Isaiah 45

Isaiah · Chapter 45

Isaiah 45:13

1Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;2I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:3And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.4For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.5I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.8Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?10Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?11Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.14Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.15Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.16They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.17But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.18For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.19I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.21Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.23I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.24Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.25In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says the LORD of Hosts.”I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
Iאָנֹכִי֙'a-no-KHIH0595
I

אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

I have stirred up himהַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּha-'i-ro-TI-huH5782
to rouse

עוּר (ur) 1) to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite 1a) (Qal) to rouse oneself, awake 1b) (Niphal) to be roused 1c) (Polel) to stir up, rouse, incite 1d) (Hithpolel) to be excited, be triumphant 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to rouse, stir up 1e2) to act in an aroused manner, awake

in righteousnessבְצֶ֔דֶקve-TZE-dekH6664G
righteousness

צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) 1) justice, rightness, righteousness 1a) what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures) 1b) righteousness (in government) 1b1) of judges, rulers, kings 1b2) of law 1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah 1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government 1b5) of God's attribute 1c) righteousness, justice (in case or cause) 1d) rightness (in speech) 1e) righteousness (as ethically right) 1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity 1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption 1f2) in name of Messianic king …

and allוְכָל־ve-kholH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

ways hisדְּרָכָ֖יוde-ra-KHAVH1870G
way: conduct

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) : conduct/lifestyle 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner 1a) road, way, path 1b) journey 1c) direction 1d) manner, habit, way 1e) of course of life (fig.) 1f) of moral character (fig.)

I will make smoothאֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר'a-ya-SHERH3474
to smooth

יָשַׁר (ya.shar) 1) to be right, be straight, be level, be upright, be just, be lawful, be smooth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go straight 1a2) to be pleasing, be agreeable, be right (fig.) 1a3) to be straightforward, be upright 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make right, make smooth, make straight 1b2) to lead, direct, lead straight along 1b3) to esteem right, approve 1c) (Pual) to be made level, be laid smoothly out 1d) (Hiphil) to make straight, look straight

heהֽוּא־hu'-H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

he will buildיִבְנֶ֤הyiv-NEHH1129
to build

בְּנָה (be.nah) 1) to build 1a) (P'al) to build 1b) (Ithp'il) to be built

city myעִירִי֙'i-RIH5892B
city

עִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town

and exile[s] myוְגָלוּתִ֣יve-ga-lu-TIH1546
captivity

גָּלוּת (ga.lut) 1) exile, exiles 2) (TWOT) captivity Aramaic equivalent: ga.lut (גָּלוּ "captivity" H1547)

he will let goיְשַׁלֵּ֔חַye-sha-LE-achH7971H
to send: depart

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

notלֹ֤אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

for hireבִמְחִיר֙vim-CHIRH4242
price

מְחִיר (me.chir) 1) price, hire 1a) price 1b) hire, reward, gain

and notוְלֹ֣אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

for a bribeבְשֹׁ֔חַדve-SHO-chadH7810
bribe

שֹׁ֫חַד (sha.chad) present, bribe

he saysאָמַ֖ר'a-MARH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Yahwehיְהוָ֥הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

of hostsצְבָאֽוֹת׃ פtze-va-'otH6635B
Hosts

צָבָא (tsa.va) The Hosts (of the Lord) Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.