Isaiah 40
1 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.”
“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem [City of peace]; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her depravity (moral evil) is pardoned, that she has received of Adonai’s hand double for all her habitual sins ·missing the marks·.”
3 A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Adonai in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.
Adonai’s kavod ·weighty glory· shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Adonai has spoken it.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field.
The voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its chesed ·loving-kindness· is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades, because Adonai’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
9 Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
You who tell good news to Zion [Mountain ridge, Marking], go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem [City of peace], lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah [Praised], “Behold, your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.
Behold, 'Adonay Adonai [Lord Yahweh] will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
11 He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span [9 in; 22.86 cm], and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
Who has directed Ruach Yahweh [Spirit, Breath of He sustains breathing] or has taught him as his counselor?
14 Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
Who did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of mishpat ·justice·, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.
16 Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.
Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
18 To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?
19 To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.
20 To one bereft of an offering who chooses wood that will not rot, who seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple?
He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved.
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?
Haven’t you known? Haven’t you sh'ma ·heard obeyed·, yet? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
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;
23 He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.
who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.
24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.
They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.
25 “To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.
“To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. By the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”?
Why do you say, Jacob [Supplanter], and speak, Israel [God prevails], “My way is hidden from Adonai, and the mishpat ·justice· due to me is passed over by my God?”
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.
Haven’t you known? Haven’t you sh'ma ·heard obeyed·? The everlasting God, Adonai, The Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint. He is not weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;
31 But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
But those who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
