Isaiah 45
1 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;
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 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.
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 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;
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 my elect; and I have called thee by thy name: I have designated thee, though thou hast not known me.
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 I am the Lord, and there is none else, beside me there is no god; I assisted thee, though thou hast not known me.
For I am the Lord God, and there is no other God beside me; I strengthened you, and you have not known me.
6 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;
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 Forming the light, and creating darkness; making peace, and creating evil: I the Lord do all these things.
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 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.
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 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?
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 Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What bringest thou forth?
As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
11 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?
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 [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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 They are ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: together shall they go to confusion that are makers of idols.
All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: you isles, keep a feast to me.
17 [But] Israel shall be helped by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed and not be confounded unto all eternity.
Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
18 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.
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 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.
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; 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.
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 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.
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 unto me, so that ye may be helped, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else.
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 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.
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 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.
saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
25 In the Lord shall be justified, and shall glory themselves all the seed of Israel.
By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
