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.
This is what Yahweh says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold, in order to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, and to open the doors before him, so that gates remain open:
2 I will go before you, and will level mountains: I will break to pieces brazen doors, and burst iron bars.
“I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut in pieces their 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.
and I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden away, that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who call you by your name, I, 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.
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name, giving you a title of honor, though 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.
I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will arm you for battle, though 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.
that people may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no god but me: I am Yahweh, and there is no other.
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.
I form the light and create darkness; I bring peace and create disaster; I am Yahweh, who 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.
You heavens, rain down from above! Let the skies rain down righteousness. Let the earth absorb it, that salvation may sprout up, and righteousness spring up together with it. I, Yahweh, have created them both.
9 What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the plowman plow 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?
Woe to anyone who argues with the one who formed him, to him who is like any other earthen pot among all the earthen pots in the ground! Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles on it'?
10 As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you fathering?' or to a woman, 'What are you giving birth to?'
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.
This is what Yahweh says, the Holy One of Israel, his Maker: 'Why do you ask questions about what I will do for my children? Do you tell me what to do concerning the work of my hands?'
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.
'I made the earth and created man on it. It was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all the stars to appear.
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.
I stirred Cyrus up in righteousness, and I will smooth out all his paths. He will build my city; he will let my exiled people go home, and not for price nor bribe,'” says Yahweh 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].
This is what Yahweh says, “The earnings of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush with the Sabeans, men of tall stature, will be brought to you. They will be yours. They will follow after you, coming in chains. They will bow down to you and plead with you saying, 'Surely God is with you, and there is no other except him.'”
15 For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
Truly you are a God who hides yourself, God of Israel, Savior.
16 All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: you isles, keep a feast to me.
They will all be ashamed and disgraced together; those who carve idols will walk in humiliation.
17 Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
But Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
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.
This is what Yahweh says, who created the heavens, the true God who created the earth and made it, who established it. He created it, not as a waste, but designed it to be inhabited: “I am Yahweh, and there is no other.
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.
I have not spoken in private, in some hidden place; I did not say to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain!' I am Yahweh, who speaks sincerely; I declare the things that are right.
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.
Assemble yourselves and come! Gather together, you refugees from among the nations! They have no knowledge, those who carry carved images and pray to gods that cannot 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.
Come close and declare it to me, bring the evidence! Let them conspire together. Who has shown this from long ago? Who announced it? Was it not I, Yahweh? There is no God except me, a just God and a Savior; there is no one besides 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.
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no 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,
By myself I swear, speaking my just decree, and it will not turn back: 'To me every knee will bend, every tongue will swear.
24 saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
They will say of me, “In Yahweh alone are salvation and strength.”'” They will all be ashamed who are angry at him.
25 By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel will be justified; they will take pride in him.
