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Ecclesiastes 9

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ "I have stirred up and put into action[4] one from the north [the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great], and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My Name [in prayer]. And he will trample on [the Babylonian] officials as on mortar, Even as a potter treads clay."

² Who [among the idols] has declared this from the beginning, so that we could know? Or from earlier times, so that we could say, "He is [unquestionably] right!"? In fact, there was no one who declared it, Indeed, there was no one who proclaimed it; There was no one at all who heard you speak [for you pagan gods are speechless].

³ "I was first to say to Zion, 'Listen carefully, here they are [the Jews who will be restored to their own land].' And to Jerusalem, 'I will provide a messenger (Isaiah) to bring the good news [[5] that Cyrus will be stirred up and put into action to save them].'

⁴ "But when I look [on the pagan prophets and priests], there is no one [who could predict these events], And there is no counselor[6] among them, Who, if I ask, can give an answer.

⁵ "In fact, all of these [pagan prophets and priests] are false; Their works are worthless, Their cast images are [merely] wind and emptiness.

⁶ "Behold, My[1] Servant, whom I[2] uphold; My Chosen One in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.

⁷ "He will not call out or shout aloud, Nor make His voice heard in the street.

⁸ "A broken reed He will not break [off] And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish [He will not harm those who are weak and suffering]; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

⁹ "He will not be disheartened or crushed [in spirit]; [He will persevere] until He has established justice on the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

¹⁰ This is what God the LORD says, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its produce, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk on it,

¹¹ "I am the LORD, I have called You (the Messiah) in righteousness [for a righteous purpose], I will also take You by the hand and keep watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people [Israel], As a light to the nations (Gentiles),

¹² To open the eyes of the blind, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who sit in darkness from the prison.

¹³ "I am the LORD, that is My Name; My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved idols.

¹⁴ "Indeed, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."

¹⁵ Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You islands and coastlands, and those who inhabit them [sing His praise]!

¹⁶ Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices, The villages where Kedar lives. Let the inhabitants of[3] Sela shout for joy, Let them shout joyfully from the tops of the mountains.

¹⁷ Let them give glory to the LORD And declare His praise in the islands and coastlands.

¹⁸ The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will stir up His zeal like a man of war; He will shout out, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail [mightily] against His enemies.

#	AMP
1	"I have stirred up and put into action[4] one from the north [the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great], and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My Name [in prayer]. And he will trample on [the Babylonian] officials as on mortar, Even as a potter treads clay."
2	Who [among the idols] has declared this from the beginning, so that we could know? Or from earlier times, so that we could say, "He is [unquestionably] right!"? In fact, there was no one who declared it, Indeed, there was no one who proclaimed it; There was no one at all who heard you speak [for you pagan gods are speechless].
3	"I was first to say to Zion, 'Listen carefully, here they are [the Jews who will be restored to their own land].' And to Jerusalem, 'I will provide a messenger (Isaiah) to bring the good news [[5] that Cyrus will be stirred up and put into action to save them].'
4	"But when I look [on the pagan prophets and priests], there is no one [who could predict these events], And there is no counselor[6] among them, Who, if I ask, can give an answer.
5	"In fact, all of these [pagan prophets and priests] are false; Their works are worthless, Their cast images are [merely] wind and emptiness.
6	"Behold, My[1] Servant, whom I[2] uphold; My Chosen One in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
7	"He will not call out or shout aloud, Nor make His voice heard in the street.
8	"A broken reed He will not break [off] And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish [He will not harm those who are weak and suffering]; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
9	"He will not be disheartened or crushed [in spirit]; [He will persevere] until He has established justice on the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."
10	This is what God the LORD says, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its produce, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk on it,
11	"I am the LORD, I have called You (the Messiah) in righteousness [for a righteous purpose], I will also take You by the hand and keep watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people [Israel], As a light to the nations (Gentiles),
12	To open the eyes of the blind, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who sit in darkness from the prison.
13	"I am the LORD, that is My Name; My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved idols.
14	"Indeed, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."
15	Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You islands and coastlands, and those who inhabit them [sing His praise]!
16	Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices, The villages where Kedar lives. Let the inhabitants of[3] Sela shout for joy, Let them shout joyfully from the tops of the mountains.
17	Let them give glory to the LORD And declare His praise in the islands and coastlands.
18	The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will stir up His zeal like a man of war; He will shout out, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail [mightily] against His enemies.

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