Yesaya 13:4

13:4 ¹ There is a loud noise on the mountains –

it sounds like a large army! ² 

There is great commotion among the kingdoms ³  –

nations are being assembled!

The Lord who commands armies is mustering

forces for battle.

Yesaya 13:17

13:17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; ⁴ 

they are not concerned about silver,

nor are they interested in gold. ⁵ 

Yesaya 44:28--45:1

44:28 who commissions ⁶  Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd ⁷ 

to carry out all my wishes ⁸ 

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

and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” ⁹ 

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ¹⁰  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ¹¹ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ¹² 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

Yesaya 45:13

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

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.

Yesaya 48:14

48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!

Who among them ¹⁴  announced these things?

The Lord’s ally ¹⁵  will carry out his desire against Babylon;

he will exert his power against the Babylonians. ¹⁶ 

[13:4]  ¹ sn In vv. 4-10 the prophet appears to be speaking, since the Lord is referred to in the third person. However, since the Lord refers to himself in the third person later in this chapter (see v. 13), it is possible that he speaks throughout the chapter.

[13:4]  ² tn Heb “a sound, a roar [is] on the mountains, like many people.”

[13:4]  ³ tn Heb “a sound, tumult of kingdoms.”

[13:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”

[13:17]  ⁵ sn They cannot be bought off, for they have a lust for bloodshed.

[44:28]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”

[44:28]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ¹¹ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ¹² tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”

[45:13]  ¹³ 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.

[48:14]  ¹⁴ sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).

[48:14]  ¹⁵ tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”

[48:14]  sn The Lord’s ally is a reference to Cyrus.

[48:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”