The Meaning of Isaiah 45:4 Explained

Isaiah 45:4

KJV: For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

YLT: For the sake of my servant Jacob, And of Israel My chosen, I call also thee by thy name, I surname thee, And thou hast not known Me.

Darby: For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have called thee by thy name; I surnamed thee, though thou didst not know me;

ASV: For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For Jacob  my servant's  sake, and Israel  mine elect,  I have even called  thee by thy name:  I have surnamed  thee, though thou hast not known  me. 

What does Isaiah 45:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Second, God chose to use Cyrus for the sake of the Israelites, so He might fulfill His promises to them. It was Yahweh"s choice of him that had resulted in Cyrus" honorific titles (Shepherd, Isaiah 44:28, and Anointed, Isaiah 45:1). People do not have to be believers in Him for God to use them and bless them. The choice is His; He is sovereign.

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 45:4 mean?

For sake of My servant Jacob and Israel My Chosen and I have even called you by your name I have named you and though not you have known Me
לְמַ֙עַן֙ עַבְדִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּחִירִ֑י וָאֶקְרָ֤א לְךָ֙ בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ אֲכַנְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי

לְמַ֙עַן֙  For  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
עַבְדִּ֣י  of  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יַעֲקֹ֔ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  and  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּחִירִ֑י  My  Chosen 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בָּחִיר  
Sense: chosen, choice one, chosen one, elect (of God).
וָאֶקְרָ֤א  and  I  have  even  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ  by  your  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אֲכַנְּךָ֖  I  have  named  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּנָה  
Sense: to title, surname, be surnamed, give an epithet or cognomen, give a flattering title.
וְלֹ֥א  and  though  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְדַעְתָּֽנִי  you  have  known  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.