Jerusalem to Be Inhabited

24 “This is what the Lord says—

your Redeemer,e who formedf you in the womb:g

I am the Lord,

the Maker of all things,

who stretches out the heavens,h

who spreads out the earthi by myself,

25 who foilsj the signs of false prophets

and makes fools of diviners,k

who overthrows the learning of the wisel

and turns it into nonsense,m

26 who carries out the wordsn of his servants

and fulfillso the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem,p ‘It shall be inhabited,’

of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’

and of their ruins,q ‘I will restore them,’r

27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,

and I will dry ups your streams,’

28 who says of Cyrus,t ‘He is my shepherd

and will accomplish all that I please;

he will say of Jerusalem,u “Let it be rebuilt,”

and of the temple,v “Let its foundationsw be laid.” ’