Thussaysthe LORDto CyrusHis anointed,WhomI have takenby the righthand,To subduenationsbeforehim And to loosethe loinsof kings;To opendoorsbeforehim so that gateswill not be shut:
The LORDsaidto him, "Go,returnon your wayto the wildernessof Damascus,and when you have arrived,you shall anointHazaelkingoverAram;
Now in the firstyearof Cyruskingof Persia,in order to fulfillthe wordof the LORDby the mouthof Jeremiah,the LORDstirredup the spiritof Cyruskingof Persia,so that he senta proclamationthroughout allhis kingdom,and also[put it] in writing,saying:
"ThussaysCyruskingof Persia,'The LORD,the Godof heaven,has givenme allthe kingdomsof the earthand He has appointedme to buildHim a housein Jerusalem,whichis in Judah.
"He pourscontempton noblesAnd loosensthe beltof the strong.
Nevertheless I am continuallywith You; You have takenholdof my righthand.
Liftup a standardon the barehill,Raiseyour voiceto them, Wavethe handthat they may enterthe doorsof the nobles.
I have commandedMy consecratedones, I have evencalledMy mightywarriors,My proudlyexultingones,To [execute] My anger.
"For I am the LORDyour God,who upholdsyour righthand,Who saysto you, 'Do not fear,I will helpyou.'
"Whohas arousedone from the eastWhom He callsin righteousnessto His feet?He deliversup nationsbeforehim And subdueskings.He makesthem like dustwith his sword,As the wind-driven chaffwith his bow.
"I have arousedone from the north,and he has come;From the risingof the sunhe will callon My name;And he will comeupon rulersas [upon] mortar,Even as the pottertreadsclay."
"I am the LORD,I have calledyou in righteousness,I will also holdyou by the handand watchover you, And I will appointyou as a covenantto the people,As a lightto the nations,
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
"I am the LORD,and thereis noother;BesidesMe thereis noGod.I will girdyou, though you have not knownMe;
"I, even I, have spoken;indeedI have calledhim, I have broughthim, and He will makehis wayssuccessful.
"NowI have givenalltheselandsinto the handof Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon,My servant,and I have givenhim alsothe wildanimalsof the fieldto servehim.
and sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"Behold,I am going to sendand getNebuchadnezzarthe kingof Babylon,My servant,and I am going to sethis throne[right] overthesestonesthat I have hidden;and he will spreadhis canopyoverthem.
"For a nationhas comeup againsther out of the north;it will makeher landan objectof horror,and there will be noinhabitantin it. Bothmanand beasthave wanderedoff, they have goneaway!
"A swordagainstthe Chaldeans,"declaresthe LORD,"And againstthe inhabitantsof BabylonAnd againsther officialsand her wisemen!
Sharpenthe arrows,fillthe quivers!The LORDhas arousedthe spiritof the kingsof the Medes,BecauseHis purposeis againstBabylonto destroyit; For it is the vengeanceof the LORD,vengeancefor His temple.
The mightymenof Babylonhave ceasedfighting,They stayin the strongholds;Their strengthis exhausted,They are becoming[like] women;Their dwellingplacesare seton fire,The barsof her [gates] are broken.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"The broadwallof Babylonwill be completelyrazedAnd her highgateswill be seton fire;So the peopleswill toilfor nothing,And the nationsbecomeexhausted[only] for fire."
"I have givenhim the landof Egypt[for] his laborwhichhe performed,becausethey actedfor Me," declaresthe LordGOD.
Thenthe king'sfacegrewpaleand his thoughtsalarmedhim, and his hipjointswentslackand his kneesbegan knockingtogether.
"And behold,anotherbeast,a secondone, resemblinga bear.And it was raisedup on oneside,and threeribs[were] in its mouthbetweenits teeth;and thusthey saidto it, 'Arise,devourmuchmeat!'
Then I liftedmy eyesand looked,and behold,a ramwhich had two hornswas standingin frontof the canal.Now the two horns[were] long,but one[was] longerthanthe other,with the longeronecomingup last.
I sawthe rambuttingwestward,northward,and southward,and no[other] beastscould standbeforehim norwas thereanyone to rescuefrom his power,but he didas he pleasedand magnified[himself].
The gatesof the riversare openedAnd the palaceis dissolved.
Behold,your peopleare womenin your midst!The gatesof your landare openedwideto your enemies;Fireconsumesyour gate bars.
