Discovery BoxIsaiah 45:1-5 
Context45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 1 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 2
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 3
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 4
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 5 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 6
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 7 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 8
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 9 even though you do not recognize 10 me.
1 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
2 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
3 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
4 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
5 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
6 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
7 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
8 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
9 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
10 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
