Isaiah Chapter 45

Updated: September 14, 2025

God Calls Cyrus

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.

The Lord will Save

(Zechariah 9:14-17)

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 Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

God Calls Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)

1 Thus says Yahweh to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him, and strip kings of their armor; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:

2 “I will go before you, and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of brass in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.

3 I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who call you by your name, even the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.

5 I am Yahweh, and there is none else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me;

6 that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me. I am Yahweh, and there is no one else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am Yahweh, who does all these things.

8 Distil, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, Yahweh, have created it.

9 Woe to him who strives with his Maker—a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands?’

10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’ or to a mother, ‘To what have you given birth?’”

11 Thus says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons, and you command me concerning the work of my hands!

12 I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and I have commanded all their army.

13 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,” says Yahweh of Armies.

14 Thus says Yahweh: “The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you, and they shall be yours. They will go after you. They shall come over in chains; and they will bow down to you. They will make supplication to you: ‘Surely God is in you; and there is none else. There is no other god.

15 Most certainly you are a God who hidden yourself, God of Israel, the Savior.’”

16 They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together.

17 Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.

18 For thus says Yahweh who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn’t create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited: “I am Yahweh; and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I didn’t say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, Yahweh, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.

20 “Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image, and pray to a god that can’t save.

21 Declare and present it. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has shown this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Haven’t I, Yahweh? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; There is no one besides me.

22 “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

23 I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.

24 They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’” Even to him shall men come; and all those who were incensed against him shall be disappointed.

25 In Yahweh shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

God Calls Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)

1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed,

whose right hand I have grasped

to subdue nations before him,

to disarm kings,

to open the doors before him,

so that the gates will not be shut:

2 “I will go before you

and level the mountains; a

I will break down the gates of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron.

3 I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the riches hidden in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the LORD,

the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

4 For the sake of Jacob My servant

and Israel My chosen one,

I call you by name;

I have given you a title of honor,

though you have not known Me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other;

there is no God but Me.

I will equip you for battle,

though you have not known Me,

6 so that all may know,

from where the sun rises to where it sets,

that there is none but Me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

7 I form the light and create the darkness;

I bring prosperity and create calamity.

I, the LORD, do all these things.

8 Drip down, O heavens, from above,

and let the skies pour down righteousness.

Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout

and righteousness spring up with it;

I, the LORD, have created it.

9 Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—

one clay pot among many.

Does the clay ask the potter,

‘What are you making?’ b

Does your work say,

‘He has no hands’?

10 Woe to him who says to his father,

‘What have you begotten?’

or to his mother,

‘What have you brought forth?’ ”

11 Thus says the LORD,

the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:

“How dare you question Me about My sons,

or instruct Me in the work of My hands?

12 It is I who made the earth

and created man upon it.

It was My hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I ordained all their host.

13 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.”

14 This is what the LORD says:

“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, c

along with the Sabeans, men of stature,

will come over to you

and will be yours;

they will trudge behind you;

they will come over in chains and bow down to you.

They will confess to you:

‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other;

there is no other God.’ ”

15 Truly You are a God who hides Himself,

O God of Israel, the Savior.

16 They will all be put to shame and humiliated;

the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.

17 But Israel will be saved by the LORD

with an everlasting salvation;

you will not be put to shame or humiliated,

to ages everlasting.

18 For thus says the LORD,

who created the heavens—He is God;

He formed the earth and fashioned it;

He established it;

He did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited:

“I am the LORD,

and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret,

from a place in a land of darkness.

I did not say to the descendants of Jacob,

‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’

I, the LORD, speak the truth;

I say what is right.

20 Come, gather together, and draw near,

you fugitives from the nations.

Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood

and pray to a god that cannot save.

21 Speak up and present your case—

yes, let them take counsel together.

Who foretold this long ago?

Who announced it from ancient times?

Was it not I, the LORD?

There is no other God but Me,

a righteous God and Savior;

there is none but Me.

22 Turn to Me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth;

for I am God,

and there is no other.

23 By Myself I have sworn;

truth has gone out from My mouth,

a word that will not be revoked:

Every knee will bow before Me,

every tongue will swear allegiance. d

24 Surely they will say of Me,

‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’ ”

All who rage against Him

will come to Him and be put to shame.

25 In the LORD all descendants of Israel

will be justified and will exult.

