Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 40 OPENS SECOND ISAIAH (chs. 40–55) — one of-the-most-Christologically-rich chapters in-the-entire-OT. Verses 3–5 are cited at all-four Gospels for John-the-Baptist's-ministry (Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4–6, John 1:23). Verses 6–8 cited at 1 Peter 1:24–25. Verse 13 cited at Romans 11:34 + 1 Cor 2:16. The chapter is THE COMFORT-OF-ISRAEL gospel-prelude.
Notable Variants
40:1 'comfort, comfort my people' COMFORT-OF-ISRAEL theme; 40:3–5 'voice in the wilderness' → ALL FOUR GOSPELS for John the Baptist; 40:6–8 'all flesh is grass' → 1 Peter 1:24–25; 40:13 'who has known the mind of the Lord' → Rom 11:34 + 1 Cor 2:16.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 40 = LXX Isaiah 40. 31 verses. OPENS SECOND ISAIAH (chs. 40–55).
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
'Comfort, comfort my people, says your God' tracks MT. COMFORT-COMFORT (nachamu nachamu — Hebrew-doubled-imperative). Handel's Messiah Part I, no. 2 ('Comfort ye, comfort ye my people') opens-the-oratorio with-this-verse. The pivot-from-judgment to-comfort. THE GOSPEL-PRELUDE of-the-Hebrew-Bible.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry out to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned — for she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.
'Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins' tracks MT. WARFARE-ENDED / INIQUITY-PARDONED / DOUBLE-RECEIVED. Christological-foundation.
A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'
Masoretic (WLC)
קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה יַשְּׁרוּ בָּעֲרָבָה מְסִלָּה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ
A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God
Septuagint (LXX)
φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν
A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God
ALL FOUR GOSPELS CITE THIS VERSE for John-the-Baptist's-ministry: (1) MATTHEW 3:3 — 'For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said: THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.' (2) MARK 1:3 — verbatim. (3) LUKE 3:4–6 — extended-citation including-vv. 4–5. (4) JOHN 1:23 — John-the-Baptist self-applies: 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD.'
PUNCTUATION-DIFFERENCE between LXX and MT. The MT-divides: 'a voice cries: IN THE WILDERNESS prepare the way.' The LXX-divides: 'A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: prepare the way.' The Gospels follow-the-LXX-punctuation, locating-the-voice (John-the-Baptist) IN-the-wilderness. The Gospels' use thus depends on-the-LXX-punctuation tradition.
John-the-Baptist as-the-VOICE — fulfillment-paradigm. Christ-as-the-LORD whose-way is-prepared. The Christological-identification of-Jesus-with-YHWH at-this-text is-foundational.
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
'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' tracks MT. EVERY-VALLEY-LIFTED-UP. Luke 3:5 cites verbatim — extending the John-the-Baptist citation. Handel's Messiah no. 3 ('Every valley shall be exalted') sets-this-verse.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
'And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken' tracks MT. ALL-FLESH-SHALL-SEE-IT. Luke 3:6 cites this verse — extending the citation through-here. The 'all flesh' (pasa sarx) emphasizes the universal-Gentile-extending salvation. Luke alone cites-this-verse, befitting Luke's-Gentile-audience.
A voice says, 'Cry out!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
'A voice says: Cry! And I said: What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field' tracks MT. ALL-FLESH-IS-GRASS. 1 Peter 1:24 cites this verse VERBATIM-FROM-LXX in his anthropological-pessimism + word-of-the-Lord-permanence argument. James 1:10–11 ('like a flower of the grass he will pass away') extends.
The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.
'The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass' tracks MT.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
'The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever' tracks MT. WORD-OF-OUR-GOD STANDS-FOREVER. 1 PETER 1:25 cites this verse VERBATIM: 'But the word of the Lord remains forever (to de rhēma kyriou menei eis ton aiōna). And this word is the good news that was preached to you.' Peter Christologically-applies the divine-word-permanence to-the-gospel-message.
