ישעיהו, פרק מ״ה, פסוק ד׳

Behind the unprecedented historical success of the Persian King Cyrus lies a profound hidden motive. The grand political and military shifts of the world are often driven by a deliberate divine providence focused entirely on the people of Israel. The primary approach among commentators is that the immense power and greatness granted to Cyrus were not awarded because of his own merit or for his personal glory. Rather, his rise was orchestrated solely for the sake of God's chosen nation. Cyrus was elevated with a specific mission: to destroy the Babylonian empire that heavily oppressed the Israelites, to liberate them from exile, and to pave the way for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Even when the nation falls to a low spiritual state, they remain chosen, and God performs and foretells miracles on their behalf [מלבי״ם].

To demonstrate absolute control over the course of history, God addresses Cyrus directly, revealing that He called him and granted him a title of honor and greatness long before the events unfolded [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון]. This divine calling served to publicize Cyrus's identity and destiny to the world [אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. In fact, prophets spoke of Cyrus, identifying him either by his explicit name or through specific hints and titles, many years before he was even born and before the Babylonian exile had even begun [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

Despite this intimate divine orchestration, a fascinating contrast emerges: Cyrus did not actually know God. A common understanding is that this simply reflects the fact that Cyrus had not yet been born when the prophecy was delivered. This reinforces the idea that his victories stemmed from a predetermined divine plan rather than his own personal virtues [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, שד״ל]. Furthermore, as he conquered nations, Cyrus acted in complete unawareness that God was the one directing his every step to bring down Babylon [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. This lack of awareness was deep-rooted, as neither Cyrus nor his ancestors had ever recognized God [שד״ל].

Alternatively, this lack of knowledge is viewed as a sharp criticism of Cyrus's actions. According to this perspective, Cyrus did not truly know God because he failed to fulfill His will completely. God expected the king to personally lead the exiles back to their land and actively participate in the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem. Instead, Cyrus merely granted the Israelites permission to return, effectively shedding the practical burden from his own shoulders [רש״י, אברבנאל]. An intriguing historical tradition notes that Cyrus—whose very name means 'dog' in Persian—was saved from death as an infant and raised by a dog in the forest. He had vowed to return the exiles and rebuild the Temple if he defeated Babylon. Ultimately, because he did not carry out this monumental task himself, he is regarded as one who failed to truly do the will of God [אברבנאל].