Footnotes:

2 a DSS and LXX; MT level the terrain
9 b Cited in Romans 9:20
14 c That is, the upper Nile region
23 d Literally every tongue will swear ; LXX every tongue will swear by God ; cited in Romans 14:11

God Calls Cyrus

1Thus said Jehovah, To His anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have laid hold on, To subdue nations before him, Yea, loins of kings I loose, To open before him two-leaved doors, Yea, gates are not shut:

2'I go before thee, and crooked places make straight, Two-leaved doors of brass I shiver, And bars of iron I cut asunder,

3And have given to thee treasures of darkness, Even treasures of secret places, So that thou knowest that I, Jehovah, Who am calling on thy name -- am the God of Israel.

4For the sake of my servant Jacob, And of Israel My chosen, I call also thee by thy name, I surname thee, And thou hast not known Me.

5I am Jehovah, and there is none else, Except Me there is no God, I gird thee, and thou hast not known Me.

6So that they know from the rising of the sun, And from the west, that there is none besides Me, I am Jehovah, and there is none else,

7Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I am Jehovah, doing all these things.'

8Drop, ye heavens, from above, And clouds do cause righteousness to flow, Earth openeth, and they are fruitful, Salvation and righteousness spring up together, I, Jehovah, have prepared it.

9Woe to him who is striving with his Former, (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Doth clay say to its Framer, 'What dost thou?' And thy work, 'He hath no hands?'

10Woe to him who is saying to a father, 'What dost thou beget?' Or to a wife, 'What dost thou bring forth?

11Thus said Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, and his Former: Ask Me of the things coming concerning My sons, Yea, concerning the work of My hands, ye command Me.'

12I made earth, and man on it prepared, I -- My hands stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

13I have stirred him up in righteousness, And all his ways I make straight, He doth build My city, and My captivity doth send out, Not for price, nor for bribe, said Jehovah of Hosts.

The Lord will Save

(Zechariah 9:14-17)

14Thus said Jehovah, 'The labour of Egypt, And the merchandise of Cush, And of the Sebaim -- men of measure, Unto thee pass over, and thine they are, After thee they go, in fetters they pass over, And unto thee they bow themselves, Unto thee they pray: Only in thee is God, And there is none else, no other God.

15Surely Thou art a God hiding Thyself, God of Israel -- Saviour!

16They have been ashamed, And they have even blushed -- all of them, Together gone in confusion have those carving images.

17Israel hath been saved in Jehovah, A salvation age-during! Ye are not ashamed nor confounded Unto the ages of eternity!

18For thus said Jehovah, Creator of heaven, He is God, Former of earth, and its Maker, He established it -- not empty He prepared it, For inhabiting He formed it: 'I am Jehovah, and there is none else.

19Not in secret have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth, I have not said to the seed of Jacob, In vain seek ye Me, I am Jehovah, speaking righteousness, Declaring uprightness.

20Be gathered, and come in, Come nigh together, ye escaped of the nations, They have not known, Who are lifting up the wood of their graven image, And praying unto a god that saveth not.

21Declare ye, and bring near, Yea, they take counsel together, Who hath proclaimed this from of old? From that time hath declared it? Is it not I -- Jehovah? And there is no other god besides Me, A God righteous and saving, there is none save Me.

22Turn to Me, and be saved, all ends of the earth, For I am God, and there is none else.

23By Myself I have sworn, Gone out from my mouth in righteousness hath a word, And it turneth not back, That to Me, bow doth every knee, every tongue swear.

24Only in Jehovah, said hath one, Have I righteousness and strength, Unto Him he cometh in, And ashamed are all those displeased with Him.

25In Jehovah are all the seed of Israel justified, And they boast themselves.'

New Bible Challenges and Quizzes being added regularly.

Begin a Bible Quiz

The F.O.G Commentary

The God Who Uses Unlikely People

What’s Isaiah 45 about?

This is the chapter where God calls a Persian king His “anointed one” – the same word used for Israel’s messiahs. It’s shocking, revolutionary, and reveals how God’s sovereignty works through the most unexpected people to accomplish His purposes for His people.

The Full Context

Picture this: Jerusalem lies in ruins, God’s people are scattered across Babylon, and hope feels like a distant memory. It’s around 540 BC, and the Jewish exiles have been wondering if God has abandoned them entirely. Then along comes this prophet – likely a disciple of the original Isaiah – with the most audacious message imaginable: God is about to use a foreign, pagan king to set them free.

This passage sits at the heart of what scholars call “Second Isaiah” (chapters 40-55), written during the Babylonian exile. The author is addressing a community that’s lost everything – their land, their temple, their sense of identity. But rather than offering simple comfort, the prophet presents a radical vision of God’s sovereignty that extends far beyond Israel’s borders. The literary structure builds to this stunning revelation: Cyrus the Persian isn’t just a political convenience for God – he’s actually God’s chosen instrument, His mashiach (anointed one). This challenges everything the exiles thought they knew about how God works in the world.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew here is absolutely electrifying. When God calls Cyrus His mashiach in Isaiah 45:1, He’s using the same word that designated David and Solomon as His chosen kings. This isn’t casual language – it’s theologically explosive.

