Isaiah 40
Comfort for God's People
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: Parallel theme: Isaiah 37:27, 40:3, 58:1, Job 14:2, Psalms 92:7, 102:11, Jeremiah 2:2, 31:6 +3
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our GodGod: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim). The Hebrew Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is a plural form denoting majesty and fullness of deity. Though grammatically plural, it takes singular verbs when referring to the one true God, suggesting the Trinity's plurality within unity. shall stand for ever.
9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Parallel theme: Isaiah 48:13, Job 28:25, Proverbs 30:4, Revelation 20:11
13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty., or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. Parallel theme: Isaiah 11:11, 29:5, 40:22, Jeremiah 10:10
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. Sacrifice: Psalms 40:6
17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. Parallel theme: Isaiah 29:7, Psalms 62:9
18 To whom then will ye liken GodGod: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim). The Hebrew Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is a plural form denoting majesty and fullness of deity. Though grammatically plural, it takes singular verbs when referring to the one true God, suggesting the Trinity's plurality within unity.? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? References God: Exodus 8:10, 15:11, 1 Samuel 2:2, Job 40:9, Psalms 89:8, Acts 17:29. Parallel theme: Isaiah 40:25, 46:5, Psalms 89:6, Jeremiah 10:6 +5
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: Parallel theme: Isaiah 40:17, 42:5, 51:13, 66:1, Job 9:8, 22:14, Psalms 68:33, 104:2, Proverbs 8:27, Jeremiah 10:12 +5
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. Parallel theme: Isaiah 17:13, 41:16, Jeremiah 23:19
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgmentJudgment: מִשְׁפָּט (Mishpat). The Hebrew mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט) means judgment or justice—God's righteous decisions and ordinances. God is the Judge of all the earth who 'shall do right' (Genesis 18:25), executing perfect justice. is passed over from my God?
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting GodGod: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim). The Hebrew Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is a plural form denoting majesty and fullness of deity. Though grammatically plural, it takes singular verbs when referring to the one true God, suggesting the Trinity's plurality within unity., the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. References Lord: Psalms 147:5, 1 Corinthians 2:16. Eternal Life: Genesis 21:33, 1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 9:14. Parallel theme: Isaiah 40:21, Jeremiah 4:22, Luke 24:25, John 14:9, Philippians 1:6 +5
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Parallel theme: Isaiah 41:10, 50:4, Genesis 49:24, Deuteronomy 33:25, Psalms 29:11, Jeremiah 31:25, Zechariah 10:12, Philippians 4:13, Colossians 1:11, Hebrews 11:34 +5
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. References Lord: Isaiah 25:9, 30:18, Psalms 37:34. Parallel theme: Psalms 84:7, 103:5, Luke 18:1, Romans 8:25, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 12:1 +5