Isaiah 45:3

3 I will give you treasures from dark, secret places; then you will know that I am the Lord and that the God of Israel has called you by name.

Isaiah 45:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 45:3

And I will give thee treasures of darkness, and hidden riches
of secret places
What had been laid up in private places, and had not seen the light for many years. The Jewish Rabbins say F6, that Nebuchadnezzar having amassed together all the riches of the world, when he drew near his end, considered with himself to whom he should leave it; and being unwilling to leave it to Evilmerodach, he ordered ships of brass to be built, and filled them with it, and dug a place in Euphrates, and hid them in it, and turned the river upon them; and that day that Cyrus ordered the temple to be built, the Lord revealed them to him: the riches of Croesus king of Lydia, taken by Cyrus, are meant; especially what he found in Babylon, which abounded in riches, ( Jeremiah 51:13 ) . Pliny F7 says, when he conquered Asia, he brought away thirty four thousand pounds of gold, besides golden vessels, and five hundred thousand talents of silver, and the cup of Semiramis, which weighed fifteen talents. Xenophon F8 makes mention of great riches and treasures which Cyrus received from Armenius, Gobryas, and Croesus: that thou mayest know that I the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am
the God of Israel;
to call him by name two hundred years, or near it, before he was born, was a proof that he was God omniscient, and knew things before they were, and could call things that were not, as though they were; and this Cyrus was made acquainted with; for, as Josephus


FOOTNOTES:

F9 says, he read this prophecy in Isaiah concerning him; and all this being exactly fulfilled in him, obliged him to acknowledge him the Lord, to be the Lord God of heaven, and the Lord God of Israel, ( Ezra 1:2 Ezra 1:3 ) .
F6 Vide Abendana in Miclol Yophi in Ioc.
F7 Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3.
F8 Cyropaedia, l. 3. c. 3. l. 5. c. 4. l. 7. c. 14.
F9 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 1. sect. 2.

Isaiah 45:3 In-Context

1 The Lord has chosen Cyrus to be king. He has appointed him to conquer nations; he sends him to strip kings of their power; the Lord will open the gates of cities for him. To Cyrus the Lord says,
2 "I myself will prepare your way, leveling mountains and hills. I will break down bronze gates and smash their iron bars.
3 I will give you treasures from dark, secret places; then you will know that I am the Lord and that the God of Israel has called you by name.
4 I appoint you to help my servant Israel, the people that I have chosen. I have given you great honor, although you do not know me.
5 "I am the Lord; there is no other god. I will give you the strength you need, although you do not know me.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.