Jerusalem to Be Inhabited

24 “This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(A) who formed(B) you in the womb:(C)

I am the Lord,
    the Maker of all things,
    who stretches out the heavens,(D)
    who spreads out the earth(E) by myself,
25 who foils(F) the signs of false prophets
    and makes fools of diviners,(G)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(H)
    and turns it into nonsense,(I)
26 who carries out the words(J) of his servants
    and fulfills(K) the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem,(L) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
    of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
    and of their ruins,(M) ‘I will restore them,’(N)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
    and I will dry up(O) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(P) ‘He is my shepherd
    and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(Q) “Let it be rebuilt,”
    and of the temple,(R) “Let its foundations(S) be laid.”’

45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,(T)
    to Cyrus,(U) whose right hand I take hold(V) of
to subdue nations(W) 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(X)
    and will level(Y) the mountains[a];
I will break down gates(Z) of bronze
    and cut through bars of iron.(AA)
I will give you hidden treasures,(AB)
    riches stored in secret places,(AC)
so that you may know(AD) that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who summons you by name.(AE)
For the sake of Jacob my servant,(AF)
    of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
    and bestow on you a title of honor,
    though you do not acknowledge(AG) me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;(AH)
    apart from me there is no God.(AI)
I will strengthen you,(AJ)
    though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
    to the place of its setting(AK)
people may know(AL) there is none besides me.(AM)
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,(AN)
    I bring prosperity and create disaster;(AO)
    I, the Lord, do all these things.

“You heavens above, rain(AP) down my righteousness;(AQ)
    let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
    let salvation(AR) spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
    I, the Lord, have created it.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:2 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.

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