Isaiah 40
King James Version
40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 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.
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.
4 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:
5 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.
6 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:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The 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!
10 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.
11 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.
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?
13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14 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?
15 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.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All 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?
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 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.
21 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?
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:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 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.
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 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.
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?
28 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.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 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.
Isaiah 40
Amplified Bible
The Greatness of God
40 “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
2
“Speak [a]tenderly to Jerusalem,
And call out to her, that her time of compulsory service in warfare is finished,
That her wickedness has been taken away [since her punishment is sufficient],
That she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double [punishment] for all her sins.”
3
A voice of one is calling out,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness [remove the obstacles];
Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.(A)
4
“Every valley shall be raised,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged places a broad valley.
5
“And the glory and majesty and splendor of the Lord will be revealed,
And all humanity shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”(B)
6
A voice says, “Call out [prophesy].”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
[The voice answered:] All humanity is [as frail as] grass, and all that makes it attractive [its charm, its loveliness] is [momentary] like the flower of the field.
7
The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Most certainly [all] the people are [like] grass.
8
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.(C)
9
O Zion, herald of good news,
Get up on a high mountain.
O Jerusalem, herald of good news,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, do not fear;
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(D)
10
Listen carefully, the Lord God will come with might,
And His arm will rule for Him.
Most certainly His reward is with Him,
And His restitution accompanies Him.(E)
11
He will protect His flock like a shepherd,
He will gather the lambs in His arm,
He will carry them in His bosom;
He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.
12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
And marked off the heavens with a span [of the hand],
And calculated the dust of the earth with a [b]measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
13
Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or has taught Him as His counselor?(F)
14
With whom did He consult and who enlightened Him?
Who taught Him the path of justice and taught Him knowledge
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
15
In fact, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Now look, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16
And [the forests of] Lebanon cannot supply sufficient fuel to start a fire,
Nor are its wild beasts enough for a burnt offering [worthy of the Lord].
17
All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.
18
To whom then will you liken God?
Or with what likeness will you compare Him?(G)
19
As for the cast image (idol), a metalworker casts it,
A goldsmith overlays it with gold
And a silversmith casts its silver chains.
20
He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god]
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.
21
Do you [who worship idols] not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth [the omnipotence of God and the stupidity of bowing to idols]?(H)
22
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
[It is He] who stretches out the heavens like a veil
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23
It is He who reduces dignitaries to nothing,
Who makes the judges (rulers) of the earth meaningless (useless).
24
Scarcely have they been planted,
Scarcely have they been sown,
Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And a strong wind carries them away like stubble.
25
“To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.
26
Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these heavenly bodies,
The One 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 is missing.
27
Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?
28
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become tired or grow weary;
There is no searching of His understanding.
29
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who has no might He increases power.(I)
30
Even youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31
But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.(J)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of.
- Isaiah 40:12 Lit third.
Isaiah 40
English Standard Version
Comfort for God's People
40 (A)Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 (B)Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that (C)her warfare[a] is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.
3 (D)A voice cries:[b]
(E)“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
(F)make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 (G)Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 (H)And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
(I)for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The Word of God Stands Forever
6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said,[c] “What shall I cry?”
(J)All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty[d] is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 (K)The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
The Greatness of God
9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, (L)herald of good news;[e]
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[f]
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 (M)Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
(N)behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 (O)He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
(P)he will gather the lambs in his arms;
(Q)he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
12 (R)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 (S)Who has measured[g] the Spirit of the Lord,
or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
(T)Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted (U)as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up (V)the coastlands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor are (W)its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
17 (X)All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
18 (Y)To whom then will you liken God,
(Z)or what likeness compare with him?
19 (AA)An idol! A craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and casts for it silver chains.
20 (AB)He who is too impoverished for an offering
chooses wood[h] that will not rot;
he seeks out a skillful craftsman
to set up an idol that will not move.
