Cyrus, God's Instrument

1Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and to loose the belts of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

2“I will go before you

and level the exalted places,45:2 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint level the mountains

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

3I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the LORD,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

4For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name,

I name you, though you do not know me.

5I am the LORD, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me,

6that people may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is none besides me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

7I form light and create darkness;

I make well-being and create calamity;

I am the LORD, who does all these things.

8“Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the clouds rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;

let the earth cause them both to sprout;

I the LORD have created it.

9“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,

a pot among earthen pots!

Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’

or ‘Your work has no handles’?

10Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’

or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labour?’ ”

11Thus says the LORD,

the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:

“Ask me of things to come;

will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?45:11 A slight emendation yields will you question me about my children, or command me concerning the work of my hands?

12I made the earth

and created man on it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

13I have stirred him up in righteousness,

and I will make all his ways level;

he shall build my city

and set my exiles free,

not for price or reward,”

says the LORD of hosts.

The LORD, the Only Saviour

14Thus says the LORD:

“The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,

and the Sabeans, men of stature,

shall come over to you and be yours;

they shall follow you;

they shall come over in chains and bow down to you.

They will plead with you, saying:

‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other,

no god besides him.’ ”

15Truly, you are a God who hides himself,

O God of Israel, the Saviour.

16All of them are put to shame and confounded;

the makers of idols go in confusion together.

17But Israel is saved by the LORD

with everlasting salvation;

you shall not be put to shame or confounded

to all eternity.

18For thus says the LORD,

who created the heavens

(he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he did not create it empty,

he formed it to be inhabited!):

“I am the LORD, and there is no other.

19I did not speak in secret,

in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,

‘Seek me in vain.’45:19 Hebrew in emptiness

I the LORD speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

20“Assemble yourselves and come;

draw near together,

you survivors of the nations!

They have no knowledge

who carry about their wooden idols,

and keep on praying to a god

that cannot save.

21Declare and present your case;

let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the LORD?

And there is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Saviour;

there is none besides me.

22“Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

23By myself I have sworn;

from my mouth has gone out in righteousness

a word that shall not return:

‘To me every knee shall bow,

every tongue shall swear allegiance.’45:23 Septuagint every tongue shall confess to God

24“Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,

are righteousness and strength;

to him shall come and be ashamed

all who were incensed against him.

25In the LORD all the offspring of Israel

shall be justified and shall glory.”