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The Greatness of God

40 (A)Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
(B)Speak [a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [b](C)warfare has ended,
That her [c](D)guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lords hand
(E)Double for all her sins.”

(F)The voice of one calling out,
(G)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make [d]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
[e]Then the (H)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And (I)all flesh will see it together;
For the (J)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [f]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
(K)All flesh is grass, and all its [g]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The (L)grass withers, the flower fades,
[h]When the (M)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (N)the word of our God stands forever.

Go up on a (O)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of (P)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the (Q)cities of Judah,
(R)Here is your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord [i]God will come (S)with might,
With His (T)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His (U)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will (V)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in the fold of His robe;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

12 Who has (W)measured the [j]waters in the hollow of His hand,
And measured the heavens with a [k]span,
And [l]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 (X)Who has [m]directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His (Y)counselor has informed Him?
14 (Z)With whom did He consult and who (AA)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 (AB)nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of (AC)dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the [n]islands like fine dust.
16 Even Lebanon is not enough to [o]burn,
Nor its (AD)animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 (AE)All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and [p]meaningless.

18 (AF)To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the [q](AG)idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith (AH)plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a (AI)tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [r]prepare [s]an idol that (AJ)will not totter.

21 (AK)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood (AL)from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who [t]sits above the [u](AM)circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like (AN)grasshoppers,
Who (AO)stretches out the heavens like a (AP)curtain
And spreads them out like a (AQ)tent to live in.
23 It is He who reduces (AR)rulers to nothing,
Who (AS)makes the judges of the earth [v]meaningless.
24 [w]Scarcely have they been planted,
[x]Scarcely have they been sown,
[y]Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the (AT)storm carries them away like stubble.
25 (AU)To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.
26 (AV)Raise your eyes on high
And see (AW)who has created these stars,
The (AX)One who brings out their [z]multitude by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the (AY)greatness of His might and the [aa]strength of His power,
(AZ)Not one of them is missing.

27 (BA)Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel,
“My way is (BB)hidden from the Lord,
And the (BC)justice due me [ab]escapes the notice of (BD)my God”?
28 (BE)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The (BF)Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is (BG)unsearchable.
29 He gives strength to the (BH)weary,
And to the one who lacks might He (BI)increases power.
30 Though (BJ)youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous (BK)young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who [ac]wait for the Lord
Will (BL)gain new strength;
They will [ad](BM)mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of
  2. Isaiah 40:2 Or hard service
  3. Isaiah 40:2 Or penalty of guilt accepted as paid off
  4. Isaiah 40:3 Or smooth
  5. Isaiah 40:5 Or In order that the
  6. Isaiah 40:6 Another reading is I said
  7. Isaiah 40:6 Or constancy
  8. Isaiah 40:7 Or Because
  9. Isaiah 40:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  10. Isaiah 40:12 DSS reads waters of the sea
  11. Isaiah 40:12 Or half cubit (9 in. or 22.8 cm)
  12. Isaiah 40:12 Lit contained; or comprehended
  13. Isaiah 40:13 Or measured, marked off
  14. Isaiah 40:15 Or coastlands
  15. Isaiah 40:16 I.e., for fire on an altar
  16. Isaiah 40:17 Or void
  17. Isaiah 40:19 Or carved image
  18. Isaiah 40:20 Or set up
  19. Isaiah 40:20 Or a carved image
  20. Isaiah 40:22 Or is enthroned
  21. Isaiah 40:22 Or vault
  22. Isaiah 40:23 Or void
  23. Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
  24. Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
  25. Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
  26. Isaiah 40:26 Lit host
  27. Isaiah 40:26 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT strong
  28. Isaiah 40:27 Lit passes by my God
  29. Isaiah 40:31 Or hope in
  30. Isaiah 40:31 Or sprout wings

Comfort for God's People

40 (A)Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
(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.

(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.
(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.
(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

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.
The grass withers, the flower fades
    when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
    surely the people are grass.
(K)The grass withers, the flower fades,
    but the word of our God will stand forever.

