Isaiah 45
1 Thus said YHWH, To His anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have laid hold on, To subdue nations before him, Indeed, I loose loins of kings, To open double doors before him, Indeed, gates are not shut:
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 go before you, and make crooked places straight, I shatter doors of bronze, And I cut bars of iron apart,
“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 have given to you treasures of darkness, Even treasures of secret places, So that you know that I, YHWH, Who am calling on your 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 of Israel My chosen, I also call you by your name, I surname you, And 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 I [am] YHWH, and there is none else, There is no God except Me, I gird 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 So that they know from the rising of the sun, And from the west, that there is none besides Me, I [am] YHWH, and there is none else,
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 Forming light, and creating darkness, Making peace, and creating calamity, I [am] YHWH, doing 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 Drop, you heavens, from above, And clouds cause righteousness to flow, Earth opens, and they are fruitful, Salvation and righteousness spring up together, I, YHWH, have created it.
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 Woe [to] him who is striving with his Former (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Does clay say to its Framer, What [are] you doing? And your work, He has no hands?
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 Woe [to] him who is saying to a father, What do you beget? Or to a wife, What do you bring forth?”
Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you fathering?' or to a woman, 'What are you giving birth to?'
11 Thus said YHWH, The Holy One of Israel, and his Former: “Ask Me of the things coming concerning My sons, Indeed, concerning the work of My hands, you 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 made earth, and created man on it, My hands stretched out the heavens, And I have commanded all their host.
'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 stirred him up in righteousness, And I make all his ways straight, He builds My city, and sends out My captivity, Not for price, nor for bribe,” said YHWH 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 said YHWH: “The labor of Egypt, And the merchandise of Cush, And of the Sebaim—men of measure, Pass over to you, and they are yours, They go after you, they pass over in chains, And they bow themselves to you, They pray to you: Surely God [is] in you, And there is none else, no [other] God.”
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 Surely You [are] a God hiding Yourself, God of Israel—Savior!
Truly you are a God who hides yourself, God of Israel, Savior.
16 They have been ashamed, And they have even blushed—all of them, Those carving images have gone together in confusion.
They will all be ashamed and disgraced together; those who carve idols will walk in humiliation.
17 Israel has been saved in YHWH, A perpetual salvation! You are not ashamed nor confounded For all ages of eternity!
But Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
18 For thus said YHWH, Creator of the heavens, He is God, Former of earth, and its Maker, He established it—He did not create it empty, For He formed it to be inhabited: “I [am] YHWH, and there is none else.
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, in a dark place of the earth, I have not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek Me in vain, I [am] YHWH, speaking righteousness, Declaring uprightness.
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 Be gathered, and come in, Come near together, you escaped of the nations, They have not known, Who are lifting up the wood of their carved image, And praying to a god [that] does 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 Declare, and bring near, Indeed, they take counsel together, Who has proclaimed this from of old? [Who] has declared it from that time? Is it not I—YHWH? And there is no other god besides Me, A God righteous and saving, there is none except 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 to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth, For I [am] God, and there is none else.
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
23 I have sworn by Myself, A word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness, And it does not return, That to Me, every knee bows, every tongue swears.
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 Only in YHWH, one has said, Do I have righteousness and strength, He comes to Him, And all those displeased with Him are ashamed.
They will say of me, “In Yahweh alone are salvation and strength.”'” They will all be ashamed who are angry at him.
25 In YHWH are all the seed of Israel justified, And they boast themselves.”
In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel will be justified; they will take pride in him.