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!'
'Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah: Behold your God!' tracks MT. HERALD-OF-GOOD-NEWS (mevasseret / euangelizomenē). The Greek root EUANGEL (gospel) — Isaiah's-gospel-vocabulary anticipates the NT's-Christological-gospel. BEHOLD-YOUR-GOD. Christologically — Christ-as-the-presence-of-God.
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.
'Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him' tracks MT. REWARD-WITH-HIM. Revelation 22:12 ('Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me') Christologically-extends.
He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; He will gently lead those that are nursing.
'He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young' tracks MT. GATHER-LAMBS-IN-ARMS. John 10:11 ('I am the good shepherd') Christologically-fulfills. Handel's Messiah no. 20 ('He shall feed his flock like a shepherd') sets this-verse.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, and enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?
'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?' tracks MT.
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has instructed Him?
Masoretic (WLC)
מִי־תִכֵּן אֶת־רוּחַ יְהוָה וְאִישׁ עֲצָתוֹ יוֹדִיעֶנּוּ
Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?
Septuagint (LXX)
τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν
Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor, who has instructed him?
ROMANS 11:34 + 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16 CITATIONS. Paul cites this verse-LXX TWICE: (1) ROMANS 11:34 — closing the Gentile-inclusion argument: 'For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO HAS BEEN HIS COUNSELOR? (tis gar egnō noun kyriou? Ē tis symboulos autou egeneto?).' (2) 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16 — 'For WHO HAS UNDERSTOOD THE MIND OF THE LORD SO AS TO INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.' Paul's-Christological turn — the inscrutable-mind-of-the-Lord becomes-accessible-in-Christ.
MIND-OF-LORD vs SPIRIT-OF-LORD. The MT has 'Spirit of the LORD'; the LXX has 'mind of the Lord' (noun kyriou). Paul follows-the-LXX. The verse anchors the Pauline-claim that Christ-believers have-access-to-divine-wisdom.
With whom did He take counsel and who gave Him understanding? Who taught Him the path of justice, or taught Him knowledge, or showed Him the way of understanding?
'Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?' tracks MT.
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are counted as dust on the scales; behold, He takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
'Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust' tracks MT. NATIONS-LIKE-DROP-FROM-BUCKET. Cosmic-scale comparison.
Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor its beasts for a burnt offering.
'Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering' tracks MT.
All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are counted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness.
'All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness' tracks MT.
To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness will you compare to Him?
'To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?' tracks MT. ANTI-IDOLATRY rhetorical-question begins. The exclusivity of-divine-incomparability.
An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.
'An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains' tracks MT.
He who is too poor for such an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not totter.
'He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move' tracks MT.
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?
'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?' tracks MT.
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.
'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' tracks MT. CIRCLE-OF-THE-EARTH (chug ha'aretz). Some-modern-readers see-this-as scientific-foreknowledge of earth's-spherical-shape; the Hebrew chug means more-precisely 'horizon, vault.'
He brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
'Who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness' tracks MT.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows on them and they wither, and the storm carries them away like stubble.
'Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble' tracks MT.
'To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be his equal?' says the Holy One.
'To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One' tracks MT.
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.
'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' tracks MT. CALLING-STARS-BY-NAME — divine-cosmic-intimacy. // Ps 147:4.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God'?
'Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God?' tracks MT.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.
'Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable' tracks MT. EVERLASTING-GOD / CREATOR-OF-ENDS-OF-EARTH. Romans 16:26 ('according to the command of the eternal God') extends.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.
'He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength' tracks MT.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.
'Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted' tracks MT.
But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
'But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint' tracks MT. WAIT-FOR-LORD WINGS-LIKE-EAGLES. The closing-celebrated-verse. Mounted-on-eagles-wings — Exodus 19:4 echoed. Wait-strength promise. The verse-closes the gospel-prelude with-the-energizing-trust formula.