イザヤ書 45:4-7 JCB

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:4

For Jacob my servant's sake . This second motive is, in a certain sense, the main one. Cyrus is raised up, especially, to perform God's pleasure with respect to Judah and Jerusalem ( Isaiah 44:26-28 ). Jacob, his Church, is more important in God's eyes than any individual. No doubt his Church is maintained, in part, that it may be "a light to lighten the Gentiles;" but it is not maintained solely: or even mainly, for this end. Its welfare is an end in itself, and would be sought by God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:4-5

The Divine surnaming. "I that call thee by thy name." "I have titled thee" (Cheyne's translation). Some think the reference is to the name Cyrus, or Koresh, regarded as a new title for one who was originally known as Agradates." Others, with more probability, think the reference is to the honourable epithets, "my shepherd," "my anointed." Our knowledge of Cyrus has been modified, in some very important particulars, by recent discoveries of Babylonian inscriptions. Professor Sayce is of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:5

I girded thee . As God "loosed the loins" of Cyrus's adversaries ( Isaiah 45:1 ), to weaken them, so he "girded" those of Cyrus, to give him strength (comp. Psalms 18:32 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:5

God in our past life. "I girded thee, though thou hast not known me." When the soul of man is renewed, and his rebellion against God ceases, wonderment often arises in the heart that life has not been altogether a ruin. So many times we have been near the precipice; the crumbling stones fell down into the plain; our feet well-nigh slipped. Here is the open secret. I. UNCONSCIOUS HELP . "I girded thee." We have not seen a face nor even heard a voice, but an invisible arm has been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:6

That they may know from the rising of the sun . Here we have the third motive of the Divine action respecting Cyrus. The attention of all the world from the extreme east to the extreme west, would be drawn by the wonderful occurrences. Jehovah's hand in them would be perceived, and his sole Godhead would obtain acknowledgment. An impulse was doubtless given to monotheism by the victories of Cyrus and the favour which he showed the Jews; but it cannot be said to have been very marked.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:6-8

An old perplexity. From very ancient times, through very many generations, there has presented itself to the human mind the perplexity which arises from the antagonism of forces. We find everywhere— I. OPPOSITE ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE . Here are light and darkness, peace and evil ( Isaiah 45:7 ). On the one hand are signs and indications of a marvellous and minute benevolence. In the sea, in the soil, in the forests, in the air, and on the earth; in fish, in insects, in beast,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

I form the light, and create darkness . It has been recently denied that there is any allusion in these words, or in those which follow, to the Zoroastrian tenets; and it has even been asserted that the religion of the early Achaemenian kings was free from the taint of dualism. But according to some authorities, "a god of lies" is mentioned in the Behistun inscription; and the evidence is exceedingly strong that dualism was an essential part of the Zoroastrian religion long before the time... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

In what sense God creates evil. It was to avoid the objections which the human conscience feels against regarding God as in any sense the author of evil, that dualism was invented. The Western Aryans thought it simpler and more natural to explain the phenomena of the physical and moral universe' by a perpetual struggle of two equal, or nearly equal, powers—one a principle of pure goodness, the creator of everything that was bright, sweet, delightful, holy, pure, good; the other, his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

One source of evil and good. "I make peace, and create evil." It is an unworthy forcing of Scripture to set this passage in relation to the insoluble difficulty of the origin of moral evil. Two things are often sadly confounded—evil as an unpleasant state of our circumstances; and evil as a wrong condition of our will. The latter is referable to God only in the sense that he gave to man a moral nature and a capacity of choice. The former view of evil is that alluded to in the passage now... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 45:4

For Jacob my servant’s sake - (see the note at Isaiah 42:19). The statement here is, that God had raised up Cyrus on account of his own people. The sentiment is common in the Bible, that kings and nations are in the hand of God; and that he overrules and directs their actions for the accomplishment of his own purposes, and especially to protect, defend, and deliver his people (see the note at Isaiah 10:5; compare Isaiah 47:6).I have surnamed thee - On the meaning of the word ‘surname,’ see the... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:4-5

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:6-8

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 45:7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 45:4

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