21 (AC)Do you not know? Do you not hear?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are (AD)like grasshoppers;
(AE)who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
23 (AF)who brings princes to nothing,
and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows on them, and they wither,
(AG)and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
25 (AH)To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
(AI)He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name;
by the greatness of his might
and because he is strong in power,
not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
(AJ)“My way is hidden from the Lord,
(AK)and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is (AL)the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
(AM)his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but (AN)they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings (AO)like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:2 Or hardship
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one crying
- Isaiah 40:6 Revocalization based on Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Vulgate; Masoretic Text And someone says
- Isaiah 40:6 Or all its constancy
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Zion
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem
- Isaiah 40:13 Or has directed
- Isaiah 40:20 Or He chooses valuable wood
Isaías 40
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Consolación de Israel
40 «Consuelen, consuelen a Mi pueblo», dice su Dios(A).
2 «Hablen(B) al corazón de Jerusalén
Y díganle a voces que su lucha[a] ha terminado(C),
Que su iniquidad ha sido quitada[b](D),
Que ha recibido de la mano del Señor
El doble por todos sus pecados(E)».
3 Una voz clama[c](F):
«Preparen en el desierto camino al Señor;
Allanen en la soledad calzada para nuestro Dios(G).
4 Todo valle sea elevado,
Y bajado todo monte y collado;
Vuélvase llano el terreno escabroso,
Y lo abrupto, ancho valle.
5 Entonces será revelada[d] la gloria del Señor(H),
Y toda carne[e] a una la verá(I),
Pues la boca del Señor ha hablado(J)».
6 Una voz dijo[f]: «Clama».
Entonces él respondió[g]: «¿Qué he de clamar?».
Que toda carne[h] es como la hierba, y todo su esplendor[i] es como la flor del campo(K).
7 Se seca la hierba, se marchita la flor(L)
Cuando[j] el aliento del Señor sopla sobre ella(M);
En verdad el pueblo es hierba.
8 Se seca la hierba, se marchita la flor,
Pero la palabra de nuestro Dios permanece para siempre(N).
9 Súbete a un alto monte,
Oh Sión, portadora de buenas nuevas[k](O).
Levanta con fuerza tu voz,
Oh Jerusalén, portadora de buenas nuevas[l];
Levántala, no temas.
Dile a las ciudades de Judá(P):
«Aquí está su Dios(Q)».
10 Miren, el Señor Dios[m] vendrá con poder(R),
Y Su brazo gobernará por Él.
Con Él está Su galardón(S),
Y Su recompensa delante de Él(T).
11 Como pastor apacentará Su rebaño(U),
En Su brazo recogerá los corderos,
Y en Su seno los llevará;
Guiará con cuidado a las recién paridas.
12 ¿Quién midió las aguas[n](V) en el hueco de Su mano,
Y con Su palmo[o] tomó la medida de los cielos(W),
O con un tercio de medida[p] calculó[q] el polvo de la tierra?
¿Quién pesó los montes con la báscula,
Y las colinas con la balanza?
13 ¿Quién guió[r] al Espíritu del Señor,
O como consejero suyo le enseñó(X)?
14 ¿A quién pidió consejo y quién le dio entendimiento?
¿Quién lo instruyó en la senda de la justicia[s], le enseñó conocimiento(Y),
Y le mostró el camino de la inteligencia(Z)?
15 Las naciones le son como gota en un cubo,
Y son estimadas como grano de polvo en la balanza.
Él levanta las islas[t] como al polvo fino(AA).
16 El Líbano no basta para el fuego,
Ni bastan sus bestias para el holocausto(AB).
17 Todas las naciones ante Él son como nada,
Menos que nada e insignificantes[u] son consideradas por Él(AC).
18 ¿A quién, pues, asemejarán a Dios,
O con qué semejanza lo compararán(AD)?
19 El artífice funde el ídolo[v],
El orfebre lo recubre de oro
Y el platero le hace cadenas de plata(AE).