The Greatness of God

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

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Or hardship
  2. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one crying
  3. Isaiah 40:6 Revocalization based on Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Vulgate; Masoretic Text And someone says
  4. Isaiah 40:6 Or all its constancy
  5. Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Zion
  6. Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem
  7. Isaiah 40:13 Or has directed
  8. Isaiah 40:20 Or He chooses valuable wood

God Comforts His People

40 “Comfort my people,” says your God.
    “Comfort them.
Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem.
    Announce to them
that their hard labor has been completed.
    Tell them that their sin has been paid for.
Tell them the Lord has punished them enough
    for all their sins.”

A messenger is calling out,
“In the desert prepare
    the way for the Lord.
Make a straight road through it
    for our God.
Every valley will be filled in.
    Every mountain and hill will be made level.
The rough ground will be smoothed out.
    The rocky places will be made flat.
Then the glory of the Lord will appear.
    And everyone will see it together.
The Lord has spoken.”

Another messenger says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What should I cry?”

“Cry out, ‘All people are like grass.
    They don’t stay faithful to me any longer than wildflowers last.
The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground.
    That happens when the Lord makes his wind blow on them.
    So people are just like grass.
The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground.
    But what our God says will stand forever.’ ”

Zion, you are bringing good news to your people.
    Go up on a high mountain and announce it.
Jerusalem, you are bringing good news to them.
    Shout the message loudly.
Shout it out loud. Don’t be afraid.
    Say to the towns of Judah,
    “Your God is coming!”
10 The Lord and King is coming with power.
    He rules with a powerful arm.
He has set his people free.
    He is bringing them back as his reward.
    He has won the battle over their enemies.
11 He takes care of his flock like a shepherd.
    He gathers the lambs in his arms.
He carries them close to his heart.
    He gently leads those that have little ones.

12 Who has measured the oceans by using the palm of his hand?
    Who has used the width of his hand to mark off the sky?
Who has measured out the dust of the earth in a basket?
    Who has weighed the mountains on scales?
    Who has weighed the hills in a balance?
13 Who can ever understand the Spirit of the Lord?
    Who can ever give him advice?
14 Did the Lord have to ask anyone to help him understand?
    Did he have to ask someone to teach him the right way?
Who taught him what he knows?
    Who showed him how to understand?

15 The nations are only a drop in a bucket to him.
    He considers them as nothing but dust on the scales.
    He weighs the islands as if they were only fine dust.
16 Lebanon doesn’t have enough trees to keep his altar fires burning.
    It doesn’t have enough animals to sacrifice as burnt offerings to him.
17 To him, all the nations don’t amount to anything.
    He considers them to be worthless.
    In fact, they are less than nothing in his sight.

18 So who will you compare God with?
    Is there any other god like him?
19 Will you compare him with a statue of a god?
    Anyone who works with metal can make a statue.
Then another worker covers it with gold
    and makes silver chains for it.
20 But someone who is too poor to bring that kind of offering
    will choose some wood that won’t rot.
Then they look for a skilled worker.
    They pay the worker to make a statue of a god that won’t fall over.

21 Don’t you know who made everything?
    Haven’t you heard about him?
Hasn’t it been told to you from the beginning?
    Haven’t you understood it ever since the earth was made?
22 God sits on his throne high above the earth.
    Its people look like grasshoppers to him.
He spreads out the heavens like a cover.
    He sets it up like a tent to live in.
23 He takes the power of princes away from them.
    He reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 They are planted.
    They are scattered like seeds.
    They put down roots in the ground.
But as soon as that happens, God blows on them and they dry up.
    Then a windstorm sweeps them away like straw.

25 “So who will you compare me with?
    Who is equal to me?” says the Holy One.
26 Look up toward the sky.
    Who created everything you see?
The Lord causes the stars to come out at night one by one.
    He calls out each one of them by name.
His power and strength are great.
    So none of the stars is missing.

