Bible Question: the prophecy of the gates being left open? |
Bible Answer: Hello again Dfriars! Gates of Babylon.. Isa_45:1; Isa_45:2; Jer_51:58; According to the NIV Study Bible.. "(Isaiah) 45:2 gates of bronze ... bars of iron. Normally the doors of city gates were made of wood, and the bars were metal (see Judg. 16:3 and note)." "(Jeremiah) 51:44 wall of Babylon. A wall of double construction, the outer wall (12 feet thick) being separated from the inner wall (21 feet thick) by a dry moat 23 feet wide." "(Jeremiah) 51:58 high gates. The famous Ishtar Gate was almost 40 feet high." From the Ryrie NASB Expanded Edition Study Bible.. "(Isaiah) 45:1 open doors. On the night the Persians captured Babylon some of the men entered on the dry river bed and opened the gates to their armies from the inside." And the Nelson NKJV Study Bible.. "(Isaiah) 45:1 ... The double doors, which were part of the gates connected with Babylon's defensive moat, were not shut when Cyrus captured Babylon (Isaiah 44:27)." "(Isaiah) 45:2 ... Babylon had one hundred gates of bronze." And the MacArthur NKJV Study Bible.. "(Isaiah) 45:1,2 double doors ... gates ... gates of bronze. Probably this was a reference to the many gates in the city wall of Babylon which Cyrus entered with relative ease. The inner gates leading from the river to the city were left open, as were the palace doors. Herodotus, the Greek historian, reported that the openness of the city was so great that the Persians were taking prisoners as they moved to the palace in the center." I hope this helps! - Nolan |