The call of Cyrus

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

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and ungird the loins of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

2“I will go before you

and level the mountains,45.2 One ancient Ms Gk: Heb the swellings

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut asunder 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 surname you, though you do not know me.

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

besides me there is no God;

I gird you, though you do not know me,

6that men 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 weal and create woe,

I am the LORD, who do all these things.

8“Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the skies rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth,45.8 One ancient Ms: Heb that they may bring forth salvation

and let it cause righteousness to spring up also;

I the LORD have created it.

945.9: Is 29.16; Rom 9.20.“Woe to him who strives with his Maker,

an earthen vessel with the potter!45.9 Cn: Heb potsherds or potters

Does the clay say to him who fashions 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 travail?’ ”

11Thus says the LORD,

the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:

“Will you question me45.11 Cn: Heb Ask me of things to come about my children,

or command me concerning the work of my hands?

12I made the earth,

and created man upon it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

13I have aroused him in righteousness,

and I will make straight all his ways;

he shall build my city

and set my exiles free,

not for price or reward,”

says the LORD of hosts.

1445.14: 1 Cor 14.25.Thus says the LORD:

“The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Ethiopia,

and the Sabe'ans, 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 make supplication to you, saying:

‘God is with you only, and there is no other,

no god besides him.’ ”

15Truly, thou art a God who hides thyself,

O God of Israel, the Saviour.

16All of them are put to shame and confounded,

the makers of idols go in confusion together.

1745.17: Heb 5.9.But 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 a chaos,

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 chaos.’

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.

2145.21: Acts 15.18.Declare 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.

2345.23: Rom 14.11; Phil 2.10-11.By myself I have sworn,

from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness

a word that shall not return:

‘To me every knee shall bow,

every tongue shall swear.’

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 triumph and glory.”