God Calls Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)
1 AKJV Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, 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; BSB BSB: This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:
2 AKJV I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: BSB BSB: “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
3 AKJV And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel. BSB BSB: I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 AKJV For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my elect, I have even called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me. BSB BSB: For the sake of Jacob My servant and Israel My chosen one, I call you by name; I have given you a title of honor, though you have not known Me.
6 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
7 AKJV I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. BSB BSB: I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.
8 AKJV Drop down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. BSB BSB: Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.
9 AKJV Woe to him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What make you? or your work, He has no hands? BSB BSB: Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 AKJV Woe to him that says to his father, What beget you? or to the woman, What have you brought forth? BSB BSB: Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘What have you brought forth?’”
11 AKJV Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command you me. BSB BSB: Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “Concerning things to come, do you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
12 AKJV I have made the earth, and created man on it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. BSB BSB: It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.
13 AKJV I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of hosts. BSB BSB: I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says the LORD of Hosts.”
14 AKJV Thus says the LORD, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you, and they shall be yours: they shall come after you; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down to you, they shall make supplication to you, saying, Surely God is in you; and there is none else, there is no God. BSB BSB: This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”
16 AKJV They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols. BSB BSB: They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.
17 AKJV But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. BSB BSB: But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or humiliated, to ages everlasting.
19 AKJV I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. BSB BSB: I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.
20 AKJV Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray to a god that cannot save. BSB BSB: Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save.
21 AKJV Tell you, and bring them near; yes, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? who has told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me. BSB BSB: Speak up and present your case—yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.
23 AKJV I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. BSB BSB: By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
24 AKJV Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. BSB BSB: Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.
25 AKJV In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. BSB BSB: In the LORD all descendants of Israel will be justified and will exult.
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