Isaiah 62:10 · Bible study
Isaiah 62:10 Commentary: The Highway of Salvation and the Nations' Banner
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of the commands in Isaiah 62:10: who is addressed, what the gates and banner mean, and how the verse points to restoration and the gospel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A prophetic summons to prepare a way for God's people to return from exile, foreshadowing the gospel invitation to all nations.
- Key words: עִבְרוּ (pass through), פַּנּוּ (make clear), סֹלּוּ (build up), נֵס (banner).
- Main debate: Whether the addressees are the exiles themselves, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, or a general call to all who assist.
- Theological theme: God removes obstacles and rallies his people under a sign that draws the nations.
- Best use: As a text on God's initiative in salvation and our calling to participate in preparing hearts for his coming.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
WEB World English Bible 2000
Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way of the people! Build up, build up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a banner for the peoples.
KJV King James Version 1769
Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up an ensign for the peoples.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Pass ye on, pass on through the gates, Prepare ye the way of the people, Raise up, raise up the highway, clear it from stones, Lift up an ensign over the peoples.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a banner for the peoples.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people, make the road plain, pick out the stones, and lift up the standard to the people.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Pasad, pasad por las puertas; barred el camino al pueblo; allanad, allanad la calzada, quitad las piedras, alzad pendón á los pueblos.
Passai! Passai pelas portas! Preparai o caminho ao povo! Aplanai! Aplanai a estrada, limpai -a das pedras! Levantai uma bandeira aos povos!
Franchissez, franchissez les portes!
Gehet hin, gehet hin durch die Tore! bereitet dem Volk den Weg! machet Bahn, machet Bahn! räumet die Steine hinweg! werft ein Panier auf über die Völker!
Gaat door, gaat door, door de poorten, bereidt den weg des volks; verhoogt, verhoogt een baan, ruimt de stenen weg, steekt een banier omhoog tot de volken!
Passate, passate per le porte! Preparate la via per il popolo! Acconciate, acconciate la strada, toglietene le pietre, alzate una bandiera dinanzi ai popoli!
Przechodźcie, przechodźcie przez bramy! gotujcie drogę ludowi; wyrównajcie, wyrównajcie gościńce; wybierzcie kamienie, podnieście chorągiew do narodów.
Проходите, проходите в ворота, приготовляйте путь народу! Ровняйте, ровняйте дорогу, убирайте камни, поднимите знамя для народов!
你們當從門 經過 經過，預備 百姓 的路；修築 修築 大道，撿去 石頭，為 萬民 豎立 大旗，
Go through, go through the doors; make ready the way of the people; let the highway be lifted up; let the stones be taken away; let a flag be lifted up over the peoples.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 62:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on the verse's central thrust: God announces that the way is now open for His people to return from exile and for salvation to arrive. Barnes, Keil and Delitzsch, and Lange each interpret the call to 'go through the gates' as a command to depart Babylon (compare Isaiah 48:20; 52:11). The repeated imperatives 'prepare the way' and 'build up the highway' echo earlier prophecies (Isaiah 40:3; 57:14). 'Gather out the stones' means removing every obstruction, whether literal or spiritual. 'Lift up a banner for the peoples' signals that this redemption affects not only Israel but the nations. Matthew Henry explicitly ties the whole scene to the coming of Christ and the preaching of the gospel. The shared core is that God himself clears the path and summons the world to witness His salvation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Exiles addressed: Parallel to Isaiah 48:20 and 52:11; gates are of Babylon. (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch)
- Inhabitants of Jerusalem addressed: Gates are of Jerusalem; the summons is to prepare for the return of exiles. (Duhm, Cambridge)
- General call to all who help: The inclusive 'banner for the peoples' suggests the nations themselves are commanded. (Lange)
What is clear: God commands that the way be opened and obstacles cleared so that his people and the nations can experience salvation; the ultimate fulfillment is in Christ and the gospel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Addressees of the commands | All agree the commands concern the return from exile and the coming of salvation. | Exiles addressed (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch) vs. inhabitants of Jerusalem (Duhm) vs. a general call to all who assist (Lange). |
| Meaning of the gates | The gates are to be passed through as part of the liberation. | Whether they are the gates of Babylon (Barnes, Keil) or the gates of Jerusalem (Duhm, Cambridge). |
| Symbolism of the stones | Removing obstacles to travel. | Literal stones for paving vs. moral/spiritual hindrances (Gill cites Targum: 'the thought of the evil imagination'). |
| Purpose of the banner | A signal to gather people. | For Israel only vs. for Israel and the nations (Isaiah 11:10, 49:22). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 62:10 sits within a series of promises about Jerusalem's restoration (chapters 60, 62). The preceding verses picture watchmen on the walls (v.6) and a divine oath guaranteeing that enemies will no longer consume Israel's produce (v.8, 9). Now the prophet issues a series of urgent commands. The gates in view are most likely those of Babylon. The Babylonian exile was the defining trauma of Israel's history: Judah's elite had been deported in 597 and 586 BC. By the time of this prophecy, the exile was drawing to a close. The Persian king Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC and soon issued a decree allowing the exiles to return (Ezra 1:1, 4). The repeated imperatives reflect not a legal decree but a prophetic announcement of freedom.
Preparing a highway was a metaphor drawn from ancient royal processions. When a king traveled, workers would clear and level the road (see Isaiah 40:3). Here the highway is for the people, not for the king himself, a shift that emphasizes the people's dignity. 'Gather out the stones' may refer literally to paving or figuratively to removing moral obstacles; Gill notes the Targum interprets stones as 'the thought of the evil imagination.' Lifting a banner (nes) was a military signal for troops to assemble. In Isaiah's vision, this banner draws not only scattered Israelites but the nations (Isaiah 11:10, 12; 49:22). The scene borrows from the exodus tradition: a new exodus from Babylon, with God leading his people home.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a textual variant concerning the phrase 'way of the people.' Adam Clarke reports that some manuscripts read 'Yahweh' instead of 'the people,' but he considers it an interpolation because the ancient versions do not support it. The majority reading (העם, 'the people') is accepted by all modern translations. No other significant variants are discussed in the supplied commentaries.
