Study Desk

"This is what the Lord says to his anointed,^(a) to Cyrus,^(b) whose right hand I take hold^(c) of to subdue nations^(d) before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

I will go before you^(e) and will level^(f) the mountains^[a]; I will break down gates^(g) of bronze and cut through bars of iron.^(h)

I will give you hidden treasures,⁽ⁱ⁾ riches stored in secret places,^(j) so that you may know^(k) that I am the Lord , the God of Israel, who summons you by name.^(l)

For the sake of Jacob my servant,^(m) of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge⁽ⁿ⁾ me.

I am the Lord , and there is no other;^(o) apart from me there is no God.^(p) I will strengthen you,^(q) though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting^(r) people may know^(s) there is none besides me.^(t) I am the Lord , and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness,^(u) I bring prosperity and create disaster;^(v) I, the Lord , do all these things.

"You heavens above, rain^(w) down my righteousness;^(x) let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation^(y) spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord , have created it.

"Woe to those who quarrel^(z) with their Maker,^(aa) those who are nothing but potsherds^(ab) among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter,^(ac) ‘What are you making?'^(ad) Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands'?^(ae)

Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?' or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?'

"This is what the Lord says— the Holy One^(af) of Israel, and its Maker:^(ag) Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?^(ah)

It is I who made the earth^(ai) and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens;^(aj) I marshaled their starry hosts.^(ak)

I will raise up Cyrus^[b](al) in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight.^(am) He will rebuild my city^(an) and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward,^(ao) says the Lord Almighty."

This is what the Lord says: "The products^(ap) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,^[c] and those tall Sabeans^(aq)— they will come over to you^(ar) and will be yours; they will trudge behind you,^(as) coming over to you in chains.^(at) They will bow down before you and plead^(au) with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you,^(av) and there is no other; there is no other god.^(aw)'"

Truly you are a God who has been hiding^(ax) himself, the God and Savior^(ay) of Israel.

All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;^(az) they will go off into disgrace together.

But Israel will be saved^(ba) by the Lord with an everlasting salvation;^(bb) you will never be put to shame or disgraced,^(bc) to ages everlasting.

For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth,^(bd) he founded it; he did not create it to be empty,^(be) but formed it to be inhabited^(bf)— he says: "I am the Lord , and there is no other.^(bg)

I have not spoken in secret,^(bh) from somewhere in a land of darkness;^(bi) I have not said to Jacob's descendants,^(bj) ‘Seek^(bk) me in vain.' I, the Lord , speak the truth; I declare what is right.^(bl)

"Gather together^(bm) and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant^(bn) are those who carry^(bo) about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.^(bp)

Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold^(bq) this long ago, who declared it from the distant past?^(br) Was it not I, the Lord ? And there is no God apart from me,^(bs) a righteous God^(bt) and a Savior;^(bu) there is none but me.

"Turn^(bv) to me and be saved,^(bw) all you ends of the earth;^(bx) for I am God, and there is no other.^(by)

By myself I have sworn,^(bz) my mouth has uttered in all integrity^(ca) a word that will not be revoked:^(cb) Before me every knee will bow;^(cc) by me every tongue will swear.^(cd)

They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance^(ce) and strength.^(cf)'" All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.^(cg)

But all the descendants^(ch) of Israel will find deliverance^(ci) in the Lord and will make their boast in him.^(cj)