Luke 3:5

Valley (paragx). Here only in the N.T., though in the LXX and ancient Greek. It is a ravine or valley hedged in by precipices. Shall be filled (plhrwqhsetai). Future passive indicative of plhrow. In 1845 when the Sultan visited Brusa the inhabitants were called out to clear the roads of rocks and to fill up the hollows. Oriental monarchs often did this very thing. A royal courier would go ahead to issue the call. So the Messiah sends his herald (John) before him to prepare the way for him. Isaiah described the preparation for the Lord's triumphal march and John used it with great force. Hill (bouno). Called a Cyrenaic word by Herodotus, but later Greek writers use it as does the LXX. Brought low (tapeinwqhsetai). Future passive indicative of tapeinow. Literal meaning here of a verb common in the metaphorical sense. Crooked (skolia). Common word, curved, opposite of orqo or euqu, straight.