Isaiah 45NKJV
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Isaiah45

New King James Version

1“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held— To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:

2‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.

3I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.

4For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.

5I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,

6That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;

7I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’

8“Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.

9“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?

10Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?’ ”

11Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.

12I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

13I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,” Says the Lord of hosts.

14Thus says the Lord: “The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains; And they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you, And there is no other; There is no other God.’ ”

15Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!

16They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols.

17But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.

18For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

20“Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.

21Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.

22“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

23I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.

24He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.

25In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’ ”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 45.

Full AI study →

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.

Cross References

Isaiah 45
v23Romans 14:10-12quotation

Paul quotes v23 to prove that all people will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v1Ezra 1:1fulfillment

Records the literal historical fulfillment of Cyrus's decree to rebuild the Jerusalem temple.

Supported by JFB

v1Daniel 5:6fulfillment

The historical description of Belshazzar's loins being loosed in terror when Babylon fell.

Supported by JFB

v2Psalms 107:16allusion

Direct verbal parallel regarding breaking gates of brass and cutting bars of iron.

Supported by JFB

v9Romans 9:20allusion

Paul uses the same potter-and-clay imagery to rebuke human questioning of God's sovereignty.

Supported by John Calvin

v1Ezra 1:2fulfillment

Shows Cyrus's historical recognition that Jehovah charged him to build the temple.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Isaiah 44:28thematic

The preceding verse introducing Cyrus by name to perform God's pleasure.

Supported by JFB

v2Isaiah 40:4thematic

Parallel imagery of God leveling mountains and making crooked paths straight.

Supported by JFB

v3Jeremiah 50:37thematic

Jeremiah's prophecy that Babylon's treasures would be plundered.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Jeremiah 51:13thematic

Addresses Babylon as abundant in treasures, which Cyrus would seize.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v7Amos 3:6thematic

Parallels the concept of God bringing calamity or judgment ('evil') upon a city.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v4Isaiah 41:8thematic

Identifies Jacob as God's chosen servant, explaining the purpose behind Cyrus's rise.

Supported by JFB

v13Isaiah 45:1thematic

Self-reference linking the raised-up deliverer in v13 back to Cyrus in v1.

Supported by JFB

v17Hosea 1:7thematic

Affirms salvation specifically 'by the Lord their God' rather than human military strength.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v4Galatians 4:9thematic

Contrasts human ignorance of God with being known and chosen by Him first.

Supported by JFB