4 For Jacob H3290 my servant's H5650 sake, and Israel H3478 mine elect, H972 I have even called H7121 thee by thy name: H8034 I have surnamed H3655 thee, though thou hast not known H3045 me.
But thou, Israel, H3478 art my servant, H5650 Jacob H3290 whom I have chosen, H977 the seed H2233 of Abraham H85 my friend. H157 Thou whom I have taken H2388 from the ends H7098 of the earth, H776 and called H7121 thee from the chief men H678 thereof, and said H559 unto thee, Thou art my servant; H5650 I have chosen H977 thee, and not cast thee away. H3988
For G1063 as I passed by, G1330 and G2532 beheld G333 your G5216 devotions, G4574 G2532 I found G2147 an altar G1041 with this G1722 G3739 inscription, G1924 TO THE UNKNOWN G57 GOD. G2316 Whom G3739 therefore G3767 ye ignorantly G50 worship, G2151 him G5126 declare G2605 I G1473 unto you. G5213
Now therefore, if ye will obey H8085 my voice H6963 indeed, H8085 and keep H8104 my covenant, H1285 then ye shall be a peculiar treasure H5459 unto me above all people: H5971 for all the earth H776 is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom H4467 of priests, H3548 and an holy H6918 nation. H1471 These are the words H1697 which thou shalt speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
For I am the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 thy Saviour: H3467 I gave H5414 Egypt H4714 for thy ransom, H3724 Ethiopia H3568 and Seba H5434 for thee. Since thou wast precious H3365 in my sight, H5869 thou hast been honourable, H3513 and I have loved H157 thee: therefore will I give H5414 men H120 for thee, and people H3816 for thy life. H5315
Israel H3478 is a scattered H6340 sheep; H7716 the lions H738 have driven him away: H5080 first H7223 the king H4428 of Assyria H804 hath devoured H398 him; and last H314 this Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 hath broken his bones. H6105 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will punish H6485 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 and his land, H776 as I have punished H6485 the king H4428 of Assyria. H804 And I will bring H7725 Israel H3478 again H7725 to his habitation, H5116 and he shall feed H7462 on Carmel H3760 and Bashan, H1316 and his soul H5315 shall be satisfied H7646 upon mount H2022 Ephraim H669 and Gilead. H1568 In those days, H3117 and in that time, H6256 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 the iniquity H5771 of Israel H3478 shall be sought for, H1245 and there shall be none; and the sins H2403 of Judah, H3063 and they shall not be found: H4672 for I will pardon H5545 them whom I reserve. H7604
Not G3756 as G3634 though G1161 G3754 the word G3056 of God G2316 hath taken none effect. G1601 For G1063 they are not G3756 all G3956 G1537 Israel, G2474 which G3588 G3778 are of Israel: G2474
What G5101 then? G3767 Israel G2474 hath G2013 not G3756 obtained G2013 that G5127 which G3739 he seeketh for; G1934 but G1161 the election G1589 hath obtained it, G2013 and G1161 the rest G3062 were blinded G4456
Howbeit G235 then, G5119 G3303 when ye knew G1492 not G3756 God, G2316 ye did service G1398 unto them which by nature G5449 are G5607 no G3361 gods. G2316 But G1161 now, G3568 after that ye have known G1097 God, G2316 or G1161 rather G3123 are known G1097 of G5259 God, G2316 how G4459 turn ye G1994 again G3825 to G1909 the weak G772 and G2532 beggarly G4434 elements, G4747 whereunto G3739 ye desire G2309 again G3825 G509 to be in bondage? G1398
That G3754 at G1722 that G1565 time G2540 ye were G2258 without G5565 Christ, G5547 being aliens G526 from the commonwealth G4174 of Israel, G2474 and G2532 strangers G3581 from the covenants G1242 of promise, G1860 having G2192 no G3361 hope, G1680 and G2532 without God G112 in G1722 the world: G2889
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,