God Calls Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)
1 DBY Thus saith Jehovah 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 doors, 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 DBY I will go before thee, and make the elevated places plain; I will break in pieces the brazen doors, and cut asunder 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 DBY and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places; that thou mayest know that I, Jehovah, who call thee by 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 DBY For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have called thee by thy name; I surnamed thee, though thou didst not know 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 DBY — that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the going down, that there is none beside me. I am Jehovah, 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 DBY forming the light and creating darkness, making peace and creating evil: I, Jehovah, 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 DBY Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and with it let righteousness spring up. I, Jehovah, 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 DBY Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let a potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that formeth it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He hath 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 DBY Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? Or to his mother, What hast thou 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 DBY Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye 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 DBY It is I that have made the earth, and created man upon it; it is I, my hands, that 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 DBY It is I that have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah 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 DBY Thus saith Jehovah: The wealth of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall walk after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall bow down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, no other 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 DBY They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them; they shall go away in confusion together, the makers of idols. BSB BSB: They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.
17 DBY Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded, unto the ages of ages. 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 DBY I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek me in vain: I am Jehovah, speaking righteousness, declaring things which 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 DBY Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations. They have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto 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 DBY Declare and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath caused this to be heard from ancient time? who hath declared it long ago? Is it not I, Jehovah? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour, there is none besides 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 DBY I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that unto 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 DBY Only in Jehovah, shall one say, have I righteousness and strength. 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 DBY In Jehovah 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.