Isaiah 40:1
נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
“Comfort! Comfort My people!” says your God.
Paraphrase: Listen, my servant and my prophet. I have a word for you for My people who are in exile. Bring this word to them. “Oh afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted (Isaiah 54:11), do not despair. Do not lose hope. Hear the word of YHWH, the Great King, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who made a covenant with you at Mount Sinai, the One who is holy, and true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no one opens. Be comforted in your sufferings; don’t be so discouraged; your situation is not at all hopeless.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:2
דַּבְּר֞וּ עַל־לֵ֤ב יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וְקִרְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֤י מָֽלְאָה֙ צְבָאָ֔הּ כִּ֥י נִרְצָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֑הּ כִּ֤י לָקְחָה֙ מִיַּ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה כִּפְלַ֖יִם בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתֶֽיהָ׃ס
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her that her service is complete, that her guilt is satisfied for, that she has received from the hand of YHWH double against all her sins.
Paraphrase: Yes, prophet, carry this message to the broken heart of My daughter, Jerusalem. Announce to her that she has served her time; her incarceration is complete. Her exile into Babylon is coming to an end. I am satisfied with the punishment she has endured; My justice is not requiring anything further. Daughter Jerusalem has been punished severely for her sin; now it’s time to return and rebuild.
Comments:
For speaking to the heart, see Genesis 34:3 and Judges 19:3.
Isaiah 40:3
ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
A voice is calling, “In the wilderness, clear a path for YHWH; straighten in the desert a road for our God!”
Paraphrase: Then this message from God was burning within me (Jeremiah 20:9); I had to deliver it quickly. “Listen, My daughter!” I cried out to the exiles, “Do you hear it? There is a voice calling out to you! It is saying, ‘Clear the path for the Great King! Clear a path through the wilderness, so YHWH can lead His people back to their homeland. Make the path straight so they can go as quickly as possible back to the promised land. YHWH led His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea; now He will lead his people out of exile.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:4
כָּל־גֶּיא֙ יִנָּשֵׂ֔א וְכָל־הַ֥ר וְגִבְעָ֖ה יִשְׁפָּ֑לוּ וְהָיָ֤ה הֶֽעָקֹב֙ לְמִישׁ֔וֹר וְהָרְכָסִ֖ים לְבִקְעָֽה׃
Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill will be brought low, and the uneven will be made into a level place and the rough places into a plain.
Paraphrase: Don’t worry about all the valleys and hills; when you set out for the land, they will all become insignificant. The valleys will brought up and the mountains will be brought down. All the places where walking is difficult and treacherous will become like a super-highway. There will be no obstacles; even the children will be able to walk easily; no one will stumble and fall.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:5
וְנִגְלָ֖ה כְּב֣וֹד יְהוָ֑ה וְרָא֤וּ כָל־בָּשָׂר֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ס
Isaiah 40:6
ק֚וֹל אֹמֵ֣ר קְרָ֔א וְאָמַ֖ר מָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א כָּל־הַבָּשָׂ֣ר חָצִ֔יר וְכָל־חַסְדּ֖וֹ כְּצִ֥יץ הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Isaiah 40:7
יָבֵ֤שׁ חָצִיר֙ נָ֣בֵֽל צִ֔יץ כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ יְהוָ֖ה נָ֣שְׁבָה בּ֑וֹ אָכֵ֥ן חָצִ֖יר הָעָֽם׃
Isa 40:8
יָבֵ֥שׁ חָצִ֖יר נָ֣בֵֽל צִ֑יץ וּדְבַר־אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יָק֥וּם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ס
Isa 40:9 עַ֣ל הַר־גָּבֹ֤הַ עֲלִי־לָךְ֙ מְבַשֶּׂ֣רֶת צִיּ֔וֹן הָרִ֤ימִי בַכֹּ֙חַ֙ קוֹלֵ֔ךְ מְבַשֶּׂ֖רֶת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הָרִ֙ימִי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אִי אִמְרִי֙ לְעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה הִנֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
Isa 40:10 הִנֵּ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ בְּחָזָ֣ק יָב֔וֹא וּזְרֹע֖וֹ מֹ֣שְׁלָה ל֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה שְׂכָרוֹ֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וּפְעֻלָּת֖וֹ לְפָנָֽיו׃
