Isaiah 45
1 Thus says YHWH 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:
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 make the mountains level. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.
I will go before you, and will level mountains: I will break to pieces brazen doors, and burst iron bars.
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, YHWH, who call you by your name, even 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 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.
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 YHWH, and there is no other. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have 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 that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me. I am YHWH, 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 I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am YHWH, who does 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 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, YHWH, 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 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?'
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?
10 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?'"
As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
11 Thus says YHWH, 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.
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 created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and I have commanded all their army.
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 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 YHWH 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 says YHWH: "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.
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 Most certainly you are a God who hid yourself, God of Israel, the Savior.'"
For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.
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 will be saved by YHWH with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
18 For thus says YHWH 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 YHWH, and there is no other.
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, in a place of the land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I, YHWH, 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, 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.
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 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, YHWH? And there is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is no one besides 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 Look to me, and be saved, every part of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
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, 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.
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 YHWH, 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.
saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
25 In YHWH shall all the descendants of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
