Isaiah 45
1 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:
This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, the one he has anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to direct him to defeat nations and to make kings weak, to open doors before him and gates that will not be shut.
2 “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,
I will go ahead of you and level the mountains. I will break down bronze gates and cut through iron bars.
3 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.
I will give you hidden treasure, treasure concealed in secret places, so that you can know for sure that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.
4 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.
I call you by name and I have given you a title of honor, for the sake of Jacob my servant, and Israel the one I chose, even though you don't know me.
5 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;
I am the Lord, there is no God apart from me. Apart from me there is no God. I will make you strong, even though you don't know me,
6 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.
so that everyone, from the east to the west, will know that there is no God apart from me, that I am the Lord, and there is none apart from me.
7 I form the light and create darkness; I bring peace and create disaster; I am Yahweh, who does all these things.
I create light, and I make darkness, I bring peace and I bring about disaster. I am the Lord and I do all this.
8 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.
Let the rain fall from the sky above, let goodness fall from the clouds, let the earth open up to receive goodness and salvation so they can grow together. I, the Lord, created them.
9 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'?
What trouble people face when they fight with their Creator—they're just pots among all the other pots on earth! Does the clay tell the potter who is shaping it, “What are you doing?” or “What you're making is so bad it's like you have no hands!”
10 Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you fathering?' or to a woman, 'What are you giving birth to?'
How bad it would be if you said to your father, “Why did you have me?” or to your mother, “Why was I ever born?”!
11 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?'
This is what the Lord says, the Holy One of Israel, your Creator: You can ask me about things to come. But are you going to lecture me about my children and what I do?
12 '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.
I'm the one who made the earth, and I created human beings to live there. It was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordered all the stars to come into being.
13 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.
Because I do what's right, I will encourage him and smooth out all the roads he takes. He will rebuild my city and will set my exiles free without being paid or bribed to do so, says the Lord Almighty.
14 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.'”
This is what the Lord says: “The productive Egyptians and the Ethiopian traders, as well as the tall Sabean people, will come over to you and will belong to you. They will walk behind you in chains and bow down to you, pleading with you, saying, ‘God is certainly with you, and there is no other God besides him.’”
15 Truly you are a God who hides yourself, God of Israel, Savior.
Yet you are a God who hides himself, God of Israel, Savior.
16 They will all be ashamed and disgraced together; those who carve idols will walk in humiliation.
Everyone who makes idols are ashamed and humiliated, all of them are disgraced.
17 But Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
But Israel will be saved by the Lord with a salvation that lasts forever. You will never be ashamed or disgraced for all eternity.
18 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.
For this is what the Lord says, the God who created the heavens, who formed and made the earth, he founded it. He didn't make it to be left empty, but formed it to be inhabited. He is the one who says, I am the Lord, and there is no God apart from me.
19 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.
I haven't been talking in secret in an obscure place. I didn't tell the descendants of Jacob: Look for me in a place where no one can be found. I, the Lord, tell the truth—I say what's right.
20 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.
Gather yourselves together, and come, come close, you refugees of the nations. Aren't they stupid, these people who carry around their wooden idols, and who pray to a god that can't save them?
21 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.
Discuss this together, and then speak up, present your case. Who predicted this long ago? Who said what would happen in the future back in the past? Wasn't that me, the Lord? There is no other God except me, no other God who does what is right, and who saves. There is no God apart from me.
22 Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
Everyone on earth, come to me and be saved, for I am God and there is no God apart from me.
23 By myself I swear, speaking my just decree, and it will not turn back: 'To me every knee will bend, every tongue will swear.
I have sworn by my own self, I have spoken what is right, and I won't ever go back on it. Everyone shall bow before me; everyone shall acknowledge me.
24 They will say of me, “In Yahweh alone are salvation and strength.”'” They will all be ashamed who are angry at him.
They will say about me, “Salvation and strength can only be found in the Lord.” Everyone who has fought against him will come to him and will be ashamed.
25 In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel will be justified; they will take pride in him.
But in the Lord all the descendants of Israel will be made right, and they will glory in him.
