Isaiah 40:18-26
English Standard Version
18 (A)To whom then will you liken God,
(B)or what likeness compare with him?
19 (C)An idol! A craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and casts for it silver chains.
20 (D)He who is too impoverished for an offering
chooses wood[a] that will not rot;
he seeks out a skillful craftsman
to set up an idol that will not move.
21 (E)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 (F)like grasshoppers;
(G)who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
23 (H)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,
(I)and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
25 (J)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?
(K)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.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:20 Or He chooses valuable wood
Isaiah 40:18-26
Revised Standard Version
18 To whom then will you liken God,
or what likeness compare with him?
19 The idol! a workman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold,
and casts for it silver chains.
20 He who is impoverished[a] chooses for an offering
wood that will not rot;
he seeks out a skilful craftsman
to set up an image that will not move.
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?
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 dwell in;
23 who brings princes to nought,
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
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.
25 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?
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.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:20 Heb uncertain
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.