Discovery BoxIsaiah 41:2 
Context41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? 1
Who 2 officially commissions him for service? 3
He hands nations over to him, 4
and enables him to subdue 5 kings.
He makes them like dust with his sword,
like windblown straw with his bow. 6
Isaiah 42:6
Context42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; 7
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you 8 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 9
1 sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).
2 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.
3 tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”
4 tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”
5 tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).
6 sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.
7 tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.
8 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).
9 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.
10 sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.
11 tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
