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.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is that God is speaking through Isaiah, not just about Cyrus, but to Jerusalem and the Temple. He's declaring His sovereign intention to rebuild them, even as He uses Cyrus as His "shepherd" to accomplish it. This highlights God's direct involvement and control, not just over human leaders, but over cities and sacred places.
This verse appears in Isaiah's prophecies concerning the future restoration of Israel after their exile in Babylon. It follows God's pronouncements against idols and His assurance of His own unique power, setting the stage for the reveal of Cyrus, a foreign king, as God's chosen instrument for their deliverance and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple. This specific declaration about Cyrus and Jerusalem directly precedes God's further interactions with Cyrus, where He calls him by name and asserts His absolute sovereignty over all nations.
How could God use a pagan king who didn't even know Him to accomplish His plans?
This verse names Cyrus, a Persian king, a full 150 years before he would even begin to rule! Isaiah identifies him as 'my shepherd' and states that Cyrus will 'fulfill all my purpose.' This is astounding because Cyrus was not an Israelite and likely worshipped different gods.
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
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God doesn't just predict the future; He declares it into being.
In the second half of the verse, God speaks about Jerusalem and the Temple: 'saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’'
The Power of God's Word
Understand the original words
ro'i · Hebrew Noun
A leader, protector, and provider; applied to God, it signifies His care for His people, and when applied to a human ruler (like Cyrus), it indicates a divinely appointed agent for the welfare of God's flock.
chephets · Hebrew Noun
God's sovereign will or master plan for creation and history; it denotes that which He has decided to accomplish.
heykhal · Hebrew Noun
The sacred house of God's dwelling on earth, where sacrifice is offered and God's glory resides among His people.
This verse is remarkable because it names Cyrus, a foreign pagan king, as God's chosen instrument ('shepherd') to fulfill His purposes, specifically to allow the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple. This prophecy was given over a century before Cyrus's birth, demonstrating God's foreknowledge and sovereign control over world events and rulers.
c. 740-701 BC
Isaiah's Ministry
Isaiah prophesies during a period of Assyrian expansion, delivering messages of judgment and hope to Judah and Jerusalem.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports a portion of the Jewish nobility and skilled workers to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Second Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's population, including the prophet Ezekiel, further weakening the kingdom.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great's Rise to Power
Cyrus, prince of Anshan, begins his conquest, eventually uniting the Medes and Persians and setting his sights on Babylon.
539 BC— this verse
Cyrus Captures Babylon
Cyrus conquers Babylon, initiating the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and opening the door for the return of exiled peoples.
538 BC
Cyrus's Decree for the Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, fulfilling this prophecy.
This passage describes the decree of Cyrus allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, directly fulfilling the prophecy mentioned in Isaiah.
Ezra 1:1-4This passage details Cyrus's decree to rebuild the temple, explicitly referencing the prophet Isaiah and showing the direct historical outworking of the prophecy.
Isaiah 45:1-4This passage immediately follows Isaiah 44:28 and directly addresses Cyrus by name, revealing God's sovereign choice of him to fulfill His purposes, including the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.
Jeremiah 29:10This verse speaks of God's plan to fulfill His word to the exiles after seventy years in Babylon, providing a broader context of God's faithfulness to His promises of restoration, which Cyrus's actions would fulfill.
barnesIsaiah 44:28: "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."
That saith of Cyrus - This is the first time in which Cyrus is expressly named by Isaiah, though he is often referred to. He is mentioned by him only in one other place expressly by name Isaiah 45:1 . He is several times mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament 2 Chronicles 26:22-23 ; Ezra 1:1-2 , Ezra 1:7 ; Ez…
bensonIsaiah 44:28: "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 . That saith of Cyrus — Whom God here mentions by his proper name, two hundred years before he was born, that this might be an undeniable evidence of the exactness of God’s foreknowledge, and a convincing argument to conclude this dispute between God and idols. He is my shepherd — Him will I set up…
What's easy to miss here is that God is speaking through Isaiah, not just about Cyrus, but to Jerusalem and the Temple. He's declaring His sovereign intention to rebuild them, even as He uses Cyrus as His "shepherd" to accomplish it. This highlights God's direct involvement and control, not just over human leaders, but over cities and sacred places.
This verse appears in Isaiah's prophecies concerning the future restoration of Israel after their exile in Babylon. It follows God's pronouncements against idols and His assurance of His own unique power, setting the stage for the reveal of Cyrus, a foreign king, as God's chosen instrument for their deliverance and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple. This specific declaration about Cyrus and Jerusalem directly precedes God's further interactions with Cyrus, where He calls him by name and asserts His absolute sovereignty over all nations.
This verse appears in Isaiah's prophecies concerning the future restoration of Israel after their exile in Babylon. It follows God's pronouncements against idols and His assurance of His own unique power, setting the stage for the reveal of Cyrus, a foreign king, as God's chosen instrument for their deliverance and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple. This specific declaration about Cyrus and Jerusalem directly precedes God's further interactions with Cyrus, where He calls him by name and asserts His absolute sovereignty over all nations.
"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.’”" — What's easy to miss here is that God is speaking through Isaiah, not just about Cyrus, but to Jerusalem and the Temple. He's declaring His sovereign intention to rebuild them, even as He uses Cyrus…
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