Who Was Cyrus in Isaiah 45? God's Anointed King
Cyrus was a Persian emperor who did not know Yahweh, yet Isaiah 45:1–7 says God called him, held his right hand, and gave him a task for Israel's sake. The oracle is less about Cyrus's greatness than about who God is.
Cyrus in Isaiah 45: God's Anointed Who Did Not Know Him
Isaiah 45:1–7 introduces Cyrus by name as God's anointed, chosen for Jacob's sake and empowered to open gates and subdue nations. The passage is finally about who God is: the only God, who controls history from east to west.
Who Was Cyrus the Great in Isaiah 45?
Cyrus the Great was a real Persian king whom God called by name, gave a title, and enlisted as his shepherd for Israel's sake. The passage aims past Cyrus to the knowledge of God from east to west.