Yesaya 41:2
Konteks41:2 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
Yesaya 41:25
Konteks41:25 I have stirred up one out of the north 7 and he advances,
one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. 8
He steps on 9 rulers as if they were clay,
like a potter treading the clay.
Yesaya 44:28--45:7
Konteks44:28 who commissions 10 Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd 11
to carry out all my wishes 12
and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’
and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” 13
45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 14 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 15
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 16
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 17
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 18 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 19
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 20 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 21
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 22 even though you do not recognize 23 me.
45:6 I do this 24 so people 25 will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:7 I am 26 the one who forms light
and creates darkness; 27
the one who brings about peace
and creates calamity. 28
I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
Yesaya 46:11
Konteks46:11 who summons an eagle 29 from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed, 30
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
Yesaya 48:15
Konteks48:15 I, I have spoken –
yes, I have summoned him;
I lead him and he will succeed. 31
[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 1QIsaa 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.
[41:25] 7 sn That is, Cyrus the Persian. See the note at v. 2.
[41:25] 8 tn Heb “[one] from the rising of the sun [who] calls in my name.”
[41:25] 9 tn The Hebrew text has וְיָבֹא (vÿyavo’, “and he comes”), but this is likely a corruption of an original וַיָּבָס (vayyavas), from בּוּס (bus, “step on”).
[44:28] 10 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] 11 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] 12 tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”
[44:28] 13 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] 14 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
[45:1] 15 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
[45:1] 16 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
[45:2] 17 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
[45:2] 18 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
[45:3] 19 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
[45:4] 20 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
[45:5] 21 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
[45:5] 22 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
[45:5] 23 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
[45:6] 24 tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[45:6] 25 tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”
[45:7] 26 tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
[45:7] 27 tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
[45:7] 28 sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).
[46:11] 29 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
