18 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 that created H1254 the heavens; H8064 God H430 himself that formed H3335 the earth H776 and made H6213 it; he hath established H3559 it, he created H1254 it not in vain, H8414 he formed H3335 it to be inhabited: H3427 I am the LORD; H3068 and there is none else.
Thus saith H559 God H410 the LORD, H3068 he that created H1254 the heavens, H8064 and stretched them out; H5186 he that spread forth H7554 the earth, H776 and that which cometh out H6631 of it; he that giveth H5414 breath H5397 unto the people H5971 upon it, and spirit H7307 to them that walk H1980 therein:
And God H430 said, H559 Let us make H6213 man H120 in our image, H6754 after our likeness: H1823 and let them have dominion H7287 over the fish H1710 of the sea, H3220 and over the fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and over the cattle, H929 and over all the earth, H776 and over every creeping thing H7431 that creepeth H7430 upon the earth. H776
And God H430 blessed H1288 them, and God H430 said H559 unto them, Be fruitful, H6509 and multiply, H7235 and replenish H4390 the earth, H776 and subdue it: H3533 and have dominion H7287 over the fish H1710 of the sea, H3220 and over the fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and over every living thing H2416 that moveth H7430 upon the earth. H776
And I will multiply H7235 men H120 upon you, all the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 even all of it: and the cities H5892 shall be inhabited, H3427 and the wastes H2723 shall be builded: H1129 And I will multiply H7235 upon you man H120 and beast; H929 and they shall increase H7235 and bring fruit: H6509 and I will settle H3427 you after your old estates, H6927 and will do better H2895 unto you than at your beginnings: H7221 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Yea, I will cause men H120 to walk H3212 upon you, even my people H5971 Israel; H3478 and they shall possess H3423 thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, H5159 and thou shalt no more H3254 henceforth bereave H7921 them of men.
He hath made H6213 the earth H776 by his power, H3581 he hath established H3559 the world H8398 by his wisdom, H2451 and hath stretched out H5186 the heaven H8064 by his understanding. H8394
I am the LORD, H3068 and there is none else, there is no God H430 beside H2108 me: I girded H247 thee, though thou hast not known H3045 me: That they may know H3045 from the rising H4217 of the sun, H8121 and from the west, H4628 that there is none H657 beside H1107 me. I am the LORD, H3068 and there is none else.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 45
Commentary on Isaiah 45 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 45
Cyrus was nominated, in the foregoing chapter, to be God's shepherd; more is said to him and more of him in this chapter, not only because he was to be instrumental in the release of the Jews out of their captivity, but because he was to be therein a type of the great Redeemer, and that release was to be typical of the great redemption from sin and death; for that was the salvation of which all the prophets witnessed. We have here,
Isa 45:1-4
Cyrus was a Mede, descended (as some say) from Astyages king of Media. The pagan writers are not agreed in their accounts of his origin. Some tell us that in his infancy he was an outcast, left exposed, and was saved from perishing by a herdsman's wife. However, it is agreed that, being a man of an active genius, he soon made himself very considerable, especially when Croesus king of Lydia made a descent upon his country, which he not only repulsed, but revenged, prosecuting the advantages he had gained against Croesus with such vigour that in a little time he took Sardis and made himself master of the rich kingdom of Lydia and the many provinces that then belonged to it. This made him very great (for Croesus was rich to a proverb) and enabled him to pursue his victories in many countries; but it was nearly ten years afterwards that, in conjunction with his uncle Darius and with the forces of Persia, he made this famous attack upon Babylon, which is here foretold, and which we have the history of Dan. 5. Babylon had now grown exorbitantly rich and strong. It was forty-five miles in compass (some say more): the walls were thirty-two feet thick and 100 cubits high. Some say, They were so thick that six chariots might drive abreast upon them; others say, They were fifty cubits thick and 200 high. Cyrus seems to have had a great ambition to make himself master of this place, and to have projected it long; and at last he performed it. Now here, 210 years before it came to pass, we are told,
Isa 45:5-10
God here asserts his sole and sovereign dominion, as that which he designed to prove and manifest to the world in all the great things he did for Cyrus and by him. Observe,
Isa 45:11-19
The people of God in captivity, who reconciled themselves to the will of God in their affliction and were content to wait his time for their deliverance, are here assured that they should not wait in vain.
Isa 45:20-25
What here is said is intended, as before,