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Isaiah 40

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Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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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:

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The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

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The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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?

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Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

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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?

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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.

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And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

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All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

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To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

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The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

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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.

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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?

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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:

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That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

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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.

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To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

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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.

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Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

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Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

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He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

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Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

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But they that wait upon the Lord 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.

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Isaiah 40

The Book of Comfort begins with one of Scripture's most magnificent declarations of divine consolation: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God," establishing the tone of hope and restoration that characterizes chapters 40-55. The oracle announces that Jerusalem's hardship has ended and that her iniquity is pardoned, establishing that judgment has accomplished its purpose and that the way is open for restoration. The passage includes the prophetic call to prepare a highway in the wilderness and to make level paths for the Lord, establishing that restoration requires a transformed landscape and a transformed people. The vision emphasizes the majesty and transcendence of God, comparing human power and glory to grass and flowers that wither and fade, establishing that only God's word endures eternally. The oracle promises that God will feed His flock like a shepherd, gathering the lambs in His arms and holding them close, introducing the pastoral image of divine care that characterizes much of the Book of Comfort. The passage assures that the Lord is mightier than all other powers and that no one can measure His understanding or teach Him, establishing God's supreme wisdom and sovereignty. Isaiah 40 demonstrates that the transition from judgment to comfort reflects God's ultimate purpose: to gather the scattered and oppressed people and to establish them in restored covenant relationship. This chapter establishes the theological framework for the Book of Comfort and provides the thematic foundation for the proclamation of restoration that follows.

Isaiah 40:1

A voice calls out to comfort the people, to speak tenderly to Jerusalem, establishing the opening of the second major section of Isaiah with a call for consolation and encouragement. The oracle signals a fundamental shift in tone from judgment to salvation. The address to Jerusalem emphasizes the city as the focus of God's compassionate concern.

Isaiah 40:2

The voice continues: speak to Jerusalem that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been pardoned, and that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins, establishing that judgment has been completed and forgiveness granted. The oracle asserts that the exile and suffering are complete and that a new era of restoration is beginning. The reference to receiving double suggests that the people have endured more than sufficient punishment.

Isaiah 40:3

A voice cries out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God, establishing the call for preparation for God's coming. The oracle invokes the image of a road being prepared through the wilderness, suggesting the removal of obstacles and the clearing of the path. The imagery suggests the return from exile: the desert will become a highway for the returning people.

Isaiah 40:4

The valleys will be lifted up, and the mountains and hills will be made low; the uneven ground will become level, and the rough places a plain, establishing that the obstacles to the way will be removed through the transformation of the landscape. The oracle uses geological and environmental transformation to suggest the magnitude of the preparation.

Isaiah 40:5

The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken, establishing that the preparation culminates in the revelation of God's glory and its visibility to all creation. The oracle emphasizes the universality of the revelation and grounds the certainty in God's speech.

Isaiah 40:6

A voice says to cry out, and one asks what to cry, establishing a dialogue about the prophetic message. The oracle introduces a question about the content and meaning of the proclamation. The exchange suggests the challenge of discerning what to proclaim in a time of transformation.

Isaiah 40:7

The voice responds: all flesh is like grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field; the grass withers, the flower fades, establishing the transience of human life and earthly beauty. The oracle emphasizes the impermanence of human existence and the ultimate futility of human pride and achievement.

Isaiah 40:8

The oracle concludes: the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever, establishing the contrast between the transience of human life and the permanence of God's word. The oracle emphasizes that while all human things pass away, God's word endures eternally. The affirmation of the word's permanence provides the foundation for confidence in God's promises.

Isaiah 40:9

A messenger is told to go up on a high mountain, to say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" establishing the call for proclamation of God's presence and power to the people. The oracle invokes the image of a messenger ascending a high place to make proclamation visible and audible to the assembled people. The proclamation—"Behold your God!"—represents the core message of the second half of Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:10

God comes with strength, and the divine arm rules for him, establishing that God's coming is characterized by power and the exercise of authority. The oracle emphasizes that God's approach includes the governance of all creation. The affirmation of divine strength and rule provides the foundation for trust in God's ability to accomplish salvation.

Isaiah 40:11

God will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the nursing ewes, establishing that God's power is accompanied by tender care and compassion. The oracle uses the shepherd imagery to suggest that divine strength is exercised for the welfare of the people. The gentleness with which God treats the young and vulnerable establishes that strength and compassion work together in God's nature.

Isaiah 40:12

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand, or calculated the dust of the earth in a measure, or weighed the mountains in a scale and the hills in a balance, establishing a series of rhetorical questions that emphasize God's incomparable greatness and power. The oracle uses the measurement and ordering of creation to suggest God's comprehensive sovereignty and control. The questions invite the listener to recognize the absurdity of comparing any earthly power to God.

Isaiah 40:13

Who has directed the spirit of the LORD, or as his counselor has informed him, establishing another rhetorical question emphasizing the uniqueness of God's knowledge and authority. The oracle asserts that no one can advise or direct God, that God's wisdom is solitary and incomparable. The question emphasizes human inability to comprehend or direct the divine mind.

