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Isaiah 40:12-31
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 40:12-31
New American Standard Bible
12 Who has (A)measured the [a]waters in the hollow of His hand,
And measured the heavens with a [b]span,
And [c]calculated the dust of the earth with a measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
13 (B)Who has [d]directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His (C)counselor has informed Him?
14 (D)With whom did He consult and who (E)gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge,
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the (F)nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of (G)dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the [e]islands like fine dust.
16 Even Lebanon is not enough to [f]burn,
Nor its (H)animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 (I)All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and [g]meaningless.
18 (J)To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the [h](K)idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith (L)plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a (M)tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [i]prepare [j]an idol that (N)will not totter.
21 (O)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood (P)from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who [k]sits above the [l](Q)circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like (R)grasshoppers,
Who (S)stretches out the heavens like a (T)curtain
And spreads them out like a (U)tent to live in.
23 It is He who reduces (V)rulers to nothing,
Who (W)makes the judges of the earth [m]meaningless.
24 [n]Scarcely have they been planted,
[o]Scarcely have they been sown,
[p]Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the (X)storm carries them away like stubble.
25 “(Y)To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.
26 (Z)Raise your eyes on high
And see (AA)who has created these stars,
The (AB)One who brings out their [q]multitude by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the (AC)greatness of His might and the [r]strength of His power,
(AD)Not one of them is missing.
27 (AE)Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel,
“My way is (AF)hidden from the Lord,
And the (AG)justice due me [s]escapes the notice of (AH)my God”?
28 (AI)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The (AJ)Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is (AK)unsearchable.
29 He gives strength to the (AL)weary,
And to the one who lacks might He (AM)increases power.
30 Though (AN)youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous (AO)young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who [t]wait for the Lord
Will (AP)gain new strength;
They will [u](AQ)mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:12 DSS reads waters of the sea
- Isaiah 40:12 Or half cubit (9 in. or 22.8 cm)
- Isaiah 40:12 Lit contained; or comprehended
- Isaiah 40:13 Or measured, marked off
- Isaiah 40:15 Or coastlands
- Isaiah 40:16 I.e., for fire on an altar
- Isaiah 40:17 Or void
- Isaiah 40:19 Or carved image
- Isaiah 40:20 Or set up
- Isaiah 40:20 Or a carved image
- Isaiah 40:22 Or is enthroned
- Isaiah 40:22 Or vault
- Isaiah 40:23 Or void
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:26 Lit host
- Isaiah 40:26 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT strong
- Isaiah 40:27 Lit passes by my God
- Isaiah 40:31 Or hope in
- Isaiah 40:31 Or sprout wings
Isaiah 40:12-31
New International Version
Isaiah 40:12-31
New International Version
12 Who has measured the waters(A) in the hollow of his hand,(B)
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(C)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?(D)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[a](E) of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(F)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(G)
or showed him the path of understanding?(H)
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;(I)
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(J)
16 Lebanon(K) is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals(L) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(M) are as nothing;(N)
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.(O)
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(P)
To what image(Q) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(R) a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith(S) overlays it with gold(T)
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood(U) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol(V) that will not topple.(W)
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(X)
Has it not been told(Y) you from the beginning?(Z)
Have you not understood(AA) since the earth was founded?(AB)
22 He sits enthroned(AC) above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.(AD)
He stretches out the heavens(AE) like a canopy,(AF)
and spreads them out like a tent(AG) to live in.(AH)
23 He brings princes(AI) to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(AJ)
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root(AK) in the ground,
than he blows(AL) on them and they wither,(AM)
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(AN)
25 “To whom will you compare me?(AO)
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(AP)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(AQ)
Who created(AR) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(AS) one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(AT)
not one of them is missing.(AU)
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?(AV)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(AW)
The Lord is the everlasting(AX) God,
the Creator(AY) of the ends of the earth.(AZ)
He will not grow tired or weary,(BA)
and his understanding no one can fathom.(BB)
29 He gives strength(BC) to the weary(BD)
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men(BE) stumble and fall;(BF)
31 but those who hope(BG) in the Lord
will renew their strength.(BH)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(BI)
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.(BJ)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:13 Or mind
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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