Isaiah 45:1–4

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and to loose the belts of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

“I will go before you

and level the exalted places,

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the Lord,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name,

I name you, though you do not know me.

“This is what the Lord says to his anointed,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of

to subdue nations 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

and will level the mountains;

I will break down gates of bronze

and cut through bars of iron.

I will give you hidden treasures,

riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

For the sake of Jacob my servant,

of Israel my chosen,

I summon you by name

and bestow on you a title of honor,

though you do not acknowledge me.

The Lord says this to Cyrus, his anointed,

whose right hand I have grasped

to subdue nations before him

and disarm kings,

to open doors before him,

and even city gates will not be shut:

“I will go before you

and level the uneven places;

I will shatter the bronze doors

and cut the iron bars in two.

I will give you the treasures of darkness

and riches from secret places,

so that you may know that I am the Lord.

I am the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

I call you by your name,

for the sake of my servant Jacob

and Israel my chosen one.

I give a name to you,

though you do not know me.

This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one,

whose right hand he will empower.

Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear.

Their fortress gates will be opened,

never to shut again.

This is what the Lord says:

“I will go before you, Cyrus,

and level the mountains.

I will smash down gates of bronze

and cut through bars of iron.

And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—

secret riches.

I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

“And why have I called you for this work?

Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?

It is for the sake of Jacob my servant,

Israel my chosen one.

Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,

Whose right hand I have holden,

To subdue nations before him;

And I will loose the loins of kings,

To open before him the two leaved gates;

And the gates shall not be shut;

I will go before thee,

And make the crooked places straight:

I will break in pieces the gates of brass,

And cut in sunder the bars of iron:

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness,

And hidden riches of secret places,

That thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect,

I have even called thee by thy name:

I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.