45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 1 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 2
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 3
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 4
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 5 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 6
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 7 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 8
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 9 even though you do not recognize 10 me.
45:6 I do this 11 so people 12 will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the Lord, I have no peer.
1 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
2 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
3 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
4 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
5 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
7 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
10 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
13 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
14 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
15 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
16 tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
17 tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”