27 Family of Jacob, why do you complain,
    “The Lord doesn’t notice our condition”?
People of Israel, why do you say,
    “Our God doesn’t pay any attention to our rightful claims”?
28 Don’t you know who made everything?
    Haven’t you heard about him?
The Lord is the God who lives forever.
    He created everything on earth.
He won’t become worn out or get tired.
    No one will ever know how great his understanding is.
29 He gives strength to those who are tired.
    He gives power to those who are weak.
30 Even young people become worn out and get tired.
    Even the best of them trip and fall.
31 But those who trust in the Lord
    will receive new strength.
They will fly as high as eagles.
    They will run and not get tired.
    They will walk and not grow weak.

I. SION OCH FRÄLSNINGEN FRÅN ASSUR-BABEL (Kap 40-48)

Herren tröstar sitt folk

40 Trösta, trösta mitt folk! säger er Gud.
Tala ljuvligt till Jerusalem och förkunna för det
att dess vedermöda är slut,
    att dess missgärning är försonad,
och att det har fått dubbelt igen av Herrens hand
för alla sina synder.

En röst ropar i öknen:
    "Bered väg för Herren,
bana en jämn väg i ödemarken för vår Gud.
Varje dal skall höjas,
    alla berg och höjder sänkas.
Ojämn mark skall jämnas,
    kuperat land bli slät mark.
Herrens härlighet skall uppenbaras,
alla människor skall tillsammans se den.
Ty Herrens mun har talat."

Hör någon säger: "Predika!"
    Och en annan[a] svarar: "Vad skall jag predika?"
"Allt kött är gräs
    och all dess härlighet är som blomster på marken.
Gräs torkar, blomster vissnar,
    när Herrens Ande blåser på det.
Ja, folket är gräs!
Gräs torkar bort, blomster vissnar,
    men vår Guds ord förblir i evighet."

Sion, du glädjens budbärarinna,
    stig upp på ett högt berg.
Jerusalem, du glädjens budbärarinna,
höj din röst med kraft.
    Höj den utan fruktan, säg till Juda städer:
"Se, er Gud!"

10 Ja, Herren, Herren kommer med makt,
hans arm visar sin makt.
    Se, han har med sig sin lön,
hans segerbyte går framför honom.
11 Han för sin hjord i bet som en herde,
han samlar lammen i sina armar,
    han bär dem i sin famn.
Sakta för han moderfåren fram.

Ingen kan liknas vid Gud

12 Vem har mätt vattnen i sin kupade hand
och tagit mått på himlens vidd med sina utspända fingrar?
Vem har samlat stoftet på jorden i ett måttkar,
eller vägt bergen på en våg och höjderna i en vågskål?
13 Vem har utforskat Herrens Ande,
och vem kan ge honom råd och undervisa honom?
14 Vem rådfrågar han,
    för att denne skall ge honom förstånd
och lära honom den rätta stigen,
    lära honom kunskap
och visa honom förståndets väg?

15 Se, folken är som en droppe i en spann,
som ett dammkorn i en vågskål.
    Kustländerna lyfter han som ett stoftkorn.
16 Libanons skog räcker inte till offerved,
dess djur inte till brännoffer.
17 Alla folk är som ett intet inför honom,
mindre än intet och idel tomhet anser han dem vara.
18 Vem vill ni likna Gud vid,
    vad vill ni jämföra honom med?

19 Hantverkaren gjuter en avgudabild,
och guldsmeden belägger den med guld
    och smider silverkedjor.
20 Den som inte har råd att offra mycket
väljer ett stycke trä som inte ruttnar.
Sedan söker han en erfaren hantverkare
som kan forma en avgudabild
    som inte faller omkull.

