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Isaiah 45 (Yesha’yahu) in Hebrew and English

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Tenakh Study · Isaiah 45:1–25

Isaiah, Chapter 45

ישעיהו מה

Hashem speaks to Koresh His anointed, going before him and opening the gates for the sake of Ya’akov His servant; He who forms light and darkness rebukes those who strive with their Maker, foretells that the nations shall come over to Israel, and calls all the ends of the earth to look unto Him and be saved.

45:1Thus says Hashem to His anointed, to Koresh (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 gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

אכֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֮ לִמְשִׁיחוֹ֮ לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱזַ֣קְתִּי בִֽימִינ֗וֹ לְרַד־לְפָנָיו֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם וּמָתְנֵ֥י מְלָכִ֖ים אֲפַתֵּ֑חַ לִפְתֹּ֤חַ לְפָנָיו֙ דְּלָתַ֔יִם וּשְׁעָרִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִסָּגֵֽרוּ׃

45:2“I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of bronze, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

באֲנִי֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֵלֵ֔ךְ וַהֲדוּרִ֖ים אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר (כתיב אושר) דַּלְת֤וֹת נְחוּשָׁה֙ אֲשַׁבֵּ֔ר וּבְרִיחֵ֥י בַרְזֶ֖ל אֲגַדֵּֽעַ׃

45:3And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, Hashem, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel.

גוְנָתַתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ אוֹצְר֣וֹת חֹ֔שֶׁךְ וּמַטְמֻנֵ֖י מִסְתָּרִ֑ים לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה הַקּוֹרֵ֥א בְשִׁמְךָ֖ אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

45:4For Ya’akov (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.

דלְמַ֨עַן֙ עַבְדִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּחִירִ֑י וָאֶקְרָ֤א לְךָ֙ בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ אֲכַנְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי׃

45:5I am Hashem, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded you, though you have not known Me:

האֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין ע֔וֹד זוּלָתִ֖י אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲאַזֶּרְךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי׃

45:6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I am Hashem, and there is none else.

ולְמַ֣עַן יֵדְע֗וּ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ וּמִמַּ֣עֲרָבָ֔הּ כִּי־אֶ֖פֶס בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃

45:7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I Hashem do all these things.”

זיוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹר֙ וּבוֹרֵ֣א חֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁל֖וֹם וּב֣וֹרֵא רָ֑ע אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֥ה כָל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

45:8Drop 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 Hashem have created it.

חהַרְעִ֤יפוּ שָׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וּשְׁחָקִ֖ים יִזְּלוּ־צֶ֑דֶק תִּפְתַּח־אֶ֣רֶץ וְיִפְרוּ־יֶ֗שַׁע וּצְדָקָ֤ה תַצְמִ֨יחַ֙ יַ֔חַד אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּרָאתִֽיו׃

The clay and the potter

45:9Woe unto 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”?

טה֗וֹי רָ֚ב אֶת־יֹ֣צְר֔וֹ חֶ֖רֶשׂ אֶת־חַרְשֵׂ֣י אֲדָמָ֑ה הֲיֹאמַ֨ר חֹ֤מֶר לְיֹֽצְרוֹ֙ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה וּפָעָלְךָ֖ אֵין־יָדַ֥יִם לֽוֹ׃

45:10Woe unto him that says unto his father, “What beget you?” or to the woman, “What have you brought forth?”

יה֛וֹי אֹמֵ֥ר לְאָ֖ב מַה־תּוֹלִ֑יד וּלְאִשָּׁ֖ה מַה־תְּחִילִֽין׃

45:11Thus says Hashem, 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.

יאכֹּֽה־אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיֹצְר֑וֹ הָאֹתִיּ֣וֹת שְׁאָל֔וּנִי עַל־בָּנַ֛י וְעַל־פֹּ֥עַל יָדַ֖י תְּצַוֻּֽנִי׃

45:12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

יבאָֽנֹכִי֙ עָשִׂ֣יתִי אֶ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֖ם עָלֶ֣יהָ בָרָ֑אתִי אֲנִ֗י יָדַי֙ נָט֣וּ שָׁמַ֔יִם וְכָל־צְבָאָ֖ם צִוֵּֽיתִי׃

45:13I 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 Hashem of hosts.”

יגאָנֹכִי֙ הַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּ בְצֶ֔דֶק וְכָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר הֽוּא־יִבְנֶ֤ה עִירִי֙ וְגָלוּתִ֣י יְשַׁלֵּ֔חַ לֹ֤א בִמְחִיר֙ וְלֹ֣א בְשֹׁ֔חַד אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

There is none else

45:14Thus says Hashem, “The labour of Mitzrayim (Egypt), and merchandise of Kush (Ethiopia) and of the Seva’im (Sabeans), men of stature, shall come over unto you, and they shall be yours: they shall come after you; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto you, they shall make supplication unto you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you; and there is none else, there is no God.’”

ידכֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יְגִ֨יעַ מִצְרַ֥יִם וּֽסְחַר־כּוּשׁ֮ וּסְבָאִים֮ אַנְשֵׁ֣י מִדָּה֒ עָלַ֤יִךְ יַעֲבֹ֨רוּ֙ וְלָ֣ךְ יִֽהְי֔וּ אַחֲרַ֣יִךְ יֵלֵ֔כוּ בַּזִּקִּ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְאֵלַ֤יִךְ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ֙ אֵלַ֣יִךְ יִתְפַּלָּ֔לוּ אַ֣ךְ בָּ֥ךְ אֵ֛ל וְאֵ֥ין ע֖וֹד אֶ֥פֶס אֱלֹהִֽים׃

45:15Verily You are a God that hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

טואָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

45:16They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

טזבּ֥וֹשׁוּ וְגַֽם־נִכְלְמ֖וּ כֻּלָּ֑ם יַחְדָּו֙ הָלְכ֣וּ בַכְּלִמָּ֔ה חָרָשֵׁ֖י צִירִֽים׃

45:17But Israel shall be saved in Hashem with an everlasting salvation: you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

יזיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נוֹשַׁ֣ע בַּיהוָ֔ה תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת עוֹלָמִ֑ים לֹא־תֵבֹ֥שׁוּ וְלֹא־תִכָּלְמ֖וּ עַד־ע֥וֹלְמֵי עַֽד׃

45:18For thus says Hashem that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He has established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: “I am Hashem; and there is none else.

יחכִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְ֠הוָה בּוֹרֵ֨א הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים יֹצֵ֨ר הָאָ֤רֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ֙ ה֣וּא כֽוֹנְנָ֔הּ לֹא־תֹ֥הוּ בְרָאָ֖הּ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יְצָרָ֑הּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃

45:19I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Ya’akov, ‘Seek you Me in vain’: I Hashem speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.”

יטלֹ֧א בַסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי בִּמְקוֹם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לֹ֥א אָמַ֛רְתִּי לְזֶ֥רַע יַעֲקֹ֖ב תֹּ֣הוּ בַקְּשׁ֑וּנִי אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר צֶ֔דֶק מַגִּ֖יד מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

Every knee shall bow

45:20Assemble 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 unto a god that cannot save.

כהִקָּבְצ֥וּ וָבֹ֛אוּ הִֽתְנַגְּשׁ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו פְּלִיטֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֑ם לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ הַנֹּֽשְׂאִים֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ץ פִּסְלָ֔ם וּמִתְפַּלְלִ֔ים אֶל־אֵ֖ל לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

45:21Tell you, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? who has told it from that time? have not I Hashem? and there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me.

כאהַגִּ֣ידוּ וְהַגִּ֔ישׁוּ אַ֥ף יִֽוָּעֲצ֖וּ יַחְדָּ֑ו מִ֣י הִשְׁמִיעַ֩ זֹ֨את מִקֶּ֜דֶם מֵאָ֣ז הִגִּידָ֗הּ הֲל֨וֹא אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ וְאֵֽין־ע֤וֹד אֱלֹהִים֙ מִבַּלְעָדַ֔י אֵֽל־צַדִּ֣יק וּמוֹשִׁ֔יעַ אַ֖יִן זוּלָתִֽי׃

45:22Look unto Me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

כבפְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהִוָּשְׁע֖וּ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י אֲנִי־אֵ֖ל וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃

45:23I 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.

כגבִּ֣י נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי יָצָ֨א מִפִּ֧י צְדָקָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יָשׁ֑וּב כִּי־לִי֙ תִּכְרַ֣ע כָּל־בֶּ֔רֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַ֖ע כָּל־לָשֽׁוֹן׃

45:24“Surely,” shall one say, “in Hashem have I righteousness and strength”: even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed.

כדאַ֧ךְ בַּיהוָ֛ה לִ֥י אָמַ֖ר צְדָק֣וֹת וָעֹ֑ז עָדָיו֙ יָב֣וֹא וְיֵבֹ֔שׁוּ כֹּ֖ל הַנֶּחֱרִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃

45:25In Hashem shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

כהבַּיהוָ֛ה יִצְדְּק֥וּ וְיִֽתְהַלְל֖וּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Sources & method

Hebrew text
The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation
The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In Isaiah they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 8–9 (9:1 there is 8:23 here) and 63–64 (64:1 there is the end of 63:19 here); a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Hebrew font
SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.