Isaiah 40:29
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Original Language Analysis
נֹתֵ֥ן
He giveth
H5414
נֹתֵ֥ן
He giveth
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
1 of 7
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
כֹּ֑חַ
power
H3581
כֹּ֑חַ
power
Strong's:
H3581
Word #:
3 of 7
vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce)
וּלְאֵ֥ין
H369
אוֹנִ֖ים
and to them that have no might
H202
אוֹנִ֖ים
and to them that have no might
Strong's:
H202
Word #:
5 of 7
ability, power, (figuratively) wealth
Cross References
Isaiah 41:10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.Colossians 1:11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;Zechariah 10:12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.Jeremiah 31:25For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.Psalms 29:11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.Isaiah 50:4The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.Deuteronomy 33:25Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.Hebrews 11:34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.Genesis 49:24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Historical Context
Israel in exile felt powerless—politically subjugated, militarily defeated, economically impoverished. Isaiah assures them that God specializes in empowering the powerless. Throughout Scripture, God chooses the weak to display His strength (1 Corinthians 1:27). This pattern appears in Moses (who protested his inadequacy), Gideon (who needed multiple signs), and David (the youngest son who defeated Goliath). Christian history records countless examples of believers accomplishing extraordinary things through God's strength rather than human ability.
Questions for Reflection
- What areas of weakness or inadequacy in your life could become showcases for God's strengthening power?
- How might your view of limitations change if you saw them as opportunities for God to display His strength through you?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse promises divine empowerment for human weakness. God doesn't merely encourage the weary; He actively gives them strength (koach—vitality, capacity, ability). Those with 'no might'—utterly depleted—receive increased power from Him. This isn't positive thinking or human effort but supernatural enabling. The promise addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, offering hope that our limitations become opportunities for God's strength to manifest (as Paul discovered in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).