Isaiah 45:2

2 'I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars.

Isaiah 45:2 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 45:2

I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight,
&c.] Or, "level the hilly places" ^F3; as pioneers do. The sense is, that he would remove all impediments and obstructions out of his way, and cause him to surmount all difficulties: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars
of iron;
with which the brasen gates were barred: in the wall that surrounded Babylon there were a hundred gates, all made of solid brass, twenty five on each side of the square; which, no doubt, are here referred to; which could not hinder the entrance of Cyrus into the city, and the taking of it; though they were not then destroyed by him, but by Darius afterwards ^F4 these gates of brass are mentioned by Abydenus ^F5, as made by Nebuchadnezzar, and as continuing till the empire of the Macedonians.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 The Septuagint render the word by (orh) , mountains; Gussetius by eminences, high places, such as stood in the way of passage into countries. The Vulgate Latin interprets it of glorious persons; and Abendana says it is right to understand it in this way; and applies it to Zerubbabel, and those that went up with him to Jerusalem, with the leave of Cyrus, who were good men, and honourable in their works, whom the Lord directed in their way right, and prospered them in the building of the temple,
F4 Herodot. l. 1. c. 179. l. 3. c. 159.
F5 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 41. p. 457.

Isaiah 45:2 In-Context

1 "Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,

2 'I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars.

3 I will give you treasures that are hidden away in dark places. I will give you riches that are stored up in secret places. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I am sending for you by name.

4 Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servants. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor.

5 I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong.