Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
This is what the LORD says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of to conquer nations before him. I will strip kings of their power and open the double gates before him so that no gates will remain closed to him.
God is declaring that He has chosen and empowered Cyrus to conquer nations and open every door before him.
📚 Historical Context
This prophecy was given about 150 years before Cyrus the Great of Persia actually lived and conquered Babylon in 539 BC. Remarkably, Isaiah names this foreign king specifically as God's 'anointed one' (messiah) who would be used to free the Jewish people from Babylonian exile. Cyrus would indeed open the gates of Babylon and allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
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