This verse refers to Cyrus the Persian emperor. He will accomplish what Yahweh has planned for him to do.

Calling a bird of prey from the east: God compares Cyrus to a bird of prey, which is a bird that preys on small birds and animals (see the comments on 18.6). Cyrus will attack his enemies and defeat them swiftly like such a bird does with its prey. The expression chosen for bird of prey should not have negative connotations here, so a bird that feeds on carrion should not be chosen. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch uses “eagle,” and Good News Translation has “hawk.” Translators may express this metaphor as a simile by rendering this line as “I have called a man from the east who is like a bird of prey.” For from the east, see the comments on 41.2.

The man of my counsel from a far country describes Cyrus as the person who will fulfill what Yahweh intends for him to do. For my counsel, see the previous verse. From a far country is parallel to from the east, referring to the same location. For the first two lines of this verse Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “I now call the eagle from the east, the man from a distant land, who will carry out my plan.” Good News Translation has a much freer rendering with “I am calling a man from the east; he will swoop down like a hawk and accomplish what I have planned.” Some languages may prefer this model if a more literal rendering proves difficult.

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it: These two parallel lines speak of Yahweh’s determination to fulfill all his plans regarding Cyrus. The pronoun it refers to these plans. The Hebrew verb translated purposed is often rendered “formed” elsewhere in Isaiah (see, for example, 45.18). This verb has a wide semantic range. Here it refers to the creation of plans (see the comments on 22.11, where it is rendered “planned”). There are four short affirmations in these two lines. In Hebrew the first two and the last one have the emphatic particle ʾap. Bible en français courant expresses the emphasis here by saying “Soon said, soon done! Plan conceived, plan realized!” Good News Translation loses it by combining these two lines, saying “I have spoken, and it will be done.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• I summon a bird of prey from the east,
a person from afar who will fulfill my plan.
I have spoken and I will bring it about;
I have made my plan, and I will execute it.

• I call someone from the east who is like a bird of prey,
someone from afar who will do as I intend.
I have spoken, and I will cause it to happen;
I have planned, and I will carry it out.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .