Isaiah 45:13

I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says the LORD of Hosts.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD of Hosts speaks, declaring that He will raise Cyrus to rebuild His city and free the exiles.

The words — אָנֹכִי (a.no.Khi) means "I," highlighting divine initiative, while בְּצֶדֶק (ve.Tze.dek) translates to "in righteousness," describing the covenantal basis of the action.

The thread — God’s sovereign stirring of leaders appears in Isaiah 41:2, 2 Chronicles 36:22, and Isaiah 13:17 as a pattern of historical intervention.

Why it lands — The text requires acknowledging that God directs history through chosen agents to accomplish His purposes without reliance on human reward or merit.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אָנֹכִי֙'a.no.KhiI הַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּha.'i.ro.Ti./huI have stirred up/ him בְצֶ֔דֶקve./Tze.dekin/ righteousness וְכָל־ve./kholand/ all דְּרָכָ֖יוde.ra.Kha/vways/ his אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר'a.ya.SherI will make smooth הֽוּא־hu'-he יִבְנֶ֤הyiv.Nehhe will build עִירִי֙'i.R/icity/ my וְגָלוּתִ֣יve./ga.lu.T/iand/ exile[s]/ my יְשַׁלֵּ֔חַye.sha.Le.achhe will let go לֹ֤אlo'not בִמְחִיר֙vi/m.Chirfor/ hire וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not בְשֹׁ֔חַדve./Sho.chadfor/ a bribe אָמַ֖ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh צְבָאֽוֹת׃ פtze.va.'otof hosts

King James Version

I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

Cross-references

Isaiah 41:2 Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.
2 Chronicles 36:22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:
Isaiah 13:17 Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
Isaiah 41:25 I have raised up one from the north, and he has come—one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.
Isaiah 49:25 Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.
Isaiah 42:6 “I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
Isaiah 46:11 I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
Ezra 1:3 Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
Psalms 65:5 With awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
Isaiah 44:28 who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”