The LORD will raise up Cyrus
45
📚✭“Thus says the LORD to his anointed,
to Cyrus,
whose right hand
I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
(and I will loosen the armour
of kings,
to open the double doors
before him;
and the gates will not be shut):
2 📚I will go before you,
and make the rough
places level.
I will break the gates
of bronze in pieces,
and cut the bars
of iron in two.
3 📚And I will give you
the treasures of darkness,
and hidden riches
of secret places,
that you may know that I,
the LORD,
who call you
by your name,
am the God of Israel.
4 📚For the sake of my servant
Jacob and Israel my chosen,
I have also called you
by your name.
I have named you,
even though you have not
known me.
5 📚I am the LORD,
and there is no other.
There is no God
besides me.
I girded you with armour,
even though you have not
known me,
6 📚So that from the rising
of the sun and from the west
they may know that there is
no one besides me.
I am the LORD,
and there is no other.
7 📚“I form the light,
and create darkness.
I make peace,
and create disaster.
I the LORD do all these things.
8 📚Rain down, you heavens,
from above, and let the skies
pour down righteousness.
Let the earth open up,
and let them bring out salvation,
and let righteousness✭ spring up
with it. I the LORD have
created it.
9 📚✭Woe to him who quarrels
with his Maker!
Let a piece of pottery
quarrel with earth’s
pieces of pottery.
Will the clay say to the one
who forms it,
‘What are you making?’
Or your handiwork say,
‘He has no hands?’
10 📚Woe to him who says
to his father,
‘What have you begotten?’
Or to the woman,
‘To what have you given birth?’ ”
11 📚Thus says the LORD,
the Holy One of Israel
and his Maker:
“Do you question me
about things to come
concerning my sons?
And will you command me✭
concerning the work
of my hands?
12 📚I have made the earth,
and created man on it.
I, with my own hands,
have stretched out the heavens,
and I have given commands
to all their starry host.
13 📚I have raised Cyrus✭
up in righteousness,
and I will direct all his ways.
He will build my city,
and he will let my captives go,
not for price or reward,
says the LORD of hosts”.
14 📚Thus says the LORD:
“The labour of Egypt,
and merchandise of Ethiopia
and of the Sabeans,
men of stature,
will come over to you,
and they will be yours.
They will walk behind you.
They will come over
in chains,
and they will fall down
before you.
They will plead with you,
saying, ‘Surely God is in you,
and no one else;
there is no other God.’ ”
15 📚✭Truly you are a God
who hides yourself,
O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 📚They will be put to shame
and disgraced,
all of them;
those who are makers
of idols will go away
in disgrace together.
17 📚But Israel will be saved✭
in the LORD with an everlasting✭
salvation.
You will not be put to shame
or disgraced world
without end.
The only true God gives an invitation to all
18 📚For thus says the LORD
who created the heavens,
God himself who formed
the earth and made it,
who established it,
who did not create it in vain,
who formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the LORD,
and there is no other.
19 📚✭I have not spoken in secret,
in a dark place of the earth.
I did not say✭ to the offspring
of Jacob,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I, the LORD,
speak righteousness;
I declare things that are right.
20 📚Assemble yourselves
and come;
draw near together,
you who have escaped
from the nations✭.
Those who set up the wood of
their carved image,
and pray to a god which
cannot save✭,
have no knowledge.
21 📚Speak and bring forward
your case. Yes,
let them take counsel together.
Who has declared this
from ancient time?
Who has been declaring it
from that time?
Have not I, the LORD?
And there is no other God
besides me.
I am a just God
and Saviour.
There is no one
besides me.
22 📚✭Look to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God,
and there is no other.
23 📚I have sworn✭ by myself;
this word has gone out
of my mouth in righteousness,
and will not return:
To me every knee
will bow✭,
by me every tongue
will swear;
24 📚✭He will say,
“surely they will say,
‘In the LORD alone
I have righteousness
and strength.
To him men will come;
and all who have raged
against him will be
ashamed.
25 📚In the LORD all✭ the descendants
of Israel will be justified✭,
and will glory✭.’ ”