21 Vet ni inte det,
    har ni inte hört det?
Har inte detta förkunnats för er från begynnelsen?
Har ni inte förstått det alltifrån jordens grundläggning?
22 För honom som tronar över världen
är dess inbyggare som gräshoppor.
    Han breder ut himlen som ett flor,
spänner ut den som ett tält att bo inunder.
23 Han gör furstar till intet
    och förvandlar jordens domare till tomhet.
24 Knappt är de planterade,
    knappt är de sådda,
knappt har deras stam slagit rot i jorden,
så blåser han på dem och de förtorkar,
och en stormvind för bort dem som strå.
25 Vem vill ni då likna mig vid,
    så att jag skulle vara som han?
säger den Helige.

26 Lyft upp era ögon mot höjden och se:
Vem har skapat allt detta?
    Vem för härskaran däruppe fram i räknade skaror?
Genom sin stora makt och sin väldiga kraft
nämner han dem alla vid namn -
    ingen enda uteblir.
27 Hur kan du Jakob säga,
    du Israel påstå:
"Min väg är dold för Herren.
    Gud bryr sig inte om min rätt"?
28 Vet du inte, har du inte hört
    att Herren är en evig Gud,
som har skapat jordens ändar?
    Han blir inte trött och utmattas inte,
hans förstånd kan inte utforskas.
29 Han ger den trötte kraft
    och ökar den maktlöses styrka.
30 Ynglingar kan bli trötta och ge upp,
unga män kan falla.
31 Men de som hoppas på Herren får ny kraft,
de lyfter med vingar som örnar.
    De skyndar i väg utan att mattas,
de färdas framåt utan att bli trötta.

Footnotes

  1. Jesaja 40:6 en annan Jesajarullen från Qumran och Septuaginta: "jag".

Comfort for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly(B) to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service(C) has been completed,(D)
    that her sin has been paid for,(E)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double(F) for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way(G) for the Lord[a];
make straight(H) in the desert
    a highway for our God.[b](I)
Every valley shall be raised up,(J)
    every mountain and hill(K) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(L)
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory(M) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.(N)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(O)

A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,(P)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers(Q) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath(R) of the Lord blows(S) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers(T) fall,
    but the word(U) of our God endures(V) forever.(W)

You who bring good news(X) to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](Y)
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”(Z)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AA) with power,(AB)
    and he rules(AC) with a mighty arm.(AD)
See, his reward(AE) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AF)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms(AG)
and carries them close to his heart;(AH)
    he gently leads(AI) those that have young.(AJ)

12 Who has measured the waters(AK) in the hollow of his hand,(AL)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(AM)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?(AN)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[d](AO) of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(AP)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(AQ)
    or showed him the path of understanding?(AR)

15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;(AS)
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(AT)
16 Lebanon(AU) is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals(AV) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(AW) are as nothing;(AX)
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.(AY)

18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(AZ)
    To what image(BA) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(BB) a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith(BC) overlays it with gold(BD)
    and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood(BE) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol(BF) that will not topple.(BG)

21 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?(BH)
Has it not been told(BI) you from the beginning?(BJ)
    Have you not understood(BK) since the earth was founded?(BL)
22 He sits enthroned(BM) above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.(BN)
He stretches out the heavens(BO) like a canopy,(BP)
    and spreads them out like a tent(BQ) to live in.(BR)
23 He brings princes(BS) to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(BT)
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root(BU) in the ground,
than he blows(BV) on them and they wither,(BW)
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(BX)

25 “To whom will you compare me?(BY)
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(BZ)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(CA)
    Who created(CB) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(CC) one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(CD)
    not one of them is missing.(CE)

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”?(CF)
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?(CG)
The Lord is the everlasting(CH) God,
    the Creator(CI) of the ends of the earth.(CJ)
He will not grow tired or weary,(CK)
    and his understanding no one can fathom.(CL)
29 He gives strength(CM) to the weary(CN)
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men(CO) stumble and fall;(CP)
31 but those who hope(CQ) in the Lord
    will renew their strength.(CR)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(CS)
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.(CT)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
  2. Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
  3. Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news
  4. Isaiah 40:13 Or mind