Teks -- Isaiah 45:2 (NET)

45:2 “I will go before you and level mountains. Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars I will hack through.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 45:2 - Go

To remove all obstructions, to destroy all them that oppose thee, and carry thee through the greatest difficulties.

JFB: Isa 45:2 - crooked . . . straight

(Isa 40:4), rather, "maketh mountains plain" [LOWTH], that is, clear out of thy way all opposing persons and things. The Keri reads as in Isa 45:13, "make straight" (Margin).

JFB: Isa 45:2 - 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.

JFB: Isa 45:2 - bars of iron

With which the gates were fastened.

Clarke: Isa 45:2

The crooked places "The mountains"- For הדורים hodurim , crooked places, a word not easily accounted for in this place, the Septuagint read הררים hararim , τα ορη, 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 mountains level. The image is highly poetical: -

At vos, qua veniet, tumidi subsidite montes

Et faciles curvis vallibus este viae

Ovid, Amor. 2:16

"Let the lofty mountains fall down

and make level paths in the crooked valleys.

The gates of brass "The valves of brass"- Abydenus, apud, Euseb. Praep. Evang. 9:41, says, that the wall of Babylon had brazen gates. And Herodotus, i, 179. more particularly: "In the wall all round there are a hundred gates, all of brass; and so in like manner are the sides and the lintels."The gates likewise within the city, opening to the river from the several streets, were of brass; as were those also of the temple of Belus. - Herod. i., 180, 181.

Calvin: Isa 45:2 - I will go before thee // That thou mayest know that I am Jehovah // Calling thee by thy name // The God of Israel

2. and 3.I will go before thee These two verses contain nothing new; but, in general, he shews that Cyrus will gain an easy and rapid victory, because he will have the Lord for the leader of his expedition. Accordingly he promises that all crooked paths shall be made straight, because God will remove every obstruction. Now, since money is the sinews of war, and Cyrus came from the scorched and poor mountains of Persia, Jehovah says that treasures which were formerly hidden and concealed shall come into the hands of Cyrus, so that, laden with rich booty, he shall have enough for defraying any expenditure; for by the treasures of darkness he means those which lay concealed, and as it were buried in safe and deep places of defense. It is abundantly clear from history, that all these things happened; for by taking Croesus, king of Lydia, who was at that time the richest of all men, he obtained large sums of money. Nor would any one have expected that he would gain victories so easily; and the reason of so great success is now added, because the Lord called and directed him, that he might give in him an illustrious demonstration of his power; for he adds —

That thou mayest know that I am Jehovah True, Cyrus, as we formerly said, though he acknowledged that the God of Israel is the true God, and was filled with admiration, yet was not converted to him, and never embraced his pure worship according to the standard of the Law. This was therefore special knowledge, that is, so far as he assisted the Church, for whose deliverance he was appointed; and therefore it was necessary that he should be under the influence of this knowledge, in order that he might execute this work of God. Thus he does not speak of that knowledge by which we are enlightened, or about the Spirit of regeneration, but about special knowledge, such as men destitute of religion ¹⁹⁴ may possess.

Calling thee by thy name From some commentators this mode of expression has received a trivial interpretation, that “before Cyrus was born, God called and described him by his name.” But we have seen in a former passage, (Isa 43:1,) that the Prophet, while he used the same form of expression, meant something different; for God is said to “call by name” those whom he has chosen, and whom he appoints to perform some particular work, that they may be separated from the multitude. This word denotes closer and more familiar intercourse. Thus a shepherd is said to “call his sheep by name,” (Joh 10:3,) because he knows them individually. This applies indeed, in the highest degree, to believers, whom God reckons as belonging to his flock, and to the number of the citizens of his Church. God did not bestow this favor on Cyrus; but because, by appointing him to be the leader of so excellent a deliverance, he engraved on him distinguished marks of his power; with good reason is the commendation of an excellent calling applied to him.

The God of Israel This ought to be carefully observed; for superstitious men ascribe to their idols the victories which they have obtained, and, as Habakkuk (Hab 1:16) says, “They sacrifice every one to his god;” and therefore they wander in their thoughts, and conceive in their hearts any deity that they fancy, while they ought to acknowledge that Jehovah is the only and true God. What is said of Cyrus ought to be much more applied to us, that we may not fashion any knowledge of God according to our fancy, but may distinguish him from idols, so as to embrace him alone, and to know him in Christ alone, apart from whom nothing but an idol, or even a devil can be worshipped. In that; respect, therefore, let us surpass Cyrus, to whom the knowledge of God was revealed, so that we may lay aside superstitions and all false worship, and may thus adore him in a holy and upright manner.

TSK: Isa 45:2 - go before // make // break

go before : Isa 13:4-17

make : Isa 40:4, Isa 42:16; Act 1:15; Luk 3:5

break : Psa 107:16

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 45:2 - I will go before thee // I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron

I will go before thee to remove all obstructions, and to prepare the way for thee, as it follows.

I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron I will destroy all them that oppose thee, and carry thee through the greatest difficulties.

PBC: Isa 45:2

See Philpot: TREASURES OF DARKNESS

Haydock: Isa 45:2 - Brass

Brass. Babylon had 100 such gates. (Herodotus i. 179.)

Gill: Isa 45:2 - 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

I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight,.... Or, "level the hilly places" ^c; 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 ^d these gates of brass are mentioned by Abydenus ^e, as made by Nebuchadnezzar, and as continuing till the empire of the Macedonians.