OET ISA chapter 45

This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

45 Yahweh has appointed Koresh (Cyrus) and given him power

to subdue other nations and defeat kings—

to open doors ahead of him,

≈ and no gates will shut him out.

Now Yahweh says this:

2 I’ll go ahead of you Koresh and level the mountains.

I’ll break down bronze doors and cut through iron bars,

3 and I’ll give you the treasures that are hidden away

and the riches stored in secret places

so that you’ll know that it’s me, Yahweh, Yisrael’s (Israel) god, who calls you by name.

4 For the sake of my servant Ya’akov (Jacob)

≈ and Yisrael my chosen one,

I’ve summoned you by name.

Although you don’t know me, I’ll give you a title of honour.

5 I am Yahweh and there’s no one else.

≈ Apart from me, there’s no other God.

Even though you don’t know me,

I will strengthen you

6 so that from the east to the west they’ll know

that there’s nothing apart from me.

I’m Yahweh, and there’s no other God.

7 I formed the light and created the darkness.

I bring peace and prosperity, and I cause disasters.

It’s me, Yahweh, who does all those things.

8 Rain down from above you skies,

and let the clouds pour down godliness.

Let the earth open up and let salvation grow on the trees

and at the same time, let righteousness sprout up.

I, Yahweh, have created it.

45 Thus YHWH he _says to_his _of_anointed to/for_Kōresh whom I _have _taken _hold on_his _right _of_hand to_subdue before_him nations and_the_loins _of kings I _will _loosen to_open before_him doors and_gates not they _will _be _shut.

2 I to_your_face I _will _go and_the _mountainous _land(s) I _will _make _smooth[fn] doors _of bronze I _will _break and_bars _of iron I _will _cut _through.

3 And_I _will _give to/for_yourself(m) treasures _of darkness and_hidden _treasures _of secret _places so _that you _may _know if/because _that I am_YHWH who_calls by_name _of_your the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

4 For _the _sake _of servant _of_my Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) and_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) one _of_my _chosen and_I _summoned to/for_yourself(m) by_name _of_your I_will _give _you _a _title and_not you_know _me.

5 I am_YHWH and_there_is_not yet besides_me there_is_not a _god I_will _gird _you and_not you_know _me.

6 So _that people _may _know from_the_rising _of the_sun and_from_its _setting _of_place[fn] if/because _that nothing is_apart_from _me I am_YHWH and_there_is_not yet.

7 I_am_forming light and_I_am_creating darkness I_am_bringing _about well-being and_I_am_creating calamity I am_YHWH who_does all _of these_things.

8 Drip _down Oh _heaven (from)_above and_clouds let _them _flow righteousness the_earth let _it _open _up and_let _them _bear _fruit salvation and_righteousness let _it _cause _to _sprout together I YHWH I_have _created _it.

45:2 OSHB variant note: אושר: (x-qere) ’אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר’: lemma=3474 n=1 morph=HVpi1cs id=23woV אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר

45:6 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

45:9 Don’t argue with Yahweh

9 The person who argues against their creator won’t end well.

They’re like a piece of broken pottery lying among all the other pieces on the ground.

Does the clay ask the potter what he’s making,[ref]

or ask why he didn’t do a very good job making what he did?

10 Anyone who asks a father what he’s fathering won’t end well,

and nor will anyone who asks a woman what she’s in labour for.

11 Yahweh, Yisrael’s (Israel) holy one and the one who formed it, asks this:

‘Concerning the things to come, do you question me about my children?

And will you all tell me what actions that I should take?’

12 I made the earth and created humankind on it.

My own hands stretched the skies out,

and I ordered all the heavenly bodies into place.

13 I stirred Koresh (Cyrus) up to do what’s right,

and I’ll smooth out his paths ahead of him.

He’ll be the one to build my city, and he’ll release my exiles—

not for a ransom or for a bribe.

Commander-in-chief Yahweh says that.

14 Yahweh says this:

Mitsrayim’s (Egypt) produce and Kush’s (Ethiopia) profit and those tall people from Seva

will all be turned over to you and they’ll belong to you.

They’ll walk behind you and will be handed over in chains.

They’ll bow down to you and state,

‘Surely God is with you—he’s the only god—there’s no other.’

15 You are certainly a god who hides himself,

you god who rescues Yisrael (Israel).

16 Those who craft idols will be humiliated—

≈ all of them will be put to shame together.

≈ Those who craft idols will be publicly disgraced.

17 Yisrael has been rescued by Yahweh—freed forever.

You all won’t be humiliated or put to shame ever again.

18 Yahweh who created the skies, is God.

≈ He formed the earth and established it.

He didn’t create it as a wasteland,

^ but rather, he formed it to be lived in.

Yahweh says this:

19 I didn’t speak in secrecy in a place where it’s all dark.

It wasn’t in vain that I told Ya’akov’s (Jacob) descendants to search for me.

I am Yahweh who says what is right and declares what is proper.

45:9: Isa 29:16; Rom 9:20.

9 Woe _to one _who_contends with the_one _of_who_formed _him a _potsherd with potsherds _of the_ground does_it _say[fn] clay to_the_one _of_who_forms _it what are _you _making and_work _of_your there_belong_not hands to_him/it.

10 Woe _to one _who_says to_a _father what are _you _fathering and_to_a _woman what are_you _in _labour _with.

11 Thus YHWH the _holy_one_of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_the_one _of_who_formed _it he _says the _coming_things ask_me on children _of_my and_on the _work _of my _hands _of_my you(pl)_command _me.

12 I I _made the_earth and_human/ʼĀdām on/upon_it(f) I _created I hands _of_my they _stretched _out the_heavens and_all their_group/army/objects I _commanded.

13 I I_have _stirred _him _up in_righteousness and_all ways _of_his I _will _make _smooth he he _will _build city _of_my and_exile[s]_of_my he _will _let _go not for_price and_not for_a _bribe YHWH soldiers/messengers he _says.

14 Thus YHWH he _says the _produce _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and_the _trading _profit _of Kūsh/(Cush) and_the_Şāⱱāʼ people _of stature to_you they _will _pass _over and_to_you they _will _belong behind_you they _will _walk in_fetters they _will _pass _over and_to_you they _will _bow _down[fn] to_you they _will _pray surely on/over_you(fs) god and_there_is_not yet there _not _of are_gods.

15 Truly you are_a _god who_hides _himself Oh _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) deliverer.

16 They _will _be _ashamed and_also of _them _of_all they _will _be _put _to _shame together they _will _walk in_ignominy craftsmen _of images.

17 Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) it _has _been _saved by_YHWH a _salvation _of everlastingness(es) not you(pl)_will _be _ashamed and_not you(pl)_will _be _put _to _shame until everlastingness(es)_of perpetuity.

18 If/because thus YHWH who_created the_heavens he the_ʼElohīm who_formed the_earth/land and_who_made _of_it he he_established _it not a _wasteland he_created _it to_dwell _in he_formed _it he _says I am_YHWH and_there_is_not yet.

19 Not in_secrecy I _spoke in_a _place _of a _land _of darkness not I _said to_the _offspring _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) emptiness seek_me I YHWH am_speaking righteousness I_am_declaring uprightness(es).

45:9 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

45:14 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

45:20 Yahweh and false gods

20 Gather together and come.

≈ Assemble together you fugitives from the nations.

Those who carry their wooden idols don’t know what’s going on—

those who pray to a god that can’t help them.

21 Declare and approach. Let them also get advice together.