CHAPTER 45

1 Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of, To subdue nations before him; Therefore will I loose ¹ the loins of kings; To open the doors before him; Therefore the gates shall not be shut.

2 I will go before thee; And will make straight the crooked ways; I will break asunder the brazen doors; And I will hew down the iron bars.

3 And I will give thee treasures of darkness, And things hidden in secret places; That thou mayest know that I am Jehovah, Who call thee by thy name; Even the God of Israel.

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, And for the sake of Israel, mine elect; I will call thee by thy name; I will surname thee, though thou hast not known me.

5 I am Jehovah, And there is none besides me; There is no god besides me; I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me.

6 Therefore shall they know, From the rising of the sun, And from the west, That there is none besides me. I am Jehovah; And there is none besides me.

7 Forming light, And creating darkness; Making peace, And creating evil; I Jehovah do all these things.

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above; And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth be opened; And let salvation And righteousness come forth; Let her bring them forth together: I Jehovah have created it.

9 Wo to him that striveth with his Maker! A potsherd to the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to his maker, Why hast thou made? And, Thy work hath no hands?

10 Wo to him that saith to his father, Why hast thou begotten And to the woman, Why dost thou bring forth?

11 Thus saith Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, And his Maker; Ask me of things to come; Concerning my sons command ye me, And concerning the work of my hands.

12 I have made the earth, And have created man upon it; It is I, whose hands have stretched out the heavens; And all their army have I commanded.

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And will make straight all his ways. He shall build my city, And shall release my captivity; Not for price nor for reward, Saith Jehovah of hosts.

14 Thus saith Jehovah; The labor of Egypt, the merchandise of Ethiopia, And the Sabeans of great stature, Shall pass over to thee, And shall be thine; They shall walk behind thee; In chains shall they pass over, And shall reverence And beseech thee. Surely ² God is in thee; And there is no other besides God.

15 Truly thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior!

16 All of them shall be covered with shame, And shall even blush: With shame shall go away together All the makers of graven images.

17 Israel hath been saved in Jehovah with eternal salvation; Ye shall not be covered with shame; Neither shall ye blush even for ever.

18 For thus saith Jehovah, who createth the heavens; God himself, the Maker of the earth; Who made it, And furnished it; He created it not empty; He formed it to be inhabited; I am Jehovah, And there is none besides me.

19 Not in secret have I spoken, In a place of the darkness of the earth; Not in vain have I said to the seed of Jacob, Seek me; I Jehovah speak righteousness; I declare what is right.

20 Assemble yourselves, And come; Draw near together, ye rejected ³ of the nations. They know nothing, who carry about the wood of a graven image, And who pray to a god who cannot save.

21 Publish ye, And bring forward; Yea, let them consult together. Who hath caused this to be heard from the beginning? And who hath declared it from ancient times? Is it not I Jehovah? And there is no other god besides me; A just God, And a Savior; There is none besides me.

22 Look to me, And ye shall be saved, All the ends of the earth; For I am God, And there is none else.

23 By myself have I sworn; In righteousness hath the word gone out of my mouth, Which shall not return; That to me every knee shall bend; Every tongue shall swear.

24 Surely in Jehovah, will he say, Have I righteousness And strength; To him shall he come; And all who provoke him shall be ashamed.

25 In Jehovah all the seed of Israel Shall be justified, And shall glory.