The Meaning of Isaiah 41:2 Explained

Isaiah 41:2

KJV: Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

YLT: Who stirred up from the east a righteous one? He calleth him to His foot, He giveth before him nations, And kings He causeth him to rule, He giveth them as dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow.

Darby: Who raised up from the east him whom righteousness calleth to its foot? He gave the nations before him, and caused him to have dominion over kings; he gave them as dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow.

ASV: Who hath raised up one from the east, whom he calleth in righteousness to his foot? he giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; he giveth them as the dust to his sword, as the driven stubble to his bow.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who raised up  the righteous  [man] from the east,  called  him to his foot,  gave  the nations  before  him, and made [him] rule  over kings?  he gave  [them] as the dust  to his sword,  [and] as driven  stubble  to his bow. 

What does Isaiah 41:2 Mean?

Study Notes

the righteous man from the east
The reference here seems to be to Cyrus, whose victories and rapid growth in power are here ascribed to the providence of God. Isaiah 41:5-7 describe the effect upon the nations of the rise of the Persian power. They heartened each other, and made ( Is 41:7 ) new idols. At Isaiah 41:8 the prophet addresses Israel. Since it was their God who raised up Cyrus, they should expect good, not evil, from him ( Isaiah 41:8-20 ). Isaiah 41:21-24 form a contemptuous challenge to the idols in whom the nations are trusting.

Context Summary

Isaiah 41:1-16 - The Lord Upholdeth His Servant
The conception of this passage is superb. Jehovah is represented as summoning the earth to determine whether He or some idol of the heathen is the true God, Isaiah 41:7. Also see Isaiah 41:23. The test proposed is a simple one! Which can most precisely predict the future? Not, as in Elijah's case, is the appeal made to fire, but to the fitting of prophecy with historical fulfillment. See Isaiah 41:22-23.
While this great arbitration is in process, God turns with tender assurances to His own people. They were at this time captives in Babylon. They were poor and needy. They were surrounded by strong and crafty foes, against whom they were as powerless as a worm. But no height, however precipitous, or depth, however profound, could separate them from His love. Heart and flesh might fail, but He would strengthen; difficulties might appear insurmountable, but He would help. He does more. He takes His people, weak as worms, and makes them, if they but yield to Him, sharp threshing instruments having teeth before which the powers of evil become as chaff. O man, listen to God saying, I will make. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 41

1  God expostulates with his people, about his mercies to the church
10  About his promises
21  And about the vanity of idols

What do the individual words in Isaiah 41:2 mean?

Who raised up one from the east who in righteousness called him to his feet who gave before him the nations and over kings made [him] rule who gave [them] as the dust [to] his sword as stubble driven to His bow
מִ֤י הֵעִיר֙ מִמִּזְרָ֔ח צֶ֖דֶק יִקְרָאֵ֣הוּ לְרַגְל֑וֹ יִתֵּ֨ן לְפָנָ֤יו גּוֹיִם֙ ؟ וּמְלָכִ֣ים יַ֔רְדְּ יִתֵּ֤ן כֶּֽעָפָר֙ חַרְבּ֔וֹ כְּקַ֥שׁ נִדָּ֖ף קַשְׁתּֽוֹ

הֵעִיר֙  raised  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
מִמִּזְרָ֔ח  one  from  the  east 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְרָח  
Sense: place of sunrise, east.
צֶ֖דֶק  who  in  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
יִקְרָאֵ֣הוּ  called  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לְרַגְל֑וֹ  to  his  feet 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
יִתֵּ֨ן  who  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְפָנָ֤יו  before  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
גּוֹיִם֙  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
؟ וּמְלָכִ֣ים  and  over  kings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יַ֔רְדְּ  made  [him]  rule 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: רָדָה 
Sense: to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down.
יִתֵּ֤ן  who  gave  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
כֶּֽעָפָר֙  as  the  dust 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
חַרְבּ֔וֹ  [to]  his  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
כְּקַ֥שׁ  as  stubble 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַשׁ  
Sense: stubble, chaff.
נִדָּ֖ף  driven 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָדַף  
Sense: to drive, drive away, drive asunder.
קַשְׁתּֽוֹ  to  His  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.