God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 45:2
2I will go ahead of you, Cyrus, and smooth out the rough places. I will break down the bronze doors and cut through the iron bars.
Isaiah 45:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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,
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
Context of Isaiah 45:2
1This is what the Lord says about Cyrus, his anointed one: I have held him by his right hand so he could conquer the nations ahead of him, strip kings of their power, and open doors ahead of him so that the gates would not be shut. I will go ahead of you, Cyrus, and smooth out the rough places. I will break down the bronze doors and cut through the iron bars. 3I will give you treasures from dark places and hidden stockpiles. Then you will know that I, the Lord God of Israel, have called you by name. 4For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by name. I have given you a title of honor, although you don’t know me.
Read all of Isaiah 45Isaiah 45:2 word by word
אֲנִי֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֵלֵ֔ךְ וַהֲדוּרִ֖ים אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר דַּלְת֤וֹת נְחוּשָׁה֙ אֲשַׁבֵּ֔ר וּבְרִיחֵ֥י בַרְזֶ֖ל אֲגַדֵּֽעַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I will goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- thee, and makeיָשַׁרyâshar · to smoothH3474
- the crooked placesהָדַרhâdar · to honorH1921
- I will break in piecesשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- the gatesדֶּ֫לֶתdeleth · doorH1817
- of brassנְחוּשָׁהnechûshâh nechûshâh · bronzeH5154
- and cut in sunderגָּדַעgâda‛ · to cut down/offH1438
- the barsבְּרִיחַberîyach · barH1280
- of ironבַּרְזֶלbarzel · ironH1270
Cross-references for Isaiah 45:2
- Isaiah 13:4Listen to the noise on the mountains. It is like the sound of a large army. It is the sound of kingdoms and nations gathering together. The Lord of Armies is assembling his army for battle.
- Isaiah 40:4Every valley will be raised. Every mountain and hill will be lowered. Steep places will be made level. Rough places will be made smooth.
- Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
- Acts 1:15At a time when about 120 disciples had gathered together, Peter got up and spoke to them. He said,
- Luke 3:5Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight. The rough roads will be made smooth.
- Psalms 107:16He shattered bronze gates and cut iron bars in two.
Commentaries on Isaiah 45:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The crooked places "The mountains" - For הדורים hodurim, crooked places, a word not easily accounted for in this place, the Septuagint read הררים hararim, , the mountains. Two MSS. have הדרים hadarim, without the ו vau, which is hardly distinguishable from the reading of the Septuagint. The Divine protection that attended Cyrus, and rendered his expedition against Babylon easy and prosperous is finely expressed by God's going before him, and making the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2I will go before thee - To prepare the way for conquest, a proof that it is by the providence of God that the proud conquerors of the earth are enabled to triumph. The idea is, I will take away everything that would retard or oppose your victorious march. And make the crooked paths straight - (See the note at Isaiah 40:4). The Chaldee renders this, My word shall go before thee, and I will prostrate the walls.‘ Lowth renders it, Make the mountains plain.‘…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8The Lord alone is sovereign over history. He raised up Cyrus of Persia to execute judgment on Babylon and restore Israel to the Holy Land.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. crooked ... straight--(Is 40:4), rather, "maketh mountains plain" [Lowth], that is, clear out of thy way all opposing persons and things. The Keri reads as in Is 45:13, "make straight" (Margin). gates of brass--(Psa 107:16). Herodotus (1.179) says, Babylon had a hundred massive gates, twenty-five on each of the four sides of the city, all, as well as their posts, of brass. bars of iron--with which the gates were fastened.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 45:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 45
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries