Isaiah 45:2-3

45:2 “I will go before you

and level mountains. ¹ 

Bronze doors I will shatter

and iron bars ²  I will hack through.

45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, ³ 

riches stashed away in secret places,

so you may recognize that I am the Lord,

the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.

Isaiah 45:1

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ⁴  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ⁵ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ⁶ 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

Colossians 4:5

4:5 Conduct yourselves ⁷  with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities.

[45:2]  ¹ tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).

[45:2]  ² tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”

[45:3]  ³ tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”

[45:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ⁵ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”

[4:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “walk.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is a common NT idiom for one’s lifestyle, behavior, or manner of conduct (L&N 41.11).