Isaiah 44:24–45:7

24 Thus says the Lord, your aRedeemer, and the one who bformed you from the womb,

“I, the Lord, am the maker of all things,

cStretching out the heavens by Myself

And spreading out the earth 1all alone,

25 aCausing the 1omens of boasters to fail,

2Making fools out of diviners,

bCausing wise men to draw back

And 3turning their knowledge into foolishness,

26 aConfirming the word of His servant

And 1performing the purpose of His messengers.

It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’

And of the bcities of Judah, ‘cThey shall be built.’

And I will raise up her ruins again.

27 “It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’

And I will make your rivers adry.

28 “It is I who says of aCyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!

And he will perform all My desire.’

And 1he declares of Jerusalem, ‘bShe will be built,’

And of the temple, ‘2Your foundation will be laid.’ ”

Chapter 45

God Uses Cyrus

1 Thus says the Lord to aCyrus His anointed,

Whom I have taken by the right bhand,

To csubdue nations before him

And 1to dloose the loins of kings;

To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

2 “I will go before you and amake the 1rough places smooth;

I will bshatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron cbars.

3 “I will give you the 1atreasures of darkness

And hidden wealth of secret places,

So that you may know that it is I,

The Lord, the God of Israel, who bcalls you by your name.

4 “For the sake of aJacob My servant,

And Israel My chosen one,

I have also bcalled you by your name;

I have given you a title of honor

Though you have cnot known Me.

5 “I am the Lord, and athere is no other;

bBesides Me there is no God.

I will 1cgird you, though you have not known Me;

6 That 1amen may know from the rising to the setting of the sun

That there is bno one besides Me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other,

7 The One aforming light and bcreating darkness,

Causing 1well-being and ccreating calamity;

I am the Lord who does all these.