Isaiah 40

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 40

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

2Speak 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.

4Every 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:

5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

6The 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:

7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people [is] grass.

8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God 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!

10Behold, 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.

11He 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?

13Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counsellor hath taught him?

14With 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?

15Behold, 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.

16And Lebanon [is] not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

17All nations before him [are] as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

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

19The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

20He 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.

21Have 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:

23That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

24Yea, 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.

25To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

26Lift 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 judgment is passed over from my God?

28Hast 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.

29He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength.

30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31But 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 40 opens with a divine command to comfort Jerusalem, declaring her warfare accomplished and iniquity pardoned. A voice in the wilderness calls for preparation of the Lord's way, contrasting the fleeting nature of humanity with the eternal Word of God. The chapter then extols God's incomparable majesty as Creator, dismissing the futility of idols and assuring His people that He, the everlasting God, gives strength to those who wait upon Him.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with a call to comfort Jerusalem, announcing the end of her suffering and the pardon of her sins, having received double for her transgressions. A prophetic voice in the wilderness instructs to prepare a straight highway for the Lord, promising that His glory will be universally revealed. This divine revelation is juxtaposed with the ephemeral nature of all flesh, which withers like grass, while God's Word endures forever. Zion is then commanded to proclaim the coming of the Lord God, who will arrive with power, ruling and tenderly shepherding His people. The text transitions to a series of rhetorical questions highlighting God's immeasurable power as the Creator of the universe, contrasting His might with the insignificance of nations and the futility of man-made idols. It concludes by reassuring Israel that the everlasting God, who neither faints nor grows weary, grants renewed strength to those who wait upon Him, enabling them to overcome weariness and walk steadfastly.

Long Summary

Isaiah 40 commences with a divine instruction to comfort Jerusalem, proclaiming that her period of suffering is concluded, her iniquity pardoned, and she has received full recompense for her sins. A prophetic voice is heard in the wilderness, urging the preparation of a straight and level highway for the Lord's coming, foretelling that His glory shall be revealed for all humanity to witness. This grand announcement is immediately followed by a profound reflection on the transient nature of all human life, likening it to grass and fading flowers, which wither under the breath of the Lord. In stark contrast, the enduring power and eternal truth of the Word of God are affirmed. Zion, the bearer of good tidings, is exhorted to ascend a high mountain and boldly declare to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" This declaration anticipates the Lord God's arrival with a strong hand, exercising His rule, bringing His reward, and performing His work. He is depicted as a tender shepherd, gathering lambs in His arms and gently leading those with young. The chapter then shifts to a majestic portrayal of God's incomparable power and wisdom, posing rhetorical questions about who could have measured the cosmos or counselled the Spirit of the Lord. Nations are rendered insignificant before Him, likened to a drop in a bucket or dust on a scale, and entirely insufficient for His worship. The futility of idolatry is exposed, as craftsmen fashion lifeless images, contrasting sharply with the true God who sits enthroned above the earth, stretching out the heavens like a curtain. He effortlessly reduces earthly princes and judges to nothing, and His creative power is evident in the countless stars He brings forth and calls by name. Finally, the chapter addresses Israel's despair, challenging their notion that God has overlooked their plight. It reaffirms that the everlasting God, the Creator, never faints or grows weary, and His understanding is beyond human comprehension. He is the source of power for the faint and strength for the weak, promising that those who patiently wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, soaring like eagles, running without exhaustion, and walking without faltering.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Comfort and PardonGod commands comfort for Jerusalem, declaring her period of judgment (warfare) is accomplished and her iniquity is pardoned, having received full recompense for her sins.
  • Preparation for the Lord's ComingA voice in the wilderness calls for the preparation of a straight path for the Lord, symbolizing the removal of obstacles for His glorious manifestation to all flesh.
  • Transience of Humanity vs. Eternal WordHuman life and its glory are likened to fading grass and flowers, emphasizing their ephemeral nature, while the Word of God is declared to stand forever.
  • God's Incomparable MajestyThrough rhetorical questions, God's immeasurable power as Creator of the universe is highlighted, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all creation and the insignificance of nations before Him.
  • Futility of IdolatryThe chapter contrasts the living God with man-made graven images, exposing the foolishness and powerlessness of idols crafted by human hands.
  • God as Shepherd and RulerThe Lord God is portrayed as coming with a strong hand to rule, yet also as a tender shepherd who gathers and gently leads His flock.
  • Renewal of Strength for the WaitingThe everlasting God, who does not faint, promises to empower those who wait upon Him, enabling them to renew their strength, mount up like eagles, and overcome weariness.