< Isaiah 45 >
1 Adonai says to his anointed, to Cyrus [Sun], 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 you, and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Adonai, who call you by your name, even the God of Israel [God prevails].
4 For Jacob [Supplanter] my servant’s sake, and Israel [God prevails] my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me.
5 I am Yahweh [He sustains breathing], and there is no one else. Besides me, there are no elohim ·gods, judges·. 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 no one besides me. I am Yahweh [He sustains breathing], and there is no one else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am Adonai, who does all these things.
8 Rain, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may produce yesha' ·salvation·, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, Adonai, have created it.
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?’
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?’”
11 Adonai, haKadosh Isra'el [the Holy One of God prevails], and his Maker says: “You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons, and you enjoin me concerning the work of my hands!
12 I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and I have enjoined all their army.
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 Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies].
14 Yahweh [He sustains breathing] says: “The labor of Egypt [Abode of slavery], 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 supplication to you: ‘Surely God is in you; and there is no one else. There is no other Elohim ·Deity, Judge·.
15 Most certainly you are a God who hidden yourself, God of Israel [God prevails], the One who saves.’”
16 They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.
17 Israel [God prevails] will be saved by Adonai with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
18 For Adonai who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn’t create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited says: “I am Yahweh [He sustains breathing]; and there is no other.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I didn’t say to the offspring of Jacob [Supplanter], ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, Adonai, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.
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 deity that can’t save.
21 Declare and present it. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has sh'ma ·heard obeyed, declared· this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Haven’t I, Yahweh [He sustains breathing]? There is no other Elohim ·Deity, Judge· besides me, a just God and able to save; There is no one besides me.
22 “Look 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. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear
24 about me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Adonai.’” Even to him shall men come; and all those who raged against him shall be disappointed.
25 All the offspring of Israel [God prevails] will be justified in Adonai, and will rejoice!
