Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Isaiah 44:28 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 44:28	Strong Concordance	That saith [0559] of Cyrus [03566], He is my shepherd [07462], and shall perform [07999] all my pleasure [02656]: even saying [0559] to Jerusalem [03389], Thou shalt be built [01129]; and to the temple [01964], Thy foundation shall be laid [03245].
	King James	That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
my shepherd--type of Messiah (Isa 40:11; Psa 23:1; Psa 77:20; Eze 34:23). all my pleasure--so Messiah (Isa 42:1; Isa 53:10). This is the first time Cyrus is named expressly; and that, a hundred fifty years before the time when in 550 B.C. he began his reign. The name comes from the Persian khorschid, "the sun"; kings often taking their names from the gods; the sun was worshipped as a god in Persia. saying--rather, "and that saith"; construed with God, not with Cyrus. God's word is instantaneously efficient in accomplishing His will. to . . . to--or, "of Jerusalem . . . of the temple," as previously, the same Hebrew word is translated, "of Cyrus" [BARNES]. English Version is more graphic. Cyrus, according to JOSEPHUS, heard of this prophecy of Isaiah delivered so long before; hence he was induced to do that which was so contrary to Oriental policy, to aid in restoring the captive Jews and rebuilding their temple and city.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

my shepherd--type of Messiah (Isa 40:11; Psa 23:1; Psa 77:20; Eze 34:23).

all my pleasure--so Messiah (Isa 42:1; Isa 53:10). This is the first time Cyrus is named expressly; and that, a hundred fifty years before the time when in 550 B.C. he began his reign. The name comes from the Persian khorschid, "the sun"; kings often taking their names from the gods; the sun was worshipped as a god in Persia.

saying--rather, "and that saith"; construed with God, not with Cyrus. God's word is instantaneously efficient in accomplishing His will.

to . . . to--or, "of Jerusalem . . . of the temple," as previously, the same Hebrew word is translated, "of Cyrus" [BARNES]. English Version is more graphic. Cyrus, according to JOSEPHUS, heard of this prophecy of Isaiah delivered so long before; hence he was induced to do that which was so contrary to Oriental policy, to aid in restoring the captive Jews and rebuilding their temple and city.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
That saith of Cyrus - This is the first time in which Cyrus is expressly named by Isaiah, though he is often referred to. He is mentioned by him only in one other place expressly by name Isa 45:1. He is several times mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament Ch2 26:22-23; Ezr 1:1-2, Ezr 1:7; Ezr 3:7; Ezr 4:3; Ezr 5:13, Ezr 5:17; Dan 1:21; Dan 6:28; Dan 10:1. He began his reign about 550 b.c., and this prophecy was therefore delivered not far from a hundred and fifty years before he ascended the throne. None but God himself, or he whom God inspired, could have mentioned so long before, the name of him who should deliver the Jewish people from bondage; and if this was delivered, therefore, by Isaiah, it proves that he was under divine inspiration. The name of Cyrus (כורשׁ kôresh; Greek Κῦrος Kuros) the Greek writers say, means 'the sun.' It is contracted from the Persian word khorschid, which in that language has this signification. Cyrus was the celebrated king of the Medes and Persians, and was the son of Cambyses the Persian, and of Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of the Medes. For an account of his character and reign, see the notes at Isa 41:2, where I have anticipated all that is needful to be said here. He is my shepherd - A shepherd is one who leads and guides a flock, and then the word denotes, by a natural and easy metaphor, a ruler, or leader of a people. Thus the name is given to Moses in Isa 43:2; compare Psa 77:20, and Eze 34:23. The name here is given to Cyrus because God would employ him to conduct his people again to their own land. The word 'my' implies, that he was under the direction of God, and was employed in his service. And shall perform all my pleasure - In destroying the city and kingdom of Babylon; in delivering the Jewish captives; and in rebuilding Jerusalem, and the temple. Even saying to Jerusalem - That is, I say to Jerusalem. The Vulgate, and the Septuagint renders this as meaning God, and not Cyrus, and doubtless this is the true construction. It was one of the things which God would do, to say to Jerusalem that it should be rebuilt. And to the temple - Though now desolate and in ruins, yet it shall be reconstructed, and its foundation shall be firmly laid. The phrase 'to Jerusalem,' and 'to the temple,' should be rendered 'of,' in accordance with a common signification of the preposition ל (l), and as it is rendered in the former part of the verse when speaking of Cyrus (compare Gen 20:13; Jdg 9:54). It was indeed under the direction of Cyrus that the city of Jerusalem was rebuilt, and the temple reconstructed Ezr 1:1; but still it was to be traced to God, who raised him up for this purpose. That this passage was seen by Cyrus is the testimony of Josephus, and is morally certain from the nature of the case, since, otherwise, it is incredible that he should have aided the Jews in returning to their own land, and in rebuilding their city and temple (see the Introduction, Section 2). This is one of the numerous instances in the Bible, in which God claims control and jurisdiction even over pagan princes and monarchs, and in which he says that their plans are under his direction, and made subservient to his will. It is one of the proofs that God presides over all, and that he makes the voluntary purposes of people subservient to him, and a part of the means of executing his glorious designs in relation to his people. Indeed, all the proud monarchs and conquerors of the earth have been in some sense instruments in his hand of executing his pleasure.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Cyrus Compare (Kg1 13:2) where Josiah was mentioned by name three hundred years before his birth.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Cyrus - Whom God here mentions by his proper name, two hundred years before he was born, that this might be an undeniable evidence of the exactness of God's fore - knowledge, and a convincing argument to conclude this dispute between God and idols. Shepherd - Then will I set up to be the shepherd of my people, to rescue them from wolves or tyrants, to gather them together, to rule them gently, and to provide comfortably for them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd "Who saith to Cyrus, Thou art my shepherd" - Pastor meus es; Vulg. The true reading seems to be רעי אתה roi attah; the word אתה attah, has probably been dropped out of the text. The same word is lost out of the text, Psa 119:57. It is supplied in the Septuagint by the word ει, thou art. Saying to Jerusalem - For ולאמר velemor, the Septuagint and Vulgate read האומר haomer. And to the temple - ולהיכל uleheychal, as לירושלם lirushalayim, before; the preposition is necessary, and the Vulgate seems to read so. - Houbigant. That saith of Cyrus, He is, or thou art, my shepherd - Saying to Jerusalem, "Thou shalt be built;" and to the Temple, "Thy foundation shall be laid." - There is a remarkable beauty and propriety in this verse. 1. Cyrus is called God's shepherd. Shepherd was an epithet which Cyrus took to himself; and what he gave to all good kings. 2. This Cyrus should say to the temple: "Thy foundation shall be laid." Not - thou shalt be built. The fact is, only the foundation was laid in the days of Cyrus, the Ammonites having prevented the building; nor was it resumed till the second year of Darius, one of his successors. There is often a precision in the expressions of the prophets which is as honorable to truth, as it is unnoticed by careless readers.

