Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 45 is the CYRUS-ANOINTED chapter — Cyrus the-Persian called 'my-anointed' (mashiach / christos, v. 1) — the only-Gentile-king in-the-OT to-receive-this-Messianic-title. Verse 23's 'every knee shall bow … every tongue shall confess' is cited at Romans 14:11 + Philippians 2:10–11 as the climax of-Christ's-exaltation.
Notable Variants
45:1 'CYRUS, MY ANOINTED' (christō) — only-Gentile-king as-Messiah-figure; 45:21 'a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me'; 45:23 'every knee shall bow' → Rom 14:11 + Phil 2:10–11 climactic-Christological-citation.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 45 = LXX Isaiah 45. 25 verses. CYRUS-MESSIAH chapter.
This is what the LORD says to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
Masoretic (WLC)
כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְכוֹרֶשׁ
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus
Septuagint (LXX)
οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ χριστῷ μου Κύρῳ
Thus says the Lord God to my anointed, Cyrus
CYRUS-CALLED-MESSIAH. The Hebrew mashiach / Greek christos applied-to-Cyrus the-Persian — the ONLY-GENTILE-KING in-the-OT to-receive-this-Messianic-title. Cyrus's-deliverance-of-Jewish-exiles is-an-anointed-act, even-though-he-doesn't-know-the-LORD personally (v. 4: 'though you do not know me'). The verse establishes that-divine-anointing extends-beyond-ethnic-boundaries — God's-Messianic-instruments include-Gentiles. The Cyrus-typology partially-anticipates the-broader-eschatological-Christ who-also-blesses-Gentiles.
I will go before you and level the mountains. I will shatter bronze doors and cut through iron bars.
'Whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed' tracks MT. OPEN-DOORS-NOT-CLOSED. Revelation 3:8 ('I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut') Christologically-extends.
I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
'I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron' tracks MT. BRONZE-DOORS / IRON-BARS. // Ps 107:16. Christologically — Christ's-victory-over-the-gates-of-death (Matt 16:18).
For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen one, I call you by your name; I give you a title of honor, though you do not know me.
'I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name' tracks MT. CALL-YOU-BY-NAME — Cyrus-named-by-God despite-not-knowing-God.
I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides me. I arm you, though you do not know me,
'For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me' tracks MT. THOUGH-YOU-DO-NOT-KNOW-ME. Divine-purpose using even-non-believing-Gentile-kings. Romans 9–11's-mystery-of-Gentile-inclusion includes Cyrus-typology.
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.
'I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me' tracks MT.
I form light and create darkness; I make peace and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.
'That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other' tracks MT.
Rain down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open and salvation spring forth; let righteousness sprout alongside it. I, the LORD, have created it.
'I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things' tracks MT. FORM-LIGHT / CREATE-DARKNESS. Anti-dualistic theology — God-creates-both-light-and-dark. Christologically Christ as-light overcomes darkness (John 1:5).
Woe to the one who contends with his Maker — a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to the one who shapes it, 'What are you making?'
'Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it' tracks MT. RORATE COELI. Latin-Vulgate's 'Rorate caeli desuper' became the Advent-antiphon. Eschatological-righteousness-from-heaven imagery.
Woe to the one who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'What are you laboring to bring forth?'
'Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it: What are you making? or: Your work has no handles?' tracks MT. CLAY-AND-POTTER. Romans 9:20–21 directly-extends.
This is what the LORD says — the Holy One of Israel and its Maker: 'Ask me about what is to come concerning my children; will you command me about the work of my hands?'
'Woe to him who says to a father: What are you begetting? or to a woman: With what are you in labor?' tracks MT.
I made the earth and created humanity upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.
'Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?' tracks MT.
I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his paths straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free — not for a price and not for a bribe, says the LORD of Hosts.
'I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host' tracks MT.
This is what the LORD says: The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and the Sabeans, tall of stature, will come over to you and be yours. They will follow behind you, coming in chains. They will bow down to you and plead with you: 'Surely God is with you, and there is no other — no other god.'
'I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward, says the LORD of hosts' tracks MT. NOT-FOR-PRICE — divine-instruments without-bribery.
Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
'Thus says the LORD: The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him' tracks MT. SURELY-GOD-IS-IN-YOU — Gentile-confession of-Israel's-God.
They are put to shame, all of them, disgraced together; the makers of idols go off in humiliation.
'Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior' tracks MT. DEUS-ABSCONDITUS. Hidden-God theology. Luther's-formulation. Romans 11:33 ('how unsearchable his judgments') extends.
Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation. You will not be put to shame or disgraced to all eternity.
'They are put to shame, and confounded, all of them; they go in confusion together, the makers of idols' tracks MT.
For this is what the LORD says — He who created the heavens, He is God; He who formed the earth and made it, He established it. He did not create it to be chaos — He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other.
'But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity' tracks MT. EVERLASTING-SALVATION. Hebrews 5:9 ('eternal salvation') extends.
I have not spoken in secret, in a land of darkness. I did not say to Jacob's offspring, 'Seek me in chaos.' I, the LORD, speak what is right; I declare what is just.
'For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens — he is God! — who formed the earth and made it — he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited! — I am the LORD, and there is no other' tracks MT. NOT-CREATED-EMPTY — anti-Tohu cosmology. Genesis 1:2 echoed.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations. They have no knowledge — those who carry wooden idols and pray to a god that cannot save.
'I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob: Seek me in vain. I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right' tracks MT.
Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from of old? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God besides me — a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.
'Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save' tracks MT.
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
'Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me' tracks MT. RIGHTEOUS-GOD-AND-SAVIOR. Combined-attributes — Christological-completeness anticipated.
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that will not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.
'Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other' tracks MT. TURN-AND-BE-SAVED universalist-call. Acts 4:12 Christologically extends.
'Only in the LORD,' it will be said of me, 'are righteousness and strength.' All who raged against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.
Masoretic (WLC)
בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי יָצָא מִפִּי צְדָקָה דָּבָר וְלֹא יָשׁוּב כִּי־לִי תִּכְרַע כָּל־בֶּרֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַע כָּל־לָשׁוֹן
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance
Septuagint (LXX)
κατ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ ὀμνύω ἦ μὴν ἐξελεύσεται ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου δικαιοσύνη οἱ λόγοι μου οὐκ ἀποστραφήσονται ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ καὶ ἐξομολογήσεται πᾶσα γλῶσσα τῷ θεῷ
By myself I swear: righteousness shall surely proceed from my mouth; my words shall not return. For to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God
EVERY-KNEE-SHALL-BOW. The most-Christologically-explicit OT-citation. ROMANS 14:11 cites this verse VERBATIM-FROM-LXX: 'For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD (emoi kampsei pan gony, kai exomologēsetai pasa glōssa tō theō).' PHILIPPIANS 2:10–11 directly-applies-to-Christ: 'so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and EVERY TONGUE CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord.'
DIVINE-PREROGATIVE APPLIED-TO-CHRIST. Paul's-Phil 2:10–11 deliberately-applies the divine-self-claim of-Isaiah 45:23 to-Christ — the most-explicit-Christological-equation of-Christ-with-YHWH in-Pauline-corpus. The CONFESSION 'Jesus Christ is Lord' fulfills-the-prophetic-confession to-the-divine-name.
In the LORD all the offspring of Israel will be vindicated and will glory.
'Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory' tracks MT. JUSTIFIED-IN-THE-LORD. Pauline-justification anticipation.