God Calls Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)

1Thus saith the Lorde vnto Cyrus his annointed, who I haue taken by the right hande, to subdue nations before hym: I wyl loose the loynes of kinges, and I wyl open the gates before his face, and the gates shall not be shut.

2I wyll go before thee, and make the crooked straigth: I shall breake the brasen doores, and burst the iron barres.

3I shall geue thee hid treasures and the thing whiche is secretly kept: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord God of Israel, whiche haue called thee by thy name.

4For Iacob my seruauntes sake, and for Israel my chosen, I called thee by thy name, and ordayned thee or euer thou knewest me.

5I am the Lord, and there is none other, for without me there is no God: I haue prepared thee or euer thou knewest me.

6Therfore they shall knowe from the rising of the sunne, vnto the goyng downe of the same, that all is nothing without me: for I am the Lorde, and there is els none.

7It is I that created light and darknesse, I make peace and trouble: yea euen I the Lorde do all these thinges.

8Ye heauens from aboue drop downe, and let the cloudes rayne righteousnesse: the earth open it selfe, let saluation and righteousnesse growe foorth, let it bryng them foorth together: I the Lorde haue created him.

9Wo be vnto hym that striueth with his maker, let the potsherde striue with the potsherdes of the earth: Saieth the clay to the potter, What makest thou? or, thy worke is not perfectly done.

10Wo be vnto hym that saieth to his father, what begettest thou? and to his mother, what bearest thou?

11Thus saith the Lorde, euen the holy one and maker of Israel: Aske me of thinges for to come concerning my sonnes, and put me in remembraunce as touching the workes of my handes.

12I haue made the earth, and created man vpon it: With my handes haue I spread foorth heauen, and geuen a commaundement for all the hoast thereof.

13I shall wake hym vp with righteousnesse, and order all his wayes: He shall buylde my citie, and let out my prisoners, and that neither for gyftes nor rewardes saith the Lorde of hoastes.

14Thus saith the Lorde, The occupiers of Egypt, the marchauntes of the Ethiopians and Sabees, shall come vnto thee with tribute, they shalbe thyne, they shall folowe thee, and go with chaines vpon their feete, they shall fall downe before thee, and make supplication vnto thee: for God without whom there is none other God, shalbe with thee.

15O howe profounde art thou O God, thou God and sauiour of Israel?

16Confounded are they all and put to dishonour, thei are gone hence together with shame, euen the makers of images.

17But Israel shalbe saued in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation: ye shall not come to shame nor confusion world without ende.

18For thus saith the Lorde, Euen he that created heauen, the God that made the earth & fassioned it, and set it foorth, he dyd not make it for naught, but to be inhabited, euen I the Lorde, without whom there is none other.

19I haue not spoken secretly, neither in darke places of the earth: I sayde not in vayne to the seede of Iacob, seeke me: I am the Lorde, whiche when I speake, do declare the thing that is righteous and true.

20Gather you and come together, drawe nigh hither you that escaped of the people: they haue no vnderstanding that set vp the stockes of their idols, and pray vnto a god that can not helpe them.

21Drawe nye, come hyther, and let them aske counsaile one at another, and shew foorth what is he that told this before? or who spake of it euer since the beginning? haue not I the Lorde done it? without whom there is none other God, the true God and sauiour, and there is els none but I.

22And therfore turne you vnto me, all ye endes of the earth, that ye may be saued: for I am God, and there is els none.

23I sweare by my self, out of my mouth commeth the worde of righteousnesse, and that may no man turne: but all knees shall bowe vnto me, and all tongues shall sweare by my name,

24Saying: veryly in the Lorde is my righteousnesse and strength, to hym shall men come: but all they that thinke scorne of him shalbe confounded.

25And the whole seede of Israel shalbe iustified, and glory in the Lorde.