Isaiah 44:26--45:1

44:26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants ¹ 

and brings to pass the announcements ²  of his messengers,

who says about Jerusalem, ³  ‘She will be inhabited,’

and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt,

her ruins I will raise up,’

44:27 who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry!

I will dry up your sea currents,’

44:28 who commissions ⁴  Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd ⁵ 

to carry out all my wishes ⁶ 

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

and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” ⁷ 

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ⁸  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ⁹ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ¹⁰ 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

Isaiah 45:12-13

45:12 I made the earth,

I created the people who live ¹¹  on it.

It was me – my hands ¹²  stretched out the sky, ¹³ 

I give orders to all the heavenly lights. ¹⁴ 

45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; ¹⁵ 

I will make all his ways level.

He will rebuild my city;

he will send my exiled people home,

but not for a price or a bribe,”

says the Lord who commands armies.

[44:26]  ¹ tn Heb “the word of his servant.” The following context indicates that the Lord’s prophets are in view.

[44:26]  ² tn Heb “counsel.” The Hebrew term עֵצָה (’etsah) probably refers here to the divine plan as announced by the prophets. See HALOT 867 s.v. I עֵצָה.

[44:26]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[44:28]  ⁴ 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.

[44:28]  ⁵ 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.

[44:28]  ⁶ tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”

[44:28]  ⁷ tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lÿ) 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).

[45:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ⁹ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”

[45:12]  ¹¹ tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:12]  ¹² tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.

[45:12]  ¹³ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[45:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.

[45:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “I stir him up in righteousness”; NASB “I have aroused him.” See the note at 41:2. Cyrus (cf. 44:28) is in view here.