New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Isaiah 45
1
"Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,
Reference
Kingdom
Jeremiah 51:11
Ezra 1:1
Parallel theme
Isaiah 44:28
Psalm 73:23
Isaiah 13:3
Job 12:21
References Lord
Isaiah 42:6
Isaiah 41:13
Isaiah 45:5
Jeremiah 50:35
2
'I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars.
Reference
3
I will give you treasures that are hidden away in dark places. I will give you riches that are stored up in secret places. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I am sending for you by name.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 48:15
Jeremiah 50:37
Jeremiah 41:8
References God
Ezra 1:2
Isaiah 41:23
References Lord
Isaiah 43:1
Exodus 33:12
Exodus 33:17
Isaiah 49:1
Jeremiah 51:53
4
Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servants. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor.
Reference
5
I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 12:21
Psalm 18:39
References God
Isaiah 44:8
Isaiah 46:9
Isaiah 44:6
Joel 2:27
1 Kings 8:60
Deuteronomy 32:39
Deuteronomy 4:35
Deuteronomy 4:39
6
Then people will know there is no God but me. Everyone from where the sun rises in the east to where it sets in the west will know it. I am the Lord. There is no other Lord.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 83:18
Psalm 46:10
References Lord
Isaiah 45:5
Isaiah 37:20
Ezekiel 38:23
Sin
Malachi 1:11
7
I cause light to shine. I also create darkness. I bring good times. I also create hard times. I do all of those things. I am the Lord.
Reference
Creation
Amos 4:13
Darkness
Nahum 1:8
Evil
Amos 3:6
Job 2:10
Isaiah 31:2
Light
Jeremiah 31:35
Jeremiah 13:16
Parallel theme
Psalm 75:7
Jeremiah 51:20
Acts 4:28
8
" 'Rain down godliness, you heavens above. Let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide to receive it. Let freedom spring to life. Let godliness grow along with it. I have created all of those things. I am the Lord.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 72:6
Isaiah 44:3
Isaiah 32:15
Isaiah 11:1
Isaiah 53:2
References Lord
Joel 3:18
Isaiah 4:2
Righteousness
Isaiah 61:11
Hosea 10:12
Isaiah 60:21
9
How terrible it will be for anyone who argues with his Maker! He is like a broken piece of pottery lying on the ground. Does clay say to a potter, "What are you making?" Does a pot say, "You don't have any skill"?
Reference
10
How terrible it will be for anyone who says to his father, "Why did you give me life?" How terrible for anyone who says to his mother, "Why have you brought me into the world?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 27:16
11
The Lord is the Holy One of Israel. He made them. He says to them, "Are you asking me about what will happen to my children? Are you telling me what I should do with what my hands have made?
Reference
Holy
Isaiah 48:17
Isaiah 29:23
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 33:3
Mark 11:24
Isaiah 43:21
Isaiah 60:21
Ephesians 2:10
References Israel
Jeremiah 31:9
References Lord
Ezekiel 36:37
Joshua 10:12
12
I made the earth. I created man to live there. My own hands spread out the heavens. I put all of the stars in their places.
Reference
Creation
Isaiah 42:5
Jeremiah 27:5
Nehemiah 9:6
Isaiah 45:18
Jeremiah 32:17
Hebrews 11:3
Parallel theme
Isaiah 44:24
Genesis 2:1
Isaiah 40:28
Zechariah 12:1
13
I will stir up Cyrus and help him win his battles. I will make all of his roads straight. He will rebuild Jerusalem. My people have been taken away from their country. But he will set them free. I will not pay him to do it. He will not receive a reward for it," says the Lord who rules over all.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 13:17
References Lord
Isaiah 49:25
Resurrection
Isaiah 41:25
Righteousness
Isaiah 41:2
14
The Lord says to the people of Jerusalem, "You will get everything Egypt produces. You will receive everything the people of Cush and the tall Sabeans get in trade. All of it will belong to you. And all of those people will walk behind you as slaves. They will be put in chains and come over to you. They will bow down to you. They will admit, 'God is with you. There is no other God.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 149:8
Revelation 3:9
References God
1 Corinthians 14:25
Isaiah 43:3
References Lord
Isaiah 49:23
Jeremiah 16:19
Isaiah 10:33
Isaiah 23:18
Isaiah 61:9
Isaiah 18:7
16
All those who make statues of gods will be put to shame. They will be dishonored. They will be led away in shame together.
Reference
17
But the Lord will save Israel. He will save them forever. They will never be put to shame or dishonored. That will be true for all time to come.
Reference
Eternal Life
Isaiah 26:4
Psalm 103:17
Jeremiah 31:3
Parallel theme
Romans 10:11
Psalm 25:3
Isaiah 54:4
1 Peter 2:6
Romans 9:33
1 John 4:15
References Lord
Isaiah 49:23
18
The Lord created the heavens. He is God. He formed the earth and made it. He set it firmly in place. He didn't create it to be empty. Instead, he formed it for people to live on. He says, "I am the Lord. There is no other Lord.
Reference
Creation
Isaiah 45:12
Isaiah 42:5
Jeremiah 10:12
Jeremiah 51:15
References God
Genesis 1:2
Genesis 1:28
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 9:1
References Lord
Psalm 115:16
19
I have not spoken in secret. I have not spoken from a dark place. I have not said to Jacob's people, 'It is useless to look for me.' I am the Lord. I always speak the truth. I always say what is right.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 18:20
Proverbs 30:5
Isaiah 8:19
Isaiah 1:15
Psalm 24:6
References Lord
Isaiah 48:16
Amos 5:4
Proverbs 15:8
Psalm 69:13
Psalm 12:6
20
"Come together, you people of the nations who escaped from Babylonia. Gather together and come into court. Only people who do not know anything would carry around gods that are made out of wood. They pray to gods that can't save them.
