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“·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] those who argue with ·the God who made them [their Maker].
    ·They are like a piece of broken pottery [L A potsherd] among ·many pieces [L potsherds of the earth].
·The clay does not [L Does the clay…?] ask the potter [64:8; Rom. 9:20],
    ‘What are you doing?’
The thing that is made doesn’t say to its maker,
    ‘You have no ·hands [or skill].’
10 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the child who says to his father,
    ‘·Why are you giving me life [or What have you fathered]?’
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the child who says to his mother,
    ‘·Why are you giving birth to me [or What have you given birth to]?’”

11 This is what the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel [1:4], and its Maker, says:
“You ask me about what will happen.
    ·You [or Do you…?; or How dare you…!] question me about my children.
    ·You [or Do you…?; or How dare you…!] give me orders about ·what I have made [the work of my hands].
12 I made the earth
    and all the people living on it.
With my own hands I stretched out the ·skies [heavens],
    and I commanded all ·the armies in the sky [or the stars in the sky; T their host].
13 I will ·bring [raise/stir up] ·Cyrus [L him; 44:28] ·to do good things [or for my righteous purpose; in my righteousness],
    and I will make his ·work easy [ways/paths straight].
He will rebuild my city
    and set my ·people [L exiles] free
without any payment or ·reward [gift; or bribe].
    The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this.”

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“Woe to the one who (A)quarrels with [a]his Maker—
A piece of pottery [b]among the other earthenware pottery pieces!
Will the (B)clay say to the [c]potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you fathering?’
Or to a woman, ‘To what are you [d]giving birth?’”

11 This is what the (C)Lord says, the Holy One of Israel and [e]his (D)Maker:

[f](E)Ask Me about the things to come [g]concerning My (F)sons,
And you shall commit to Me (G)the work of My hands.
12 It is I who (H)made the earth, and created mankind upon it.
I (I)stretched out the heavens with My hands,
And I [h]ordained (J)all their [i]lights.
13 I have stirred him in (K)righteousness,
And I will (L)make all his ways smooth.
He will (M)build My city and let My exiles go (N)free,
Without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of armies.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:9 Lit He who formed him
  2. Isaiah 45:9 Lit with
  3. Isaiah 45:9 Lit he who formed him
  4. Isaiah 45:10 Lit in labor pains with
  5. Isaiah 45:11 Lit He who formed him
  6. Isaiah 45:11 Or Will you ask
  7. Isaiah 45:11 Or upon
  8. Isaiah 45:12 Or commanded
  9. Isaiah 45:12 Lit host; i.e., sun, stars, etc.