Isa. 45 Cyrus’s work and strength foretold, Isa. 45:1–4. God hath all power, Isa. 45:5–12; will assist Cyrus, Isa. 45:13–14. The mystery of Providence, Isa. 45:15. Idols and their worshippers shall be destroyed, and God alone exalted, Isa. 1:16–21. The Gentiles come in to Christ, Isa. 45:22–25.

His anointed, i.e. his king, whom God hath designed, and separated, and fitted, in all respects, for his work and service; in which and such-like respects divers persons are said to be anointed, who never had any material oil poured upon them, as the king of Tyrus, Ezek. 28:14, and Christ, Isa.

I will go before thee, to remove all obstructions, and to prepare the way for thee, as it follows. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; I will destroy all them that oppose thee, and carry thee through the greatest difficulties.

The treasures of darkness; such as have been stored up and long kept in dark and secret places, as well in Babylon, Jer. 50:37, Jer. 51:13, as in other countries, which Cyrus conquered; and from which he took infinite treasures, as Pliny and others relate.

I have even called thee by thy name; I have called thee to this honour, and that by name; not for thy sake, but for Israel’s sake; therefore do not despise them, thou wilt find them a poor and enslaved people, neither be puffed up into a great opinion of thyself.

I girded thee; I made thee strong and active, and fitted and disposed thee for these great and warlike enterprises. For these were the uses and significations of girding in Scripture: see 1 Kings 20:11, Ps. 18:32, Ps. 45:3.

That they may know; that all nations may know it by my foretelling of these things so long beforehand, and by the wonderful success that I shall give thee, and by my overruling thins heart, and counsels, and victories, to the deliverance of my people according to my promise.

All men’s comforts and calamities come from my hand.

Let the skies pour down righteousness; the righteous and gracious acts of God for his people shall be so many and illustrious, as if God rained down showers of righteousness out of heaven.

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! This woe is denounced, either, 1. Against those Jews who, hearing this and many other prophecies and promises of their deliverance out of captivity, and vet continuing in captivity, were ever prone to distrust God, and to murmur at him for punishing them…

As it were an absurd and impudent thing for a child to quarrel with his parents, either simply for begetting him, or for begetting him of this or that sex, contrary to his desire; no better is it for any persons to quarrel with God the Maker and Father of all things, as God is called, 1 Cor.

His Maker; Israel’s Maker, who not only created him, as I did all others, but made him a new creature, and a peculiar people to myself. Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me: the words thus rendered contain a concession or permission; and the…

I have made the earth, and created man upon it; they are wholly and solely my creatures, and therefore absolutely at my disposal. All their host have I commanded; I have commanded them to be, or made them by my command, or the word of my power: compare Ps. 148:5.

I have raised him; Cyrus, who; was named before, Isa. 45:1. In righteousness; not in a way of absolute sovereignty, as I might have done, but most justly, to punish the wicked Babylonians, to plead the cause of the innocent oppressed ones, to manifest my own righteousness, and truth, and goodness.

The labour of Egypt; the wealth gotten by their labour. Men of stature; a tall and strong people, who yet shall use their strength not to oppose thee, but to serve thee, and to bring their labour to thee. Shall come over unto thee; either, 1.

These are the words of the prophet, drawn from him by the contemplation of the great and various works and dispensations of God towards his church, and in the world. That hidest thyself, to wit, from thy people for a season.

They; the idolatrous Gentiles, as it is explained in the end of the verse, opposed to Israel in the beginning of the next verse. Makers; either the artificers, or the chief masters that set them on work, and consequently all their worshippers; although the makers being most guilty, and the cause of…

With an everlasting salvation; not for a short time, as it was in the days of the judges and of the kings, under whom their dangers and calamities did frequently return upon them; but unto all ages, as it follows; whence it appears that he speaks not only nor chiefly of their deliverance out of…

This description of God is here added, either, 1. To detect the vanity of idols, by asserting that none was to be owned as the true God besides that one God who made the heavens and the earth, and the inhabitants thereof. Or, 2.

I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: the heathen idols deliver their oracles darkly and doubtfully, in obscure cells and caverns of the earth, or out of the bellies of their priests; but I have delivered my oracles to Israel publicly and plainly, as one that was neither afraid…

Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together; to debate the business with me concerning the divinity of your idols, and hear what I have said, and am now about to say again, in that matter.

Let them take counsel together, to maintain the cause of their idols. Who hath declared this? this great work of which I have spoken, concerning Babylon’s destruction, and the redemption of God’s people.

Upon these considerations, I advise all people upon earth, from one end to the other, to cast away their idols, and to turn their eyes and hearts to me, expecting salvation from me, and from me only; and their labour shall not be in vain; for they shall be saved: the imperative being put for the…

I have sworn by myself, which is the highest and most solemn oath that is possible, Heb. 6:13, and therefore signifies that the matter here sworn is of an extraordinary importance.

Shall one say; or, shall he say; each or every one of those whom he now said that they should bow their knees to God, and swear by him, Isa. 45:23. Or, it shall be said; such active verbs being oft used impersonally.

All the seed of Israel; all Israelites indeed, whether Jews or Gentiles; all believers, who are frequently called God’s Israel in Scripture, as Ps. 24:6, Rom. 9:6, Rom. 11:26, Gal. 6:16.