Isaiah 45:7
New International Version
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

New Living Translation
I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.

English Standard Version
I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Berean Standard Bible
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

King James Bible
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

New King James Version
I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.

New American Standard Bible
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.

NASB 1995
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

NASB 1977
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

Legacy Standard Bible
The One forming light and creating darkness, Producing peace and creating calamity; I am Yahweh who does all these.

Amplified Bible
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing peace and creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.

Christian Standard Bible
I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I, Yahweh, do all these things.”

American Standard Version
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.

Contemporary English Version
I create light and darkness, happiness and sorrow. I, the LORD, do all this.

English Revised Version
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I make light and create darkness. I make blessings and create disasters. I, the LORD, do all these things.

Good News Translation
I create both light and darkness; I bring both blessing and disaster. I, the LORD, do all these things.

International Standard Version
"I form light and create darkness, I make goodness and create disaster. I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Majority Standard Bible
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

NET Bible
I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am the LORD, who accomplishes all these things.

New Heart English Bible
I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Webster's Bible Translation
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

World English Bible
I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am Yahweh, who does all these things.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Forming light, and creating darkness, "" Making peace, and creating calamity, "" I [am] YHWH, doing all these things.

Young's Literal Translation
Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I am Jehovah, doing all these things.'

Smith's Literal Translation
I shall form light and create darkness: making peace and creating evil: I Jehovah doing all these.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I form the light, and create darkness, I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord that do all these things.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I form the light and create the darkness. I make peace and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things.

New American Bible
I form the light, and create the darkness, I make weal and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things.

New Revised Standard Version
I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the LORD do all these things.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I form light and create darkness; I make peace and create hardship; I the LORD do all these things.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For he formed light and he created darkness, he made peace and he created evil. I AM LORD JEHOVAH, I who have done all these things
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I am he that prepared light, and formed darkness; who make peace, and create evil; I am the Lord God, that does all these things.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Calls Cyrus
6so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things. 8Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.…

Cross References
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. / Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. / And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Amos 3:6
If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

Job 2:10
“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Lamentations 3:38
Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?

Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

1 Samuel 2:6-7
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. / The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

Jeremiah 18:6-10
“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. / At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. / But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring. ...

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Psalm 104:24-30
How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. / Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. / There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there. ...

Psalm 75:6-7
For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert, / but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.

Romans 9:19-21
One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” / But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?” / Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

Colossians 1:16-17
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. / He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.


Treasury of Scripture

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

form

Genesis 1:3-5,17,18
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light…

Psalm 8:3
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

Psalm 104:20-23
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth

create darkness

Exodus 10:21-23
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt…

Exodus 14:20
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Jeremiah 13:16
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

I make Peace

Isaiah 10:5,6
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation…

Job 2:10
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job 34:29
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

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Blessing Calamity Causing Create Creating Dark Darkness Disaster Evil Form Forming Giver Light Maker Making Peace Preparing Prosperity Sending Well-Being Woe
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Blessing Calamity Causing Create Creating Dark Darkness Disaster Evil Form Forming Giver Light Maker Making Peace Preparing Prosperity Sending Well-Being Woe
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














I form light
The Hebrew word for "form" is "yatsar," which conveys the idea of shaping or fashioning with intention and purpose. In the context of creation, it reflects God's sovereign power and artistry. Light, in the biblical sense, often symbolizes goodness, truth, and divine revelation. The act of forming light signifies God's role as the source of all that is good and illuminating in the world, both physically and spiritually. This phrase underscores the belief that God is the origin of all creation, bringing order and clarity to chaos.

and create darkness
The Hebrew word for "create" is "bara," a term used exclusively for divine creation, indicating an act of bringing something into existence from nothing. Darkness, in this context, can represent mystery, the unknown, or even judgment. By stating that He creates darkness, God asserts His control over all aspects of existence, including those that are beyond human understanding. This duality of light and darkness highlights God's comprehensive sovereignty over the universe, encompassing both the seen and unseen.

I bring prosperity
The word "prosperity" here is translated from the Hebrew "shalom," which is often understood as peace, completeness, or welfare. It is a state of harmony and well-being that extends beyond mere material wealth to include spiritual and relational wholeness. God's ability to bring prosperity emphasizes His desire for His creation to experience fullness of life and His active role in bestowing blessings and peace upon His people.

and create calamity
The term "calamity" is derived from the Hebrew word "ra," which can mean evil, disaster, or adversity. In this context, it refers to the challenges and trials that God allows or orchestrates for His purposes. This phrase acknowledges that God is not only the author of peace but also permits or uses difficult circumstances to fulfill His divine plan. It serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and the belief that He can use even adverse situations for the greater good and His glory.

I, the LORD, do all these things
The use of "LORD" in all capitals signifies the Hebrew name "YHWH," the personal and covenantal name of God. This declaration of divine action reinforces the central theme of God's sovereignty and omnipotence. By stating "I, the LORD, do all these things," God affirms His active involvement in the world and His ultimate control over all events. It is a call to trust in His wisdom and purpose, recognizing that everything is under His divine governance.

(7) I make peace, and create evil . . .--The words have no bearing on the insoluble problem of what we call the origin of evil. "Evil," as opposed to "peace" or prosperity, is suffering, but not sin; normally, in the Divine counsels, at once the consequence and corrective of moral evil (comp. Isaiah 47:11; Isaiah 57:1.)

Verse 7. - I form the light, and create darkness. It has been recently denied that there is any allusion in these words, or in those which follow, to the Zoroastrian tenets; and it has even been asserted that the religion of the early Achaemenian kings was free from the taint of dualism. But according to some authorities, "a god of lies" is mentioned in the Behistun inscription; and the evidence is exceedingly strong that dualism was an essential part of the Zoroastrian religion long before the time of Cyrus (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. pp. 332, 333, 2nd edit.). It is quite reasonable to suppose that Isaiah would be acquainted with the belief of the Persians and Medes, who had come in contact with the Assyrians as early as B.C.. 830; and a warning against the chief error of their religion would be quite in place when he was holding up Cyrus to his countrymen as entitled to their respect and veneration. The nexus of the words, "I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness," is such as naturally to suggest an intended antagonism to the Zoroastrian system. Under that, Ormuzd created "light" and "peace," Ahriman "darkness" and "evil." The two were eternal adversaries, engaged in an inter-ruinable contest. Ormuzd, it is true, claimed the undivided allegiance of mankind, since he was their maker; but Ahriman was a great power, terribly formidable - perhaps a god (diva) - certainly the chief of the devas. It was from Zoroastrianism that Manicheism derived its doctrine of the two principles, and to the same source may, with much probability, be traced the "devil-worshippers" of the Zagros mountain chain.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I form
יוֹצֵ֥ר (yō·w·ṣêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3335: To mould into a, form, as a, potter, to determine

light
אוֹר֙ (’ō·wr)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

and create
וּבוֹרֵ֣א (ū·ḇō·w·rê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1254: To create, to cut down, select, feed

darkness;
חֹ֔שֶׁךְ (ḥō·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

I bring
עֹשֶׂ֥ה (‘ō·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

prosperity
שָׁל֖וֹם (šā·lō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

and create
וּב֣וֹרֵא (ū·ḇō·w·rê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1254: To create, to cut down, select, feed

calamity.
רָ֑ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

I,
אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

the LORD,
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

do
עֹשֶׂ֥ה (‘ō·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

these things.
אֵֽלֶּה׃ (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 45:7 I form the light and create darkness (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 45:6
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