20 El que es muy pobre para tal ofrenda
Escoge un árbol(AF) que no se pudra;
Se busca un hábil artífice
Para erigir[w] un ídolo[x] que no se tambalee(AG).
21 ¿No saben? ¿No han oído?
¿No se lo han anunciado desde el principio(AH)?
¿No lo han entendido desde la fundación[y] de la tierra(AI)?
22 Él es el que está sentado sobre la redondez[z] de la tierra(AJ),
Cuyos habitantes son como langostas(AK).
Él es el que extiende los cielos(AL) como una cortina(AM)
Y los despliega como una tienda(AN) para morar.
23 Él es el que reduce a la nada a los gobernantes(AO),
Y hace insignificantes[aa] a los jueces de la tierra(AP).
24 Apenas[ab] han sido plantados,
Apenas[ac] han sido sembrados,
Apenas[ad] ha arraigado en la tierra su tallo,
Cuando[ae] Él sopla sobre ellos, se secan,
Y la tempestad como hojarasca se los lleva(AQ).
25 «¿A quién, pues, ustedes me harán semejante(AR)
Para que Yo sea su igual?» dice el Santo.
26 Alcen a lo alto sus ojos(AS)
Y vean quién ha creado estos astros(AT):
El que hace salir en orden a su ejército,
Y a todos llama por su nombre(AU).
Por la grandeza de Su fuerza y la fortaleza de Su poder(AV)
No falta ni uno(AW).
27 ¿Por qué dices, Jacob, y afirmas, Israel:
«Escondido está mi camino del Señor(AX),
Y mi derecho(AY) pasa inadvertido a mi Dios(AZ)?».
28 ¿Acaso no lo sabes? ¿Es que no lo has oído(BA)?
El Dios eterno(BB), el Señor, el creador de los confines de la tierra
No se fatiga ni se cansa.
Su entendimiento es inescrutable(BC).
29 Él da fuerzas al fatigado(BD),
Y al que no tiene fuerzas, aumenta el vigor(BE).
30 Aun los mancebos se fatigan y se cansan,
Y los jóvenes tropiezan y vacilan(BF),
31 Pero los que esperan en el[af] Señor
Renovarán sus fuerzas(BG).
Se remontarán con alas[ag] como las águilas(BH),
Correrán y no se cansarán,
Caminarán y no se fatigarán(BI).
Footnotes
- Isaías 40:2 O reclutamiento.
- Isaías 40:2 O que ha satisfecho por su culpa.
- Isaías 40:3 O Voz del que clama.
- Isaías 40:5 O Para que sea revelada.
- Isaías 40:5 O toda persona.
- Isaías 40:6 O Voz del que dice.
- Isaías 40:6 Otra posible lectura es: yo dije.
- Isaías 40:6 O todo ser viviente.
- Isaías 40:6 O toda su constancia.
- Isaías 40:7 O porque.
- Isaías 40:9 O mensajero de Sion.
- Isaías 40:9 O mensajero de Jerusalén.
- Isaías 40:10 Heb. YHWH, generalmente traducido Señor.
- Isaías 40:12 Los M.M.M. dicen: aguas del mar.
- Isaías 40:12 O medio codo; i.e. unos 22 cm.
- Isaías 40:12 O efa.
- Isaías 40:12 Lit. ha contenido o comprendido.
- Isaías 40:13 O midió.
- Isaías 40:14 O del derecho.
- Isaías 40:15 O regiones costeras.
- Isaías 40:17 O y vacío.
- Isaías 40:19 O la imagen tallada.
- Isaías 40:20 O formar.
- Isaías 40:20 O imagen tallada.
- Isaías 40:21 En el T.M., entendido los fundamentos.
- Isaías 40:22 O el círculo.
- Isaías 40:23 O vacíos.
- Isaías 40:24 O Aún no.
- Isaías 40:24 O Aún no.
- Isaías 40:24 O Aún no.
- Isaías 40:24 Lit. y también.
- Isaías 40:31 O al.
- Isaías 40:31 O les brotarán piñones.
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