Isaiah 45:2

2 I will go before you and will level the mountains^[a] ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Isaiah 45:1 NEXT Isaiah 45:3

Isaiah 45:2 in Other Translations

KJV

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

ESV

2 "I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,

NLT

2 This is what the LORD says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

MSG

2 "I'll go ahead of you, clearing and paving the road. I'll break down bronze city gates, smash padlocks, kick down barred entrances.

CSB

2 "I will go before you and level the uneven places; I will shatter the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two.

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.

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Isaiah 45:2 In-Context

1 “This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

2 I will go before you and will level the mountains ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,

Cross References 4

1. Exodus 23:20
2. S Isaiah 40:4
3. S Isaiah 13:2
4. Psalms 107:16; Psalms 147:13; Jeremiah 51:30; Lamentations 2:9; Nahum 3:13

Footnotes 1

[a]. Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.