Reference
21
Tell me what will happen. State your case. Talk it over together. Who spoke long ago about what would happen? Who said it a long time ago? I did. I am the Lord. I am the one and only God. I always do what is right. I am the one who saves. There is no God but me.
Reference
References God
Isaiah 45:5
Isaiah 45:18
Isaiah 45:14
References Lord
Isaiah 48:14
Righteousness
Isaiah 43:9
Isaiah 45:25
Isaiah 41:26
Salvation
Isaiah 43:11
Isaiah 43:3
Zephaniah 3:17
22
"All of you who live anywhere on earth, turn to me and be saved. I am God. There is no other God.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 6:40
Zechariah 12:10
References God
Hebrews 12:2
2 Chronicles 20:12
Salvation
Micah 7:7
Isaiah 45:21
Titus 2:13
Isaiah 49:6
Psalm 65:5
2 Peter 1:1
23
I have made a promise with an oath in my own name. I have spoken with complete honesty. I will not take back a single word. I said, 'Everyone's knee will bow down to me. Everyone's mouth will take an oath in my name.'
Reference
Parallel theme
Philippians 2:10
Isaiah 65:16
Psalm 63:11
Deuteronomy 6:13
Psalm 132:2
Romans 11:4
Genesis 31:53
Righteousness
Isaiah 45:19
Word
Isaiah 55:11
Nehemiah 10:29
24
They will say, 'The Lord always does what is right. Only he can make us strong.' " All those who have been angry with the Lord will come to him. And they will be put to shame.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 41:11
Philippians 4:13
John 12:32
Revelation 11:18
Revelation 22:17
Isaiah 44:8
References Lord
Ephesians 6:10
Isaiah 26:4
Righteousness
Isaiah 54:17
Isaiah 61:10
25
But the Lord will help all of the people of Israel. He will make them right with himself. And they will praise him.
Reference
Glory
Isaiah 41:16
Summary of Isaiah 45
Isaiah 45 continues one of the strongest themes in Isaiah: God controls history and can use unexpected people to accomplish His purposes.
The chapter opens with God directly addressing Cyrus, the Persian ruler, whom He calls His chosen or anointed servant.
Cyrus did not belong to Israel, yet God promises to give him victory, open doors before him, and provide the resources needed to accomplish his mission.
Historically, this fits remarkably well with the rise of Cyrus during the 6th century BC and his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, after which the political situation of the Jewish exiles changed dramatically.
The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Cyrus's success is not ultimately the result of Persian military strength.
God alone is Lord.
He creates light and darkness, controls the circumstances of nations, establishes rulers, and directs history according to purposes that human beings may not fully understand.
Isaiah therefore compares people who question God's decisions to clay arguing with the potter.
The Creator has the right to shape His creation according to His purposes.
God then makes an important promise concerning Jerusalem and the exiles.
Cyrus will act as God's instrument to rebuild the city and release God's people, without demanding payment from them.
This points toward the historical developments following the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, when Persian rule replaced Babylonian domination and Jewish exiles were permitted to return.
The chapter also strongly contrasts the Lord with idols.
Human-made gods cannot predict the future, save their worshipers, or control nations.
God, by contrast, declares what will happen before it happens and then brings His purposes to completion.
The scope of the chapter eventually becomes universal.
God calls people from all the earth to turn to Him and be saved, declaring that there is no other God.
The final verses look beyond Israel's immediate restoration toward a time when every knee will bow and every tongue will acknowledge God's authority.
The central message is that God is completely sovereign over creation and history, able to raise rulers such as Cyrus to accomplish purposes they may not even understand, restore His people after judgment, defeat false gods and human pride, and ultimately bring the nations to recognize that salvation, righteousness, and true strength belong to Him alone.
The chapter opens with God directly addressing Cyrus, the Persian ruler, whom He calls His chosen or anointed servant.
Cyrus did not belong to Israel, yet God promises to give him victory, open doors before him, and provide the resources needed to accomplish his mission.
Historically, this fits remarkably well with the rise of Cyrus during the 6th century BC and his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, after which the political situation of the Jewish exiles changed dramatically.
The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Cyrus's success is not ultimately the result of Persian military strength.
God alone is Lord.
He creates light and darkness, controls the circumstances of nations, establishes rulers, and directs history according to purposes that human beings may not fully understand.
Isaiah therefore compares people who question God's decisions to clay arguing with the potter.
The Creator has the right to shape His creation according to His purposes.
God then makes an important promise concerning Jerusalem and the exiles.
Cyrus will act as God's instrument to rebuild the city and release God's people, without demanding payment from them.
This points toward the historical developments following the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, when Persian rule replaced Babylonian domination and Jewish exiles were permitted to return.
The chapter also strongly contrasts the Lord with idols.
Human-made gods cannot predict the future, save their worshipers, or control nations.
God, by contrast, declares what will happen before it happens and then brings His purposes to completion.
The scope of the chapter eventually becomes universal.
God calls people from all the earth to turn to Him and be saved, declaring that there is no other God.
The final verses look beyond Israel's immediate restoration toward a time when every knee will bow and every tongue will acknowledge God's authority.
The central message is that God is completely sovereign over creation and history, able to raise rulers such as Cyrus to accomplish purposes they may not even understand, restore His people after judgment, defeat false gods and human pride, and ultimately bring the nations to recognize that salvation, righteousness, and true strength belong to Him alone.