Top

¹⁰ Yet it pleased [02654] the LORD [03068] to bruise [01792] him; he hath put him to grief [02470]: when thou shalt make [07760] his soul [05315] an offering for sin [0817], he shall see [07200] his seed [02233], he shall prolong [0748] his days [03117], and the pleasure [02656] of the LORD [03068] shall prosper [06743] in his hand [03027].

¹ Behold my servant [05650], whom I uphold [08551]; mine elect [0972], in whom my soul [05315] delighteth [07521]; I have put [05414] my spirit [07307] upon him: he shall bring forth [03318] judgment [04941] to the Gentiles [01471].

²³ And I will set up [06965] one [0259] shepherd [07462] over them, and he shall feed [07462] them, even my servant [05650] David [01732]; he shall feed [07462] them, and he shall be their shepherd [07462].

²⁰ Thou leddest [05148] thy people [05971] like a flock [06629] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175].

¹ A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. The LORD [03068] is my shepherd [07462]; I shall not want [02637].

¹¹ He shall feed [07462] his flock [05739] like a shepherd [07462]: he shall gather [06908] the lambs [02922] with his arm [02220], and carry [05375] them in his bosom [02436], and shall gently lead [05095] those that are with young [05763].

⁵⁴ Then he called [07121] hastily [04120] unto the young man [05288] his armourbearer [05375] [03627], and said [0559] unto him, Draw [08025] thy sword [02719], and slay [04191] me, that men say [0559] not of me, A woman [0802] slew [02026] him. And his young man [05288] thrust him through [01856], and he died [04191].

¹³ And it came to pass, when God [0430] caused me to wander [08582] from my father's [01] house [01004], that I said [0559] unto her, This is thy kindness [02617] which thou shalt shew [06213] unto me; at every place [04725] whither we shall come [0935], say [0559] of me, He is my brother [0251].

²⁰ Thou leddest [05148] thy people [05971] like a flock [06629] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175].

² When thou passest through [05674] the waters [04325], I will be with thee; and through the rivers [05104], they shall not overflow [07857] thee: when thou walkest [03212] through [01119] the fire [0784], thou shalt not be burned [03554]; neither shall the flame [03852] kindle [01197] upon thee.

