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee: Surely God is in thee, and there is none else, there is no other God.
Thus says the LORD: "The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you, and they shall be yours. They will go after you. They shall come over in chains; and they will bow down to you. They will make petition to you: 'Surely God is in you; and there is no other. There is no other god.
15 Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
Most certainly you are a God who hid yourself, God of Israel, the Savior.'"
16 They shall be ashamed, yea, confounded, all of them; they shall go in confusion together that are makers of idols.
They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.
17 O Israel, that art saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens, He is God; that formed the earth and made it, He established it, He created it not a waste, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is none else.
For thus says 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: "I am the LORD, and there is no other.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob: 'Seek ye Me in vain'; I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.
20 Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations; they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
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.
21 Declare ye, and bring them near, yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath announced this from ancient time, and declared it of old? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside Me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me.
Declare and bring it forth. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who announced this from long ago, has told it from then? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.
22 Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.
Look to me, and be saved, every part of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
23 By Myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from My mouth in righteousness, and shall not come back, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear to God.
24 Only in the LORD, shall one say of Me, is victory and strength; even to Him shall men come in confusion, all they that were incensed against Him.
Only in the LORD, it is said of me, is righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all those who were incensed against him shall be disappointed.
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
In the LORD shall all the descendants of Israel be justified, and shall glory.