Grammar Geeks

The Hebrew mashiach literally means “anointed one” – someone set apart by having oil poured on their head. But here’s the kicker: there’s no record of Cyrus ever being literally anointed with oil in Israelite fashion. God is using covenant language for someone outside the covenant community.

But look at what God does with His own name in Isaiah 45:5-6. He declares “I am Yahweh, and there is no other” – not once, but repeatedly throughout the chapter. The divine name appears with stunning frequency, as if God is pounding home the point: “I am the one doing this, and I can use anyone I choose.”

The verb forms matter too. When God says “I will go before you” in Isaiah 45:2, the Hebrew suggests ongoing, personal involvement. This isn’t a distant deity pulling strings – this is Yahweh walking ahead of Cyrus like He once led Israel through the wilderness.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

The F.O.G Bible Project

This page has a unique origin story and vision. Find out why your visit today is about more than words.

What is the F.O.G?

Imagine being a Jewish exile hearing this message. Your world has been turned upside down. Everything you believed about God’s faithfulness seems to have crumbled with Jerusalem’s walls. And now this prophet is telling you that your liberation will come through a Persian king who doesn’t even know your God?

Did You Know?

Cyrus was famous throughout the ancient world for his religious tolerance. Unlike the Babylonians who destroyed local temples, Cyrus actually restored them and sent displaced peoples back to their homelands. His policies were so revolutionary that some scholars call him the world’s first champion of human rights.

To the original audience, this would have been both shocking and strangely hopeful. Shocking because they’d never imagined God working through a gentile ruler in such an intimate way. But hopeful because Cyrus’s reputation preceded him – here was a king known for freeing captive peoples and rebuilding their sanctuaries.

The exiles would have also caught the deeper theological implications. If God could anoint a pagan king, then His sovereignty wasn’t limited by their circumstances or their failures. Even in exile, even through foreign rulers, Yahweh was still working out His purposes for His people.

Wrestling with the Text

Here’s where things get fascinating and a bit uncomfortable. Isaiah 45:7 contains one of the Bible’s most challenging statements: “I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, Yahweh, do all these things.”

That word “calamity” (ra’) is the same word used for moral evil elsewhere in Hebrew. Is God saying He creates evil? The ancient audience would have understood this as a direct challenge to Persian dualism – the idea that there are two equal and opposite forces, one good and one evil, battling for control of the universe.

Wait, That’s Strange…

Why would God emphasize His role in creating both good and bad experiences right in the middle of promising deliverance? Because the exiles needed to understand that even their suffering hadn’t been outside God’s control or purpose.

But there’s another wrestling point: How do we reconcile God’s use of Cyrus with His justice? The Persian Empire wasn’t exactly known for its moral purity. Yet God calls this pagan king His anointed one and promises to go before him in battle.

The text seems to be teaching us that God’s sovereignty is far more complex and comprehensive than our tidy theological categories. He can work through flawed people and imperfect systems to accomplish His perfectly good purposes.

How This Changes Everything

This passage revolutionizes how we think about God’s work in the world. It’s not just about Israel anymore – it’s about Yahweh as the God of all nations, working through history itself to accomplish His purposes.

The implications are staggering. If God could anoint a pagan king to deliver His people, then no situation is beyond His ability to redeem. No leader is outside His influence. No circumstance can thwart His ultimate plans.

“God’s sovereignty isn’t limited by our understanding of how He should work – it’s demonstrated through His willingness to work in ways that completely surprise us.”

For the exiles, this meant hope in the darkest hour. For us, it means recognizing that God is always at work, even through people and circumstances that seem completely secular or even opposed to His kingdom.

But here’s the beautiful paradox: while God uses Cyrus for His purposes, He does so in a way that reveals His character. Isaiah 45:13 emphasizes that Cyrus will rebuild Jerusalem and free the exiles “not for price nor reward.” God’s justice and mercy shine through even a pagan king’s actions.

Key Takeaway

God’s sovereignty is so complete that He can accomplish His purposes through anyone – even those who don’t acknowledge Him. Your circumstances, no matter how impossible they seem, are never beyond His ability to redeem and use for His glory.

Isaiah Chapter 45

Add Comment

God's Word is too vast for a single perspective. We all have a story, and as believers we all carry the Holy Spirit who is the Revealer. With this in mind - I would love to read your comments.