Isaiah45
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
2I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron;
3and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that it is I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.
4For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
5I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me;
6that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else.
7I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.
8Distil, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up together; I, Jehovah, have created it.
9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10Woe unto him that saith unto a father, What begettest thou? or to a woman, With what travailest thou?
11Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.
12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded.
13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.
14Thus saith Jehovah, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall go after thee, in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
15Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16They shall be put to shame, yea, confounded, all of them; they shall go into confusion together that are makers of idols.
17But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be put to shame nor confounded world without end.
18For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.
19I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.
22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.
23By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24Only in Jehovah, it is said of me, is righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all they that were incensed against him shall be put to shame.
25In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 45.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The deliverance of the Jews by Cyrus. (1-4). God calls for obedience to his almighty power. (5-10). The settlement of his people. (11-19). The conversion of the Gentiles. (20-25).
vv1-4
Cyrus is called God's anointed; he was designed and qualified for his great service by the counsel of God. The gates of Babylon which led to the river, were left open the night that Cyrus marched his army into the empty channel. The Lord went before him, giving entrance to the cities he besieged. He gave him also treasures, which had been hidden in secret places. The true God was to Cyrus an unknown God; yet God foreknew him; he called him by his name. The exact fulfilment of this must have shown Cyrus that Jehovah was the only true God, and that it was for the sake of Israel that he was prospered. In all the changes of states and kingdoms, God works out the good of his church.
vv5-10
There is no God beside Jehovah. There is nothing done without him. He makes peace, put here for all good; and creates evil, not the evil of sin, but the evil of punishment. He is the Author of all that is true, holy, good, or happy; and evil, error, and misery, came into the world by his permission, through the wilful apostacy of his creatures, but are restrained and overruled to his righteous purpose. This doctrine is applied, for the comfort of those that earnestly longed, yet quietly waited, for the redemption of Israel. The redemption of sinners by the Son of God, and the pouring out the Spirit, to give success to the gospel, are chiefly here intended. We must not expect salvation without righteousness; together the Lord hath created them. Let not oppressors oppose God's designs for his people. Let not the poor oppressed murmur, as if God dealt unkindly with them. Men are but earthen pots; they are broken potsherds, and are very much made so by mutual contentions. To contend with Him is as senseless as for clay to find fault with the potter. Let us turn God's promises into prayers, beseeching him that salvation may abound among us, and let us rest assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right.
vv11-19
Believers may ask in prayer for what they need; if for their good, it will not be withheld. But how common to hear God called to account for his dealings with man! Cyrus provided for the returning Jews. Those redeemed by Christ shall be provided for. The restoration would convince many, and convert some; and all that truly join the Lord, find his service perfect freedom. Though God be his people's God and Saviour, yet sometimes he lays them under his frowns; but let them wait upon the Lord who hides his face. There is a world without end; and it will be well or ill with us, according as it shall be with us in that world. The Lord we serve and trust, is God alone. All that God has said is plain, satisfactory, and just. As God in his word calls us to seek him, so he never denied believing prayers, nor disappointed believing expectations. He gives grace sufficient, and comfort and satisfaction of soul.
Key Words
כֹּה: properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מָשִׁיחַ: anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah
כּוֹרֶשׁ: Koresh (or Cyrus), the Persian king
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
יָמִין: the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south
חָזַק: to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer
רָדַד: to tread in pieces, i.e. (figuratively) to conquer, or (specifically) to overlay
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
Cross References
Isaiah 45Paul quotes v23 to prove that all people will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Records the literal historical fulfillment of Cyrus's decree to rebuild the Jerusalem temple.
Supported by JFB
The historical description of Belshazzar's loins being loosed in terror when Babylon fell.
Supported by JFB
Direct verbal parallel regarding breaking gates of brass and cutting bars of iron.
Supported by JFB
Paul uses the same potter-and-clay imagery to rebuke human questioning of God's sovereignty.
Supported by John Calvin
Shows Cyrus's historical recognition that Jehovah charged him to build the temple.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The preceding verse introducing Cyrus by name to perform God's pleasure.
Supported by JFB
Parallel imagery of God leveling mountains and making crooked paths straight.
Supported by JFB
Jeremiah's prophecy that Babylon's treasures would be plundered.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Addresses Babylon as abundant in treasures, which Cyrus would seize.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the concept of God bringing calamity or judgment ('evil') upon a city.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Jacob as God's chosen servant, explaining the purpose behind Cyrus's rise.
Supported by JFB
Self-reference linking the raised-up deliverer in v13 back to Cyrus in v1.
Supported by JFB
Affirms salvation specifically 'by the Lord their God' rather than human military strength.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts human ignorance of God with being known and chosen by Him first.
Supported by JFB