Isaiah 44 28

Isaiah 44:28 kjv

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.

Isaiah 44:28 nkjv

Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid." '

Isaiah 44:28 niv

who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid."?'

Isaiah 44:28 esv

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 nlt

When I say of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd,'
he will certainly do as I say.
He will command, 'Rebuild Jerusalem';
he will say, 'Restore the Temple.'"

Isaiah 44 verses

Isaiah 44 28 Meaning

Isaiah 44:28 declares God's specific, sovereign purpose to use a pagan king, Cyrus the Great, to bring about the restoration of Jerusalem and its temple after the Babylonian exile. This verse encapsulates God's absolute control over history and world leaders, revealing His foreknowledge and unswerving commitment to His covenant people. It proclaims that Cyrus, designated as God's "shepherd," will issue a decree for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and, specifically, for the temple's foundations to be laid, initiating the physical and spiritual restoration of Israel.

Isaiah 44 28 Context

Isaiah 44:28 falls within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), a section largely addressed to the exiles in Babylon. Following prophecies of judgment and exile, these chapters offer hope and assurance of return and restoration. God uses Isaiah to console His suffering people, asserting His incomparable power and unique ability to declare future events, thus distinguishing Himself from the impotent gods of Babylon. The preceding verses (Is 44:24-27) highlight Yahweh's creative power and ability to confound the wise of the nations, reinforcing His ultimate authority before revealing the specific instrument of His plan – Cyrus. Historically, this prophecy was made nearly two centuries before Cyrus's actual reign and his famous decree, placing it firmly in the realm of divine foreknowledge and sovereign appointment.

Isaiah 44 28 Word analysis

• who says: The subject is implicitly the Lord God, as established throughout Isaiah 40-44. It highlights divine pronouncement and absolute authority, initiating the fulfillment of prophecy.
• of Cyrus, (כֹּ֖ורֶשׁ Kōres̠): This is the direct naming of a specific, non-Israelite individual long before his birth and rise to power. It is a striking instance of precise prophetic foreknowledge, contrasting with the inability of pagan idols to predict the future (Is 41:21-23). Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
• 'He is my shepherd: (רֹעִ֑י rōʿī). The Hebrew "ro'i" means 'my shepherd.' This is a significant title typically reserved for Yahweh Himself (Ps 23:1) or for divinely appointed Israelite leaders like David (2 Sam 5:2). Applying it to a pagan king emphasizes that Cyrus, despite his personal faith or lack thereof, is an instrument under God's direct guidance and appointment to lead His people (in this case, back to their land) and fulfill His purposes. It doesn't imply Cyrus became a worshipper of Yahweh, but that he served God's will.
• and will accomplish: (וְכָל־חֶפְצִ֥י yḵol ḥefṣī). This conveys divine sovereignty over all actions. God empowers and ensures the success of His appointed agent.
• all that I please: (חֶפְצִ֥י ḥefṣī) Hebrew for "my pleasure," "my will," or "my purpose." This underscores God's unassailable sovereignty and that Cyrus acts as an unconscious agent in fulfilling God's perfect plan, demonstrating that no human will can thwart the divine counsel (Is 46:10).
• he will say of Jerusalem, (לִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם lîrūšalayi m): This refers to the city destroyed by Babylon, awaiting its return and restoration. The specific mention emphasizes the city's central place in God's redemptive plan.
• "Let it be rebuilt," (תִּבָּנֶֽה֙ tibbānâ): This is a decree for active reconstruction, signifying the end of its desolation and the return of its inhabitants. It's not merely a permission but an active call for restoration.
• and of the temple, (וְהֵיכָל֙ wəhêḵāl): The holy sanctuary, the spiritual center of Israel, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Its rebuilding signifies the restoration of proper worship and covenant relationship with God.
• "Let its foundations be laid." (תִּוָּסֵֽד tûāseḏ): This is a very specific command, not just to rebuild, but to start from the absolute beginning, laying new foundations. It indicates a thorough, comprehensive reconstruction and confirms the permanence of the new structure as opposed to temporary repairs.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd...'": This phrase directly confronts pagan belief systems. While other ancient cultures credited their gods with revealing future events through oracles, only Yahweh demonstrates the power and specificity to name an individual, a future world leader, and explicitly define his precise role in divine history, well before he appeared on the stage of history. This declaration establishes Yahweh's absolute control over all nations and their rulers.
• "...and will accomplish all that I please;": This group of words emphasizes divine determinism and meticulous planning. God's "pleasure" or "purpose" (Heb. cheftzi) is comprehensive and irresistible. Cyrus, a seemingly autonomous world power, is merely a conduit for God's larger redemptive scheme, which ultimately centers on Israel and Jerusalem.
• "he will say of Jerusalem, 'Let it be rebuilt,' and of the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'": This precisely foretells the decree Cyrus would issue. The dual command underscores the essential, dual nature of the restoration: the physical city as a place of habitation for God's people, and the sacred Temple as the focal point of their worship and God's dwelling among them. Laying "foundations" for the Temple suggests a complete reconstruction rather than a mere patch-up, a sign of new beginnings and permanence.

Isaiah 44 28 Bonus section

The historical fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4 and 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, where Cyrus issues a decree exactly as prophesied, permitting the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple. The discovery of the "Cyrus Cylinder," an ancient clay cylinder with a declaration by Cyrus himself, describes his general policy of allowing deported peoples to return to their homelands and reconstruct their temples. While it does not specifically mention Jerusalem or Yahweh, it broadly corroborates the historical context and Cyrus's policy as depicted in the Bible, further cementing the prophecy's accuracy. The selection of a foreign king as God's instrument is also a significant theological point, emphasizing that God's power extends beyond Israel and He can use anyone, anywhere, to accomplish His will, challenging any narrow ethnic or nationalistic understanding of God's redemptive work. The concept of God using human authorities for His plan, regardless of their own religious affiliation, points towards a broader understanding of divine providence in world affairs.

Isaiah 44 28 Commentary

Isaiah 44:28 is a monumental prophecy showcasing God's unparalleled sovereignty and meticulous involvement in human history. By naming Cyrus the Great approximately 150-200 years before his reign, God boldly contrasts His omnipotence and omniscient foreknowledge with the futility of idols and pagan deities. This prophecy reveals that even a gentile king, who did not worship Yahweh, could be sovereignly appointed and guided by God to serve as "My shepherd." This term highlights Cyrus's specific role in leading God's people (the exiles) back to their homeland and enabling the rebuilding of Jerusalem and, crucially, the Temple. The "accomplishing all that I please" signifies that Cyrus's policies and conquests were not random but perfectly aligned with God's overarching redemptive purpose. The explicit mention of rebuilding Jerusalem and laying the Temple's foundations assures the exiles of a complete, divinely mandated restoration, moving beyond general promises to specific, actionable directives. This precise foretelling, later fulfilled historically through Cyrus's edict (Ezra 1:1-4; 2 Chron 36:22-23), solidifies the reliability of God's Word and offers profound comfort and hope to His people in their distress.

Examples for practical usage:

• Trusting God's Plan: Even when world events seem chaotic or leadership appears hostile, this verse reminds believers that God remains sovereign, using even pagan rulers to fulfill His ultimate good purposes (Rom 8:28).
• God's Providence: It assures that God orchestrates events, big and small, in the lives of His people and nations to accomplish His will, providing a foundation for prayer and patient waiting on His timing.
• Comfort in Exile/Difficulty: For those facing "exile" or prolonged hardship, it offers hope that God has specific plans for restoration and uses unexpected agents to bring them about.