Reception History
Isaiah 62:10 has been read as a call to prepare for the return from Babylon (Rabbinic tradition), a type of the gospel age (Matthew Henry, Calvin), and a summons to Christian proclamation (Barnes). The Targum interprets the removal of stones as turning from the evil imagination. In Christian tradition, the banner has been linked to Christ as the ensign for the nations (Isaiah 11:10) and to the preaching of the cross. The verse appears in Advent liturgies as a cry to prepare the way of the Lord. Its imagery of a highway and a signal continues to inspire hymns about God's gathering of his people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The urgent command. God says 'Go through, go through the gates!', a call to leave captivity and step into freedom. The repetition shows urgency and certainty.
- The prepared path. 'Prepare the way…build up the highway…gather out the stones.' God not only commands; he ensures the obstacles are removed. This is the work of grace.
- The universal banner. 'Lift up a banner for the peoples.' This signal is not only for Israel, the nations are invited to see and come. The gospel is for the world.
Five-point outline
- A double call to move: 'Go through, go through', leaving the old life.
- A community project: 'Prepare the way of the people', it is about others, not only self.
- A structural work: 'Build up, build up the highway', sustained effort is required.
- A cleaning work: 'Gather out the stones', removing what trips people up.
- A signal for all: 'Lift up a banner for the peoples', Christ as the rallying point (Isaiah 11:10).
Illustration hooks
- The way a city clears streets for a parade or marathon, removing barriers and marking the route.
- The way a family prepares a home for a returning loved one: clean, ready, welcoming.
- The way a sports team raises a flag to signal the start of a game, everyone knows where to look.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What 'gates' do I need to go through to follow God more closely?
- What stones in my life, habits, fears, relationships, need to be removed so I can walk God's way?
- How can our church be a place that lifts up Christ as a banner for our community?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sounds like a military commander or a construction foreman giving orders. But look more closely: it is a prophet announcing good news. God is making a way where there was no way. The commands are actually promises in disguise. As you discuss, ask what it means that God calls us to participate in his clearing work.
Discussion questions
- What commands are repeated in this verse, and why the repetition?
- Who seems to be speaking, and who is being addressed? (Consider the surrounding verses.)
- What do the gates, highway, stones, and banner represent in this context?
- How does this verse connect to the return from Babylon, and how does it also look forward to Christ?
- Where do you see 'stones' in your own life or community that might need to be cleared?
- How can your group 'lift up a banner' in your neighbourhood, what would that look like?
- What does it mean to prepare the way for someone else to meet God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 17:15 | Moses built an altar, and called its name “Yahweh our Banner”. |
| Isaiah 11:10 | It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious. |
| Isaiah 11:12 | He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. |
| Isaiah 11:16 | There will be a highway for the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, like there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. |
| Isaiah 18:3 | All you inhabitants of the world, and you dwellers on the earth, when a banner is lifted up on the mountains, look! When the trumpet is blown, listen! |
| Isaiah 40:3 | The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God. |
| Isaiah 48:20 | Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of joyful shouting announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth; say, “Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob!” |
| Isaiah 49:22 | The Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and lift up my banner to the peoples. They shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that some manuscripts insert or substitute "Yehovah" for "the people" in this phrase, but he regards this as an interpolation. The ancient versions, including the Septuagint which reads "my people," do not support the variant, so he does not adopt it.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads this as a direct command for the Jewish exiles to leave Babylon, with the gates now thrown open for their return. He sees the following lines—clearing the stones and raising a banner—as practical instructions to smooth the journey and rally the people for the march home.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary notes that the prophet's command to "go through the gates" leaves open whether these are the gates of Babylon or Jerusalem. This ambiguity marks a deliberate shift from earlier chapters, where Jehovah Himself leads a triumphal march through the desert. The writer also suggests the passage may have been composed later, drawing on earlier exodus language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The repeated commands stress urgency and diligence in preparing the way for God's people. Removing stones pictures clearing away every obstacle, while raising a standard points to gathering the scattered together under one sign. The work requires full effort and visible direction.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this as a prophecy of the final age when the church's gates stand always open for converts of every nation. The command to clear the highway and remove stones means tearing down every stumbling block, whether false doctrine, idolatry, or superstition, so the gospel can reach all people. Lifting up a standard is preaching Christ as the ensign to whom the nations are summoned.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees this verse as the moment when earlier promises finally take effect: the Gentile nations are commanded to open a clear path for Israel's return, removing every obstacle so the scattered people can rally and come home. The focus is on this clearing of the way as the long-awaited fulfillment.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the call to "go forth through the gates" means leaving Babylon, not entering Jerusalem. They argue it is the exiles themselves, not watchmen or foreigners, who are commanded to clear the road and raise a banner so dispersed Israelites can join the return. The proclamation of salvation reaches the whole earth, and Zion will be called a city never again forsaken.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies the speaker in this passage as the Messiah himself, not the prophet. He emphasizes that Christ personally guarantees the gradual completion of Jerusalem's salvation, working tirelessly out of love until her righteousness shines fully. The watchmen Christ appoints serve as his representatives, ceaselessly calling on God until the work is done.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses the doubled command "Go through" urges urgent action to bring the Gentiles into the church. The calls to clear away stones and raise a standard picture removing every obstacle and then rallying the people from all directions, using a soldier's image.