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A King Named Before His Birth
Isaiah 44:28-45:7 · Isaiah · Updated April 16, 2026
“who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Isaiah 44:28“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, 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.”
Isaiah 45:1“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,”
Isaiah 45:5Isaiah, a prophet in the Kingdom of Judah, operated during a period marked by political instability and existential threats from the Assyrian Empire. Traditionally, Isaiah is believed to have prophesied around 700 BC during the reign of King Hezekiah. This era was characterized by the looming menace of Assyrian expansion, which threatened the very existence of Judah and its cultural identity. Isaiah
However, the section of Isaiah that includes chapters 44-45 is often dated by scholars to a much later period, around 540-530 BC. This is due to its focus on Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who would eventually conquer Babylon and allow the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. This post-exilic dating suggests that these chapters were written during or after the Babylonian exile, reflecting on the historical events that saw the rise of the Persian Empire under Cyrus, who reigned from 559-530 BC. The text presents Cyrus as a divinely appointed agent, chosen by God to liberate the Israelites and facilitate the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its temple.
The prophecy in Isaiah 44-45 is a battleground for debates on the nature of prophecy and divine foreknowledge. The text explicitly names Cyrus as God's chosen instrument long before his historical emergence, challenging the credibility of prophetic literature. This raises profound questions about whether the text is a genuine prediction or a post-event insertion. The stakes are high: if the prophecy is authentic, it underscores the theological claim of God's sovereignty over history. Conversely, if it was written after the fact, it undermines the traditional understanding of prophecy as foretelling future events. The debate is not merely academic; it touches on the core of biblical authority and the nature of divine intervention in human affairs.
The passage in Isaiah 44-45 vividly portrays Cyrus as God's appointed shepherd and anointed one, tasked with fulfilling divine purposes. God speaks directly, asserting His unparalleled power and sovereignty, and declares that Cyrus, despite not knowing God, will act as His servant to accomplish the liberation of the Israelites and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
> Isaiah 44:28 > "who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’"
> Isaiah 45:1 > "Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, 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."
> Isaiah 45:5 > "I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,"
The Septuagint (LXX) and Masoretic Text (MT) present some differences, notably in the term "anointed" in Isaiah 45:1, which can alter interpretations of Cyrus's divine election and agency. These textual variations are crucial as they influence theological understandings of divine sovereignty and human agency.
The weight of evidence suggests that the prophecy of Isaiah 44-45 was likely written with the benefit of hindsight, aligning with historical events to affirm divine sovereignty. While the text's predictive nature is questionable, its theological message of God's control over history remains potent. What is genuinely unresolvable is the precise timing of its composition; the text alone cannot definitively answer whether it was a true prediction or a retrospective theological reflection.
This interpretation holds that the prophecy was fulfilled when Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC and issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
Scriptural evidence: 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Ezra 1:1-4
Key objection: Critics argue that the text was written after the events it describes, thus not a true prophecy.
This view suggests that while Cyrus did allow the Jews to return, the full restoration of Israel and the temple did not meet the grand expectations set by the prophecy.
Scriptural evidence: Haggai 1:2-4, Zechariah 4:9
Key objection: The return and rebuilding did occur, fulfilling the core elements of the prophecy.
For the original audience, this oracle was a message of hope and divine intervention, promising liberation from Babylonian captivity and the restoration of their homeland.
Scriptural evidence: Isaiah 40:1-2, Isaiah 52:9
Key objection: The historical context suggests the audience may not have fully grasped the implications of Cyrus's role.
LXX vs MT differences
The Septuagint (LXX) renders some phrases differently, such as 'anointed' in Isaiah 45:1, which can affect the interpretation of Cyrus's role.
These differences can influence how the prophecy is understood in terms of divine election and agency.
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