Isaiah 40:14-16
New English Translation
14 From whom does he receive directions?[a]
Who[b] teaches him the correct way to do things,[c]
or imparts knowledge to him,
or instructs him in skillful design?[d]
15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales.
He lifts[e] the coastlands[f] as if they were dust.
16 Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice;[g]
its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.[h]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:14 tn Heb “With whom did he consult, so that he gave discernment to him?”
- Isaiah 40:14 tn Heb “and taught him.” The vav (ו) consecutive with prefixed verbal form continues the previous line. The translation employs an interrogative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
- Isaiah 40:14 tn The phrase אֹרַח מִשְׁפָּט (ʾorakh mishpat) could be translated “path of justice” (so NASB, NRSV), but in this context, where creative ability and skill is in view, the phrase is better understood in the sense of “the way that is proper or fitting” (see BDB 1049 s.v. מִשְׁפָּט 6); cf. NIV, NCV “the right way.”
- Isaiah 40:14 tn Heb “or the way of understanding causes him to know?”sn The implied answer to the rhetorical questions in vv. 13-14 is, “No one.” In contrast to Marduk, the creator-god of Mesopotamian myths who receives help from the god of wisdom, the Lord neither needs nor receives any such advice or help. See R. Whybray, Heavenly Counsellor (SOTSMS), 64-77.
- Isaiah 40:15 tn Or “weighs” (NIV); NLT “picks up.”
- Isaiah 40:15 tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV, NLT).
- Isaiah 40:16 tn The words “for a sacrifice” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Isaiah 40:16 sn The point is that not even the Lebanon forest could supply enough wood and animals for an adequate sacrifice to the Lord.
Isaiah 40:14-16
King James Version
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.
Read full chapterNET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.