I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as one walks upon mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a command, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
A severe vision is declared to me; the treacherous deals treacherously, and the plunderer plunderers. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his footsteps, gave him the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
Who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, 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;
I 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 the LORD of hosts.
For out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall go, they shall depart, both man and beast.
Then she who is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her who said to me, Where is the LORD your God? my eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
And they shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame.
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.