45 The Lord says this to Cyrus, his anointed,(A)
whose right hand I have grasped(B)
to subdue nations before him
and disarm[a] kings,(C)
to open doors before him,
and even city gates will not be shut:
“I will go before you
and level the uneven places;[b](D)
I will shatter the bronze doors
and cut the iron bars in two.(E)
I will give you the treasures of darkness
and riches from secret places,(F)
so that you may know that I am the Lord.
I am the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.(G)
I call you by your name,
for the sake of my servant Jacob(H)
and Israel my chosen one.
I give a name to you,
though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;(I)
there is no God but me.(J)
I will strengthen[c] you,
though you do not know me,
so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
that there is no one but me.(K)
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness,(L)
I make success and create disaster;(M)
I am the Lord, who does all these things.

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Footnotes

  1. 45:1 Lit unloosen the waist of
  2. 45:2 DSS, LXX read the mountains
  3. 45:5 Lit gird

Cyrus, God’s Instrument

45 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
    whose right hand I have grasped
to subdue nations before him
    and to strip kings of their robes,
to open doors before him—
    and the gates shall not be closed:(A)
I will go before you
    and level the mountains;[a]
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
    and cut through the bars of iron;(B)
I will give you the treasures of darkness
    and riches hidden in secret places,
so that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who call you by your name.(C)
For the sake of my servant Jacob
    and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name;
    I give you a title, though you do not know me.(D)
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
    besides me there is no god.
    I arm you, though you do not know me,(E)
so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
    and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.(F)
I form light and create darkness,
    I make weal and create woe;
    I the Lord do all these things.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 45.2 Q ms Gk: MT the swellings