Isa 40:11 כְּרֹעֶה֙ עֶדְר֣וֹ יִרְעֶ֔ה בִּזְרֹעוֹ֙ יְקַבֵּ֣ץ טְלָאִ֔ים וּבְחֵיק֖וֹ יִשָּׂ֑א עָל֖וֹת יְנַהֵֽל׃ס
Isa 40:12 מִֽי־מָדַ֨ד בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ מַ֗יִם וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בַּזֶּ֣רֶת תִּכֵּ֔ן וְכָ֥ל בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁקַ֤ל בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙ הָרִ֔ים וּגְבָע֖וֹת בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃
Isa 40:13 מִֽי־תִכֵּ֥ן אֶת־ר֖וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְאִ֥ישׁ עֲצָת֖וֹ יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃
Isa 40:14 אֶת־מִ֤י נוֹעָץ֙ וַיְבִינֵ֔הוּ וַֽיְלַמְּדֵ֖הוּ בְּאֹ֣רַח מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וַיְלַמְּדֵ֣הוּ דַ֔עַת וְדֶ֥רֶךְ תְּבוּנ֖וֹת יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃
Isa 40:15 הֵ֤ן גּוֹיִם֙ כְּמַ֣ר מִדְּלִ֔י וּכְשַׁ֥חַק מֹאזְנַ֖יִם נֶחְשָׁ֑בוּ הֵ֥ן אִיִּ֖ים כַּדַּ֥ק יִטּֽוֹל׃
Isa 40:16 וּלְבָנ֕וֹן אֵ֥ין דֵּ֖י בָּעֵ֑ר וְחַיָּת֔וֹ אֵ֥ין דֵּ֖י עוֹלָֽה׃ס
Isa 40:17 כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם כְּאַ֣יִן נֶגְדּ֑וֹ מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ־לֽוֹ׃
Isaiah 40:18
וְאֶל־מִ֖י תְּדַמְּי֣וּן אֵ֑ל וּמַה־דְּמ֖וּת תַּ֥עַרְכוּ לֽוֹ׃
Isaiah 40:19
הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ נָסַ֣ךְ חָרָ֔שׁ וְצֹרֵ֖ף בַּזָּהָ֣ב יְרַקְּעֶ֑נּוּ וּרְתֻק֥וֹת כֶּ֖סֶף צוֹרֵֽף׃
Isaiah 40:20
הַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ן תְּרוּמָ֔ה עֵ֥ץ לֹֽא־יִרְקַ֖ב יִבְחָ֑ר חָרָ֤שׁ חָכָם֙ יְבַקֶּשׁ־ל֔וֹ לְהָכִ֥ין פֶּ֖סֶל לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט׃
Isaiah 40:21
הֲל֤וֹא תֵֽדְעוּ֙ הֲל֣וֹא תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ הֲל֛וֹא הֻגַּ֥ד מֵרֹ֖אשׁ לָכֶ֑ם הֲלוֹא֙ הֲבִ֣ינֹתֶ֔ם מוֹסְד֖וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Was it not announced from the beginning to you? Did you not understand the foundations of the earth?
Paraphrase: Don’t you know these things, My people? (John 3:10) Haven’t I shown you this so many times throughout your history? Don’t you remember those times that I told you to stand still and watch how I would rescue you? (Exodus 14:13) Haven’t I been this way from the very creation of the world?
Comments:
Note the hofal.
Isaiah 40:22
הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַל־ח֣וּג הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ כַּחֲגָבִ֑ים הַנּוֹטֶ֤ה כַדֹּק֙ שָׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמְתָּחֵ֥ם כָּאֹ֖הֶל לָשָֽׁבֶת׃
He is sitting on the circle of the earth and her inhabitants are as grasshoppers, stretching as a veil the heavens, and He spreads them out as a tent for dwelling.
Paraphrase: He sits in the heavens far above the earth and far above all created things. Indeed, He was the Creator of all things; He was the one who created the sky and stretched it out over us all like a veil. He spread out the heavens as easily as a man erects a tent to sleep in.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:23
הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן רוֹזְנִ֖ים לְאָ֑יִן שֹׁ֥פְטֵי אֶ֖רֶץ כַּתֹּ֥הוּ עָשָֽׂה׃
Giving the important to nothing; Judges of the land as nothing He makes.
Paraphrase: The influencers and important people of the time are nothing to Him. He disregards the magistrates, judges, kings, presidents, and other leaders as mere trifles.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:24
אַ֣ף בַּל־נִטָּ֗עוּ אַ֚ף בַּל־זֹרָ֔עוּ אַ֛ף בַּל־שֹׁרֵ֥שׁ בָּאָ֖רֶץ גִּזְעָ֑ם וְגַם־נָשַׁ֤ף בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּבָ֔שׁוּ וּסְעָרָ֖ה כַּקַּ֥שׁ תִּשָּׂאֵֽם׃ס
Indeed, hardly they will be planted; indeed they will barely be sown; indeed their stem has barely put down roots in the soil; and then He blows on them, and they wither, and the wind storm as chaff carries them off.
Paraphrase: In fact, these proud men have barely assumed their office; they are hardly even established as leaders when God shakes and blasts them. Immediately, they are terrified, they wither like a plant under the hot sun. They are reduced to nothing; like dry chaff, they are carried off by the wind of God’s anger and vengeance.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:25
וְאֶל־מִ֥י תְדַמְּי֖וּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶ֑ה יֹאמַ֖ר קָדֽוֹשׁ׃
and to whom will you compare Me? And I resemble?
Paraphrase: Which of these kings are My equal? Which of these men, who are oppressing and ridiculing you, can stand in My shadow?
