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

“Woe to those who quarrel(D) with their Maker,(E)
    those who are nothing but potsherds(F)
    among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(G)
    ‘What are you making?’(H)
Does your work say,
    ‘The potter has no hands’?(I)
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
    ‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
    ‘What have you brought to birth?’

11 “This is what the Lord says—
    the Holy One(J) of Israel, and its Maker:(K)
Concerning things to come,
    do you question me about my children,
    or give me orders about the work of my hands?(L)
12 It is I who made the earth(M)
    and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;(N)
    I marshaled their starry hosts.(O)
13 I will raise up Cyrus[a](P) in my righteousness:
    I will make all his ways straight.(Q)
He will rebuild my city(R)
    and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,(S)
    says the Lord Almighty.”

14 This is what the Lord says:

“The products(T) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,[b]
    and those tall Sabeans(U)
they will come over to you(V)
    and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,(W)
    coming over to you in chains.(X)
They will bow down before you
    and plead(Y) with you, saying,
‘Surely God is with you,(Z) and there is no other;
    there is no other god.(AA)’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:13 Hebrew him
  2. Isaiah 45:14 That is, the upper Nile region

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

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

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

14 Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

Read full chapter