Isaiah 44:28–45:7

44:28 who commissions51 Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd52

to carry out all my wishes53

and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’

and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’ ”54

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen1 one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold2

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 bars5 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 recognize7 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 recognize10 me.

45:6 I do this11 so people12 will recognize from east to west

that there is no God but me;

I am the Lord, I have no peer.

45:7 I am13 the one who forms light

and creates darkness;14

the one who brings about peace

and creates calamity.15

I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.

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51	tn Heb “says to.” It is possible that the sentence is not completed, as the description of Cyrus and his God-given role is developed in the rest of the verse. 45:1 picks up where 44:28a leaves off with the Lord’s actual words to Cyrus finally being quoted in 45:2.
52	tn Heb “my shepherd.” The shepherd motif is sometimes applied, as here, to a royal figure who is responsible for the well-being of the people whom he rules.
53	tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”
54	tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lé) is understood by ellipsis at the beginning of the second line. The verb תִּוָּסֵד (tivvased, “you will be founded”) is second masculine singular and is probably addressed to the personified temple (הֵיכָל [hekhal, “temple”] is masculine).
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.”
6	tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
7	tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
8	tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
9	tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
10	tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
11	tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
12	tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”
13	tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
14	tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
15	sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).

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