Isaiah 41:2

41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? ¹ 

Who ²  officially commissions him for service? ³ 

He hands nations over to him, ⁴ 

and enables him to subdue ⁵  kings.

He makes them like dust with his sword,

like windblown straw with his bow. ⁶ 

Isaiah 41:15-16

41:15 “Look, I am making you like ⁷  a sharp threshing sledge,

new and double-edged. ⁸ 

You will thresh the mountains and crush them;

you will make the hills like straw. ⁹ 

41:16 You will winnow them and the wind will blow them away;

the wind will scatter them.

You will rejoice in the Lord;

you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

[41:2]  ¹ sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).

[41:2]  ² tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.

[41:2]  ³ tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”

[41:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”

[41:2]  ⁵ tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).

[41:2]  ⁶ sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.

[41:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”

[41:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.

[41:15]  ⁹ sn The mountains and hills symbolize hostile nations that are obstacles to Israel’s restoration.