Isaiah 46:11

“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, &c.] Or “a flying fowl”, or “swift winged bird”f918; for the word used does not so much denote rapaciousness as swiftness; which well agrees with Cyrus, who is here meant, and not Abraham, as Jarchi, nor Nebuchadnezzar, as others; and who was always swift in all his expeditions, and always recommended celerity and dispatch of business to his soldiers and others, as Xenophonf919 often observes; and very remarkable is that speech of Tigranes to him, in which he tells himf920, that he so far exceeded the king of Armenia in swiftness, that he came upon him with a great army, from a far country, before he could get his army together, which was just by him.…”

“ravenous bird--Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on Isa 41:2; Isa 41:25; Jer 49:22; Eze 17:3). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, XENOPHON, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit). executeth my counsel-- (Isa 44:28; Isa 45:13). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief. purposed . . . also do it-- (Isa 43:13).”

“Calling a ravenous bird from the east - There can be no doubt that Cyrus is intended here (see the notes at Isaiah 41:2, Isaiah 41:25). The east here means Persia. The word rendered ‘ravenous bird’ (עיט ‛ayiṭ) is rendered ‘fowl’ in Job 28:7; ‘bird’ or ‘birds’ in Jeremiah 12:9; ‘fowls’ in Genesis 15:11; Isaiah 18:6; and ‘ravenous birds’ in Ezekiel 39:4. It does not occur elsewhere in the Bible. It is used here as an emblem of a warlike king, and the emblem may either denote the rapidity of his movements - moving with the flight of an eagle; or it may denote the devastation which he would spread - an emblem in either sense especially applicable to Cyrus. It is not uncommon in the Bible to…”

“A bird - Cyrus, called a bird for his swiftness, and ravenous for his fierceness, and victoriousness over his enemies. Isaiah 46:13”

“46:11 The swift bird of prey from the east refers to Cyrus, the Persian king (see study note on 41:2).”

“Calling: Isa 13:2-4, Isa 21:7-9, Isa 41:2, Isa 41:25, Isa 45:1-6; Jer 50:29, Jer 51:20-29 a ravenous bird: Or, "an eagle," a very proper emblem for Cyrus, says Bp. Lowth, as in other respects, so particularly because the ensign of Cyrus was a golden eagle, ΑΕΤΟΣ χρυσους, the very word ayit which the prophet uses here, expressed as near as may be in Greek letters. Eze 39:4 the man: Isa 44:28, Isa 45:13, Isa 48:14, Isa 48:15; Ezr 1:2; Psa 76:10; Act 4:28 that executeth my counsel: Heb. of my counsel, Psa 119:24 \*marg. I have spoken: Isa 14:24-27, Isa 38:15; Num 23:19; Job 23:13; Jer 50:45; Act 5:39; Eph 1:11; Eph 3:11 Isaiah 46:12”