Isaiah 40:30
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Original Language Analysis
נְעָרִ֖ים
Even the youths
H5288
נְעָרִ֖ים
Even the youths
Strong's:
H5288
Word #:
2 of 6
(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latit
וְיִגָ֑עוּ
and be weary
H3021
וְיִגָ֑עוּ
and be weary
Strong's:
H3021
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil
וּבַחוּרִ֖ים
and the young men
H970
וּבַחוּרִ֖ים
and the young men
Strong's:
H970
Word #:
4 of 6
properly, selected, i.e., a youth (often collective)
Cross References
Amos 2:14Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:Psalms 34:10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.Psalms 33:16There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.Isaiah 13:18Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.Ecclesiastes 9:11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Historical Context
Ancient culture prized physical strength and youthful vigor as valuable assets—warriors, laborers, hunters all depended on physical capacity. Yet Isaiah declares even these paragons of human strength eventually collapse. Combat veterans returning from Assyrian campaigns knew this exhaustion intimately. Modern culture's youth obsession faces the same sobering reality: human strength inevitably fails. This truth humbles human pride and directs us toward the only source of unfailing strength—the everlasting God.
Questions for Reflection
- Where are you relying on your own natural abilities, youth, intelligence, or resources rather than on God's strength?
- How does recognizing the temporary nature of human strength help you cultivate dependence on God before crisis forces it upon you?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes universal human frailty—even the young and strong eventually fail. 'Youths' (near) speak of those in their prime, and 'young men' (bachurim) refers to elite warriors and choice young men. Yet even these will 'faint and be weary' (yaeph) and 'utterly fall' (kashal kashal—emphatic repetition meaning complete collapse). This sets up the stunning contrast with verse 31: human strength, no matter how impressive, proves inadequate and temporary, but God-given strength never fails. The universal reality of human limitation drives us to seek divine enablement.