That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.
All Commentaries on Isaiah 44:28 Go To Isaiah 44
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Cyrus. This was spoken 110 years before his birth, which shows the prescience and power of God, so as not to injure free-will. The parents of Cyrus could not give him this name to fulfill the prediction, as they knew nothing of it. Amon was apprised that a person called Josias would overturn idolatry; but he had no reason to suppose that it would be his son, 1 Kings xiii. 2.
My shepherd. Chaldean, "that he shall reign. "This was shown by the Jews to Cyrus, on which account, (Calmet) he gave them leave to return (Josephus, xi. 1.)
The title of shepherd is given to Agamemnon by Homer, and it denotes a good prince, such as historians represent Cyrus to have been. He observed that kings and shepherds had the like duties to perform; (Xenophon viii.) and after his death he was bewailed as a "father. "(Herodotus iii. 89.)
At first he did not bear the name of Cyrus, (Herodotus i. 113.) which in the Persian language means "the sun. "(Ctesias.) (Plut.)
