The Meaning of Isaiah 45:13 Explained

Isaiah 45:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: I have stirred him up in righteousness, And all his ways I make straight, He doth build My city, and My captivity doth send out, Not for price, nor for bribe, said Jehovah of Hosts.

Darby: It is I that have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.

ASV: I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 45:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God"s raising up of Cyrus was consistent with His righteousness. He would enable Cyrus to succeed. Cyrus would be responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the release of the Israelites from Babylonian exile. The Almighty Yahweh would do this without even rewarding Cyrus. Cyrus" action would not put him in the Lord"s debt because he would simply be carrying out the will of the sovereign God (cf. Luke 17:9-10).
"It is ironic, but typical, that Cyrus obeys without question, while Israel rebels." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 45:1-13 - Jehovah's Chosen Instrument
Cyrus is one of the noblest figures in ancient history. His character became a model for the Greek youth in strength, simplicity, humanity, purity, and self-restraint. We have seen that Jehovah had assured His people that Jerusalem would be restored, Isaiah 44:26. They probably expected a repetition of the Red Sea and the Exodus. But God does not repeat Himself; and their deliverance from captivity was to be achieved through the victories that made Cyrus master of Babylon. See Ezra 1:1-4.
God's plans are achieved through individuals, whom He equips and raises up for their specific work. There is much in all our lives that we cannot account for, and which is due to the girding of the Almighty. We do not always recognize the real sources of our lives. They are hidden in God. He girds us though we do not know Him. Let us not gird ourselves in our own strength, but stretch forth our hands unto Him, sure that He will neither fail nor forsake. See John 21:18. They who thus utterly yield to God are bidden in the exercise of a daring faith to command, that is, to claim, His saving power. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 45

1  God calls Cyrus for his church's sake
5  By his omnipotence he challenges obedience
20  He convinces the idols of vanity by his saving power

What do the individual words in Isaiah 45:13 mean?

I have raised him up in righteousness and all his ways I will direct He shall build My city and My exiles let go free Not for price nor reward says Yahweh of hosts -
אָנֹכִי֙ הַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּ בְצֶ֔דֶק וְכָל־ דְּרָכָ֖יו אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר הֽוּא־ יִבְנֶ֤ה עִירִי֙ וְגָלוּתִ֣י יְשַׁלֵּ֔חַ לֹ֤א בִמְחִיר֙ וְלֹ֣א בְשֹׁ֔חַד אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת פ

הַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּ  have  raised  him  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
בְצֶ֔דֶק  in  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
דְּרָכָ֖יו  his  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר  I  will  direct 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָשַׁר 
Sense: to be right, be straight, be level, be upright, be just, be lawful, be smooth.
יִבְנֶ֤ה  shall  build 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
עִירִי֙  My  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְגָלוּתִ֣י  and  My  exiles 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: גָּלוּת  
Sense: exile, exiles.
יְשַׁלֵּ֔חַ  let  go  free 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
בִמְחִיר֙  for  price 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְחִיר  
Sense: price, hire.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְשֹׁ֔חַד  reward 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁחַד  
Sense: present, bribe.
אָמַ֖ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאֽוֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation