Yesaya 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 

Yeremia 27:6

27:6 I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power ⁷  of my servant, ⁸  King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. ⁹ 

[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.

[27:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “have given…into the hand of.”

[27:6]  ⁸ sn See the study note on 25:9 for the significance of the application of this term to Nebuchadnezzar.

[27:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “I have given…to him to serve him.” The verb “give” in this syntactical situation is functioning like the Hiphil stem, i.e., as a causative. See Dan 1:9 for parallel usage. For the usage of “serve” meaning “be subject to” compare 2 Sam 22:44 and BDB 713 s.v. עָבַד 3.

[27:6]  sn This statement is rhetorical, emphasizing the totality of Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion. Neither here nor in Dan 2:38 is it to be understood literally.