Isaiah 45

1Thus says Yahweh to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loosen the loins of kings, to open doors before him, and gates shall not be shut:

2I myself will go before you, and I will level the rough places; I will break in pieces doors of bronze, and I will cut through bars of iron.

3And I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that I am Yahweh, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.

4For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen one, I called you by your name; I surnamed you, though you did not know me.

5I am Yahweh, and there is no other; besides me there is no God. I strengthen you, though you have not known me.

6so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from its setting, that there is none besides me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other.

7forming light and creating darkness, making peace and creating calamity; I am Yahweh, who does all these things.

8Drip down from above, O heavens, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may sprout, and let righteousness spring up together. I, Yahweh, have created it.

9Woe to the one who contends with his Maker— a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to the one who forms it, “What are you making?” or your work, “He has no hands”?

10Woe to one who says to a father, ‘What are you fathering?’ or to a woman, ‘What are you giving birth to?’

11Thus says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker: Ask me about the things to come concerning my sons, and command me concerning the work of my hands.

12I made the earth, and I created man upon it; my hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.

13I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and send my exiles away, not for a price and not for a bribe, says Yahweh of Armies.

14Thus says Yahweh: The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and the Sabeans, men of great stature, will pass over to you and will be yours; they will walk behind you, they will pass over in chains; they will bow down to you, they will pray to you: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’

15Truly, you are a God who hides himself, the God of Israel, the Savior.

16They are put to shame and also humiliated, all of them together; the makers of idols go in disgrace.

17Israel is saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or disgraced forever and ever.

18For thus says Yahweh, who created the heavens—he is God—who formed the earth and made it, he established it; he did not create it as a wasteland, but formed it to be inhabited: I am Yahweh, 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.’ I, Yahweh, speak righteousness, declaring what is upright.

20Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations. They have no knowledge, those who carry the wood of their carved image and pray to a god that cannot save.

21Declare it and present your case; indeed, let them consult together. Who announced this from long ago? Who declared it from former times? Was it not I, Yahweh? There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except me.

22Turn 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 a righteous word, and it will not return: to me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

24Only in Yahweh, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him they shall come, and all who were enraged against him shall be put to shame.

25In Yahweh all the offspring of Israel will be justified and will boast.