calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a distant land. Indeed I have spoken it, I also bring it to pass. I have planned it, I also do it.
“Thus said Koresh sovereign of Persia, ‘יהוה Elohim of the heavens has given me all the reigns of the earth. And He has commanded me to build Him a house in Yerushalayim which is in Yehuḏah.
“And it shall be, when יהוה has performed all His work on Mount Tsiyon and on Yerushalayim, that I shall punish the fruit of the greatness of the heart of the sovereign of Ashshur, and the boasting of his haughty looks.
They are left together for the mountain birds of prey and for the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey shall summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth winter on them.
In that day,’ declares יהוה of hosts, ‘the peg that is fastened in the steadfast place shall be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it shall be cut off. For יהוה has spoken.’ ”
“Have you not heard long ago how I made it, from days of old, that I formed it? Now I have brought it about, that you should be for crushing walled cities into heaps of ruins.
“Who raised up the righteous one from the east, called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made sovereigns submit to him? He gave them as the dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow.
“I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes; from the rising of the sun he calls on My Name. And he comes against princes as though mortar, as the potter treads clay.
who is saying of Koresh, ‘He is My shepherd, and he completes all My pleasure, even saying to Yerushalayim, “Let her be built,” and to the Hĕḵal, “Let her foundation be laid.” ’
“I have stirred him up in righteousness, and all his ways I make straight. He builds My city and lets My exiles go, not for price nor reward,” declares יהוה of hosts.
And those who escape the sword, few in number, shall return from the land of Mitsrayim to the land of Yehuḏah. And all the remnant of Yehuḏah, who came into the land of Mitsrayim to sojourn there, shall know whose word is established, Mine or theirs.
“Summon archers against Baḇel. All you who bend the bow, encamp against it all around, let no one escape. Repay her according to her work, do to her according to all she has done. For she has been proud against יהוה, against the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl.
“See, he comes up like a lion from the Yardĕn jungle, against the enduring pasture. But in an instant I shall make them run away from her. And who is the Chosen One whom I appoint against her? For who is like Me? Who summons Me? And who is that Shepherd who stands before Me?”
Therefore hear the counsel of יהוה which He has counselled concerning Baḇel, and His purposes He has purposed concerning the land of the Kasdim: the least of the flock shall drag them away! He shall make their pasture a waste before them!
“On the mountains of Yisra’ĕl you shall fall, you and all your bands and the peoples who are with you. To the birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field I shall give you for food.
in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being previously ordained according to the purpose of Him working all matters according to the counsel of His desire,
And the sixth messenger poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, in order to prepare the way of the sovereigns from the east.