Isaiah 40:18-26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
18 To whom, then, will you liken God,
or what likeness compare with him?(A)
19 An idol? A workman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and casts for it silver chains.(B)
20 As a gift one chooses mulberry wood[a]
—wood that will not rot—
then seeks out a skilled artisan
to set up an image that will not topple.(C)
21 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?(D)
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
and spreads them like a tent to live in,(E)
23 who brings princes to naught
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.(F)
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.(G)
25 To whom, then, will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.(H)
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.(I)
Footnotes
- 40.20 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Isaiah 40:18-26
New American Standard Bible
18 (A)To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the [a](B)idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith (C)plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a (D)tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [b]prepare [c]an idol that (E)will not totter.
21 (F)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood (G)from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who [d]sits above the [e](H)circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like (I)grasshoppers,
Who (J)stretches out the heavens like a (K)curtain
And spreads them out like a (L)tent to live in.
23 It is He who reduces (M)rulers to nothing,
Who (N)makes the judges of the earth [f]meaningless.
24 [g]Scarcely have they been planted,
[h]Scarcely have they been sown,
[i]Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the (O)storm carries them away like stubble.
25 “(P)To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.
26 (Q)Raise your eyes on high
And see (R)who has created these stars,
The (S)One who brings out their [j]multitude by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the (T)greatness of His might and the [k]strength of His power,
(U)Not one of them is missing.
Footnotes
- 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
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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