Isaiah 45:1-13

1This is what the Lord says to 1Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right 2hand, To 3subdue nations before him And 4to 5undo the weapons belt on the waist of kings; To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:2“I will go before you and 6make the 7rough places smooth; I will 8shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron 9bars.3I will give you the 1011treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who 12calls you by your name.4For the sake of 13Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also 14called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have 15not known Me.5I am the Lord, and 16there is no one else; 17There is no God except Me. I will 1819arm you, though you have not known Me,6So that 20people may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is 21no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no one else,7The One 22forming light and 23creating darkness, Causing 24well-being and 25creating disaster; I am the Lord who does all these things.

8“26Drip down, heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the 27earth open up and salvation bear fruit, 28And righteousness sprout with it. I, the Lord, have created it.

9“Woe to the one who 29quarrels with 30his Maker-- A piece of pottery 31among the other earthenware pottery pieces! Will the 32clay say to the 33potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?10Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you fathering?’ Or to a woman, ‘To what are you 34giving birth?’”

11This is what the 35Lord says, the Holy One of Israel and 36his 37Maker: “3839Ask Me about the things to come 40concerning My 41sons, And you shall commit to Me 42the work of My hands.12It is I who 43made the earth, and created mankind upon it. I 44stretched out the heavens with My hands, And I 45ordained 46all their 47lights.13I have stirred him in 48righteousness, And I will 49make all his ways smooth. He will 50build My city and let My exiles go 51free, Without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of armies.