² Who raised up [05782] the righteous [06664] man from the east [04217], called [07121] him to his foot [07272], gave [05414] the nations [01471] before [06440] him, and made him rule [07287] over kings [04428]? he gave [05414] them as the dust [06083] to his sword [02719], and as driven [05086] stubble [07179] to his bow [07198].

¹ In the third [07969] year [08141] of Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539] a thing [01697] was revealed [01540] unto Daniel [01840], whose name [08034] was called [07121] Belteshazzar [01095]; and the thing [01697] was true [0571], but the time appointed [06635] was long [01419]: and he understood [0995] the thing [01697], and had understanding [0998] of the vision [04758].

²⁸ So this [01836] Daniel [01841] prospered [06744] in the reign [04437] of Darius [01868], and in the reign [04437] of Cyrus [03567] the Persian [06543].

²¹ And Daniel [01840] continued even unto the first [0259] year [08141] of king [04428] Cyrus [03566].

¹⁷ Now [03705] therefore, if [02006] it seem good [02869] to [05922] the king [04430], let there be search [01240] made in the king's [04430] treasure [01596] house [01005], which is there [08536] at Babylon [0895], whether [02006] it be [0383] so, that a decree [02942] was made [07761] of [04481] Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] to build [01124] this [01791] house [01005] of God [0426] at Jerusalem [03390], and let the king [04430] send [07972] his pleasure [07470] to us concerning [05922] this matter [01836].

¹³ But [01297] in the first [02298] year [08140] of Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] of Babylon [0895] the same king [04430] Cyrus [03567] made [07761] a decree [02942] to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005] of God [0426].

³ But Zerubbabel [02216], and Jeshua [03442], and the rest [07605] of the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of Israel [03478], said [0559] unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build [01129] an house [01004] unto our God [0430]; but we ourselves together [03162] will build [01129] unto the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], as king [04428] Cyrus [03566] the king [04428] of Persia [06539] hath commanded [06680] us.

⁷ They gave [05414] money [03701] also unto the masons [02672], and to the carpenters [02796]; and meat [03978], and drink [04960], and oil [08081], unto them of Zidon [06722], and to them of Tyre [06876], to bring [0935] cedar [0730] trees [06086] from Lebanon [03844] to the sea [03220] of Joppa [03305], according to the grant [07558] that they had of Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539].

⁷ Also Cyrus [03566] the king [04428] brought forth [03318] the vessels [03627] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], which Nebuchadnezzar [05019] had brought forth [03318] out of Jerusalem [03389], and had put [05414] them in the house [01004] of his gods [0430];

¹ Now in the first [0259] year [08141] of Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539], that the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] by the mouth [06310] of Jeremiah [03414] might be fulfilled [03615], the LORD [03068] stirred up [05782] the spirit [07307] of Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539], that he made a proclamation [05674] [06963] throughout all his kingdom [04438], and put it also in writing [04385], saying [0559],
² Thus saith [0559] Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539], The LORD [03068] God [0430] of heaven [08064] hath given [05414] me all the kingdoms [04467] of the earth [0776]; and he hath charged [06485] me to build [01129] him an house [01004] at Jerusalem [03389], which is in Judah [03063].

²² Now the rest [03499] of the acts [01697] of Uzziah [05818], first [07223] and last [0314], did Isaiah [03470] the prophet [05030], the son [01121] of Amoz [0531], write [03789].
²³ So Uzziah [05818] slept [07901] with his fathers [01], and they buried [06912] him with his fathers [01] in the field [07704] of the burial [06900] which belonged to the kings [04428]; for they said [0559], He is a leper [06879]: and Jotham [03147] his son [01121] reigned [04427] in his stead.

¹ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] to his anointed [04899], to Cyrus [03566], whose right hand [03225] I have holden [02388], to subdue [07286] nations [01471] before [06440] him; and I will loose [06605] the loins [04975] of kings [04428], to open [06605] before [06440] him the two leaved gates [01817]; and the gates [08179] shall not be shut [05462];

² And he cried [07121] against the altar [04196] in the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and said [0559], O altar [04196], altar [04196], thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; Behold, a child [01121] shall be born [03205] unto the house [01004] of David [01732], Josiah [02977] by name [08034]; and upon thee shall he offer [02076] the priests [03548] of the high places [01116] that burn incense [06999] upon thee, and men's [0120] bones [06106] shall be burnt [08313] upon thee.

⁵⁷ CHETH. Thou art my portion [02506], O LORD [03068]: I have said [0559] that I would keep [08104] thy words [01697].