Comments:
Isaiah 40:26
שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם וּרְאוּ֙ מִי־בָרָ֣א אֵ֔לֶּה הַמּוֹצִ֥יא בְמִסְפָּ֖ר צְבָאָ֑ם לְכֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִקְרָ֔א מֵרֹ֤ב אוֹנִים֙ וְאַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֔חַ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֥א נֶעְדָּֽר׃ס
Lift up your eyes to the heights, and see who created these causing their armies to go forth by number; to all of them by name, He will call; from the greatness of their powers and strong of strength a man is not missing.
Paraphrase: Now look up to the sky, My people. See the multitude of stars and know that it was I who created every one of them. I designed each one and gave it its unique character. I know each one; I have given each one its name. Like a general summons his army and takes the roll to see who is present, so I summon each of these stars to appear before Me. Because of My awesome power and sovereignty, not one of them is ever missing. (Job 38:7)
Comments:
Isaiah 40:27
לָ֤מָּה תֹאמַר֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּתְדַבֵּ֖ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִסְתְּרָ֤ה דַרְכִּי֙ מֵֽיְהוָ֔ה וּמֵאֱלֹהַ֖י מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י יַעֲבֽוֹר׃
Why do you say, Oh Jacob, and you speak, Oh Israel, my way is hid from YHWH and from my God, my justice is passed by?
Paraphrase: Now if all this is true and if this is truly who I am, then why are you always saying that your predicament is unknown to Me? That I don’t have any care or concern for your suffering? Why are you even accusing Me of neglecting to give you the justice you deserve? You are saying that it’s just too late; there’s no hope for us any more; our enemies have triumphed. You think that God takes no notice of our oppression. Some of you are saying, “I will say to God my rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?’ As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?'” (Psalm 42:9-10)
Comments:
Isaiah 40:28
הֲל֨וֹא יָדַ֜עְתָּ אִם־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֱלֹהֵ֨י עוֹלָ֤ם׀ יְהוָה֙ בּוֹרֵא֙ קְצ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יִיעַ֖ף וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֑ע אֵ֥ין חֵ֖קֶר לִתְבוּנָתֽוֹ׃
Do you not know? if you do not hear? The God of the ages. YHWH, Creator of the ends of the earth; He does not get weak, and He does not grow weary, There is no investigation into His understanding.
Paraphrase: Don’t you remember who I am? Haven’t you been told many times and taught from your youngest days that I am am the Great King, YHWH? that I am the One who created everything you see on this earth and beyond it? Do you think that the Creator of the universe can get tired? That after a long day of work He needs to sit down and rest? Do you think any human person can plumb the depths of His knowledge or that someone should call for an investigation into His methods of administering His kingdom?
Comments:
“The various degrees of knowledge, with regard to the mode of acquiring it, are, according to Ibn Ezra, respectively expressed in Hebrew by ידע “to know from our own reasoning,” שמע “to know from information and instruction received from others,” הֻנַּד “to be told, without any effort of our own reason.”” source
Isaiah 40:29
נֹתֵ֥ן לַיָּעֵ֖ף כֹּ֑חַ וּלְאֵ֥ין אוֹנִ֖ים עָצְמָ֥ה יַרְבֶּֽה׃
Giving to the weak, power and to those who have no strength, he causes strength to become great.
Paraphrase: Now how does God administer His kingdom? If you were to search into His methods, what would you find? Well this is what YHWH, the Great King does. He finds those who are sinking under a load of suffering and pain; He swoops in as they collapse and gives them a fresh surge of new power. YHWH finds those who are powerless, the forgotten, the oppressed. To these, He multiplies their strength so that they can stand up again strong and full of vigor.
Comments:
Isaiah 40:30
וְיִֽעֲפ֥וּ נְעָרִ֖ים וְיִגָ֑עוּ וּבַחוּרִ֖ים כָּשׁ֥וֹל יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃
The young boys grow weak and become tired; the young men are completely staggered.
Paraphrase: Even young boys, with all their energy, get tired and have to take a rest. Strong young men in the prime of their life will stagger and collapse in exhaustion when they are overworked.
Comments:
Note the infinitive absolute.
Isaiah 40:31
וְקוֹיֵ֤ יְהוָה֙ יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֔חַ יַעֲל֥וּ אֵ֖בֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִ֑ים יָר֙וּצוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֔עוּ יֵלְכ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יִיעָֽפוּ׃פ
but those who wait on YHWH, they will renew their strength; they will ascend on a wing, like eagles; they will run and not get tired; they will go on and not grow weak.
Paraphrase: Such young men have a lot of power, but they still have limits. But let me return to the powerless ones which I mentioned above. Let anyone of them come to Me and let them look to Me for strength; let them lean on My arm. (2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 36:6) They will find that My omnipotence will enter them. As a result, they will find a new strength flowing through them; their strength will then be like that of the eagles who rise far into the sky on their mighty wings. Now these powerless ones will be able to run, and they will never get tired. They will have no need to stop and take a rest. They will be able to go anywhere without growing weary. They will go on and on without ever becoming weak.
Comments: