8 Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see 729 1.c.
9 Heb “gird you” (so ) or “strengthen you” (so ).
10 Or “know” (, , , , , ); “have not acknowledged.”
11 The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
12 Heb “they” (so , ); , “everyone”; “all the world.”
13 The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
14 On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
15 This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I am the Lord, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is none besides me;

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness;

I make well-being and create calamity;

I am the Lord, who does all these things.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I am the Lord, and there is no other;

apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you,

though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun

to the place of its setting

people may know there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness,

I bring prosperity and create disaster;

I, the Lord, do all these things.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I am the Lord, and there is no other;

there is no God but me.

I will strengthen 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.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness,

I make success and create disaster;

I am the Lord, who does all these things.

NLTNew Living Translation

I am the Lord;

there is no other God.

I have equipped you for battle,

though you don’t even know me,

so all the world from east to west

will know there is no other God.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I create the light and make the darkness.

I send good times and bad times.

I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I am Yahweh, and there is none besides me;

besides me there is no god.

I gird you though you do not know me,

so that they may know from the rising of the sun

and from the west that there is none besides me;

I am Yahweh and there is none besides me.

I form light and I create darkness;

I make peace and I create evil;

I am Yahweh; I do all these things.

KJV 1900King James Version

I am the Lord, and there is none else,

There is no God beside me:

I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west,

That there is none beside me.

I am the Lord, and there is none else.

I form the light, and create darkness:

I make peace, and create evil:

I the Lord do all these things.

Public Domain