I was talking to my friend and told him that God indeed did create evil and uses evil to bring about his will. He was shocked. I showed him Isa 45:7. He implied that the Hebrew word meant something like turmoil. I decided to look to the septuigent and see what they thought the Hebrew word meant. I did a brief analysis of what I found and I decided to post it (if you have any comments or suggestions, post them please):
ISAIAH 45:7 IN THE SEPTUIGANT
Isa 45:7 ἐγὼ ὁ κατασκευάσας φῶς καὶ ποιήσας σκότος, ὁ ποιῶν εἰρήνην καὶ κτίζων κακά· ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα πάντα.
My literal word for word translation:
I the constructing light and making darkness the making peace and create evils I Lord the God the doing these all.
My rendering into sensible english:
I [am] the [one] constructing light and [the one] making darkness, the [one] making peace and creating evil; I the Lord God [am] the [one] doing these all.
The Apostolic Bible rendering (Septuagint interlinear):
I [am] the one carefully preparing light, and I made darkness; the one making peace, and [the one] creating [the] bad [things]. I [am the] Lord God, the one doing all these [things].
Concordant Literal Version Hebrew rendering:
Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and Creator of evil. I, Yahweh Elohim, made all of these things.
The Greek word translated evil:
G2556
κακός
kakos
kak-os'
Apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects), that is, (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious: - bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.
2556 kakos {kak-os'}
apparently a primary word; TDNT - 3:469,391; adj
AV - evil 40, evil things 3, harm 2, that which is evil + 3458 2,
wicked 1, ill 1, bad 1, noisome 1; 51
1) of a bad nature
1a) not such as it ought to be
2) of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting
2a) base, wrong, wicked
3) troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful
Examples of κακός used in the Scriptures
Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil [kakos] thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,�
…
Mat 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked [kakos] men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
…
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil [kakos] things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
…
1Co 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil [kakos] things, as they also lusted.
In my opinion, the word-translated evil meant exactly what the English word implies: evil. It is obvious by the Greek rendering of the word.