Isa 44:28, Jer 2:8, 3:15, 10:21, 23:1-2 | JFB | e4.org | 28. my shepherd —type of Messiah ( ). all my pleasure —so Messiah ( ). This is the first time Cyrus is named expressly; and that, a hundred fifty years before the time when in 550 B.C. he began his reign. The name comes from the Persian khorschid, "the sun"; kings often taking their names from the gods; the sun was worshipped as a god in Persia. saying —rather, "and that saith"; construed with God, not with Cyrus. God's word is instantaneously efficient in accomplishing His will. to . . . to —or, " of Jerusalem . . . of the temple," as previously, the same Hebrew word is translated, " of Cyrus" [BARNES ]. English Version is more graphic. Cyrus, according to JOSEPHUS , heard of this prophecy of Isaiah delivered so long before; hence he was induced to do that which was so contrary to Oriental policy, to aid in restoring the captive Jews and rebuilding their temple and city.

‏ Isaiah 44:28

28. my shepherd—type of Messiah (Isa 40:11; Ps 23:1; 77:20; Eze 34:23).

all my pleasure—so Messiah (Isa 42:1; 53:10). This is the first time Cyrus is named expressly; and that, a hundred fifty years before the time when in 550 B.C. he began his reign. The name comes from the Persian khorschid, "the sun"; kings often taking their names from the gods; the sun was worshipped as a god in Persia.

saying—rather, "and that saith"; construed with God, not with Cyrus. God's word is instantaneously efficient in accomplishing His will.

to . . . to—or, "of Jerusalem . . . of the temple," as previously, the same Hebrew word is translated, "of Cyrus" [BARNES]. English Version is more graphic. Cyrus, according to JOSEPHUS, heard of this prophecy of Isaiah delivered so long before; hence he was induced to do that which was so contrary to Oriental policy, to aid in restoring the captive Jews and rebuilding their temple and city.

‏ Jeremiah 2:8

8. The three leading classes, whose very office under the theocracy was to lead the people to God, disowned Him in the same language as the nation at large, "Where is the Lord?" (See Jer 2:6).

priests—whose office it was to expound the law (Mal 2:6, 7).

handle—are occupied with the law as the subject of their profession.

pastors—civil, not religious: princes (Jer 3:15), whose duty it was to tend their people.

prophets—who should have reclaimed the people from their apostasy, encouraged them in it by pretended oracles from Baal, the Ph nician false god.

by Baal—in his name and by his authority (compare Jer 11:21).

walked after things . . . not profit—answering to, "walked after vanity," that is, idols (Jer 2:5; compare Jer 2:11; Hab 2:18).

‏ Jeremiah 3:15

15. pastors—not religious, but civil rulers, as Zerubbabel, Nehemiah (Jer 23:4; 2:8).

‏ Jeremiah 10:21

21. pastors—the rulers, civil and religious. This verse gives the cause of the impending calamity.

‏ Jeremiah 23:1-2

1. pastors—Shallum, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah (Eze 34:2).

2. Ye have not . . . visited them . . . I will visit upon you—just retribution. Play upon the double sense of "visit." "Visit upon," namely, in wrath (Ex 32:34).