That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

ISAIAH 44:28KJV
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Isaiah 44:28 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 44:28 mean?

Isaiah 44:28 says that God calls Cyrus “my shepherd,” declaring that Cyrus will carry out God’s wishes by ordering Jerusalem to be rebuilt and the temple’s foundation to be laid. This verse names Cyrus, a future Persian king, as the one chosen by God to restore Jerusalem after its destruction.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel, many years before Cyrus was born. The situation is that Jerusalem and its temple would eventually be destroyed, but God promises that a foreign ruler—Cyrus—will be the one to allow their restoration. This is a striking prophecy because it names a specific person who would later play a key role in Israel’s history.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 44:28

  • כּוֹרֶשׁ (Koresh, “Cyrus”): This is the name of the Persian king who would later conquer Babylon and permit the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem. Naming him long before his birth highlights God’s control over history.
  • רֹעִי (ro‘i, “shepherd”): This word often describes someone who leads and cares for people, like a shepherd with sheep. Here, God uses it for a non-Israelite king, showing that God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes.
  • יְשַׁלֵּם (yeshallem, “perform” or “complete”): This verb means to bring something to completion or fulfill. It emphasizes that Cyrus will fully carry out what God wants.
  • חֵפֶץ (chephets, “pleasure” or “will”): This word refers to what God desires or delights in. The verse stresses that Cyrus will accomplish exactly what God intends.

Why Isaiah 44:28 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that only Israelites could be chosen by God for important roles; God calls a foreign king “my shepherd” and uses him to bless Israel.
  • Isaiah 44:28 connects directly to the next chapter, where Cyrus is called “God’s anointed,” underlining how remarkable it was for Isaiah to name a future ruler so specifically.
  • The verse reassures the people that even after destruction, God has a plan for restoration, and He is in control of world events, even using unlikely people to fulfill His promises.