Isaiah 40:14

With whom did he consult, and who instructed him and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge and informed him of the way of understanding, establishing another set of questions that emphasize God's solitary wisdom and authority. The oracle asserts that God requires no counselors or teachers, that God's knowledge is complete and self-sufficient. The questions emphasize God's transcendence and the impossibility of human wisdom matching divine wisdom.

Isaiah 40:15

Behold, the nations are as a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales, establishing that the nations of the earth are utterly insignificant in comparison to God. The oracle uses images of measurement and reduction to emphasize the relative nothingness of human and national power. The drop and the speck suggest that what appears great in human perspective is virtually nothing from God's perspective.

Isaiah 40:16

Even Lebanon is not enough for fuel, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering, establishing that even the greatest natural resources are insufficient for an offering worthy of God. The oracle uses the examples of Lebanon and its abundant forests and animals to suggest the inadequacy of creation to honor God appropriately. The statement emphasizes God's transcendence and the impossibility of human actions adequately expressing divine worship.

Isaiah 40:17

All the nations are as nothing before him, they are regarded by him as less than nothing and meaningless, establishing the ultimate assessment of nations in the face of God's reality. The oracle reduces national power and significance to less than nothing and meaninglessness. The assertion emphasizes the absolute transcendence of God and the relative insignificance of all human and national entities.

Isaiah 40:18

To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with him, establishing a rhetorical question that challenges any attempt to create an image or likeness of God. The oracle emphasizes God's incomparability and the impossibility of capturing God in any visual or conceptual representation. The question establishes the prohibition against idolatry on the grounds of God's transcendence.

Isaiah 40:19

As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith plates it with gold, and casts silver chains for it, establishing the practice of idol-making and the work of human artisans. The oracle describes the technical process of creating idols, suggesting the futility of attempting to capture divine reality in human-made objects.

Isaiah 40:20

He who is too impoverished for such an offering selects a wood that does not rot and seeks out a skillful craftsman to prepare an idol that will not totter, establishing that even the poor engage in idol-making, adapting their practice to their means. The oracle suggests the universality of the foolish attempt to create representations of God.

Isaiah 40:21

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth, establishing a series of questions that appeal to the known teachings of God and creation order. The oracle calls for the assembly to recall fundamental truths about God and God's relationship to creation.

Isaiah 40:22

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in, establishing God's cosmic perspective and God's encompassing of the entire creation. The imagery of the earth as a circle and the heavens as a tent suggests both vastness and control. The comparison of inhabitants to grasshoppers emphasizes human insignificance from the divine vantage point.

Isaiah 40:23

He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, makes the judges of the earth meaningless, establishing that political authorities, however great, are rendered insignificant by God. The oracle asserts that God's power encompasses the reduction of human political authority. The assertion provides comfort to those threatened by earthly powers.

Isaiah 40:24

Scarcely have they been planted, scarcely have they been sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them and they wither, and the whirlwind carries them away like stubble, establishing that human power and growth are as transient as plants before wind. The oracle uses the natural image of withering plants to suggest the speed and totality with which human power can be destroyed. The metaphor emphasizes the impermanence of political authority.

Isaiah 40:25

To whom then will you liken me, that I would be his equal, says the Holy One, establishing another rhetorical question reiterating the incomparability of God. The invocation of the Holy One emphasizes God's unique sanctity and otherness. The question demands acknowledgment that no one and nothing can be compared to God.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who has created these stars, he who brings out their host by number, he calls them all by name; because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power, not one of them is missing, establishing that God's creation and maintenance of the stars demonstrate God's incomparable power and care. The oracle appeals to the observation of the stars as evidence of divine power and the comprehensive knowledge of creation. The assertion that not one star is missing emphasizes divine attentiveness and control.

Isaiah 40:27

Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD, and the justice due me has passed away from my God,' establishing that some among the people have voiced despair and the feeling that God has abandoned them and their cause. The oracle addresses the temptation to believe that God has forgotten or become indifferent to the people's situation.

Isaiah 40:28

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not become weary or tired; his understanding is inscrutable, establishing that the everlasting and omniscient God does not experience the weakness and fatigue that humans experience. The oracle asserts the constancy and the comprehensive knowledge of God against the despair that might suggest God's withdrawal or incapacity.

Isaiah 40:29

He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might he increases power, establishing that God's particular concern includes the strengthening of the weak and the empowering of the powerless. The oracle suggests that God's strength is available to those who are otherwise without resources. The affirmation provides hope to the vulnerable and the oppressed.

Isaiah 40:30

Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, establishing that even the naturally strong and healthy experience weakness and failure. The oracle acknowledges the universal human condition of eventual weakness.

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary, establishing that those who trust in God and await God's action will experience renewal and the ability to endure. The oracle uses the imagery of eagles' wings to suggest the restoration of vitality and the transcendence of ordinary limitations. The affirmation concludes chapter 40 with the promise that faith and waiting upon God issue in strength and endurance. The chapter concludes the opening section of the second half of Isaiah with the affirmation of God's incomparability and the promise of strength to those who trust in God.