Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 40

1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

*"Cheer up, cheer up my people," says your God.

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

*Tell Jerusalem with reassurance that her struggles are over and her wrongdoing is forgiven. This is because the Lord has given her twice the punishment for all her mistakes.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

*The voice of someone shouting in the wilderness says, "Get ready for God's path and create a straight road through the desert for Him."

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

*Every valley will be lifted up, and all mountains and hills will be lowered. The twisted paths will be made straight, and bumpy areas will be smooth.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

*The greatness of God will be shown to everyone, because God said it would happen.

6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

*The voice commanded, "Cry out!" So he asked, "What should I proclaim?" The answer was, "Every person is like grass, and their beauty is like a field flower."

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

*The grass dries up and flowers wilt because the Lord's breath blows on them; indeed, people are like grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

*The grass dies and flowers fade away, but God's words will last forever.

9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

*O Zion, spreading good news, go to the tall mountain; O Jerusalem, sharing good news, speak loudly without fear; speak out, don't be scared; tell the cities of Judah, Look, here is your God!

10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

*Look, God will arrive with great power, and his arm will be in control. His reward is with him, and he's ready to do his work.

11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

*He will take care of his sheep, like a real shepherd. He'll pick up the little lambs using his arms and hold them close to his chest. He'll also gently guide the ones with babies.

12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

*Who has measured the water in their hand, measured the sky with their arm span, understood the earth's dirt in a container, and weighed mountains using scales, and balanced hills?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

*Who has guided the Spirit of the Lord or been his advisor and taught him?

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?

*Who did he seek advice from, who guided him, and taught him righteousness and knowledge, and showed him the way of wisdom?

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.

*Look, the countries are like a tiny drop from a bucket, and are considered as small dust on a balance. Look, he picks up the islands as if they are nothing at all.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

*Lebanon cannot hold enough fire for burning, nor has enough animals for a sacrifice.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

*All other countries are nothing compared to him, and they're considered even less important, just like something worthless.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

*To whom will you compare God, or what likeness will you use for him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

*A worker melts a carved statue, a goldsmith covers it with gold, and a silversmith makes chains from silver.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

*If someone has nothing to offer and can't find a non-rotting tree, they look for a skilled craftsman to make an engraved image that won't move.

21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

*"Did you not know? Did you not hear? Was it not told to you from the very beginning? Did you not understand from the foundation of the Earth?"

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

*He sits on the Earth's round shape and people are like tiny hopping insects. He expands the sky like a screen and sets it up like a big tent for living in.

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

*That causes the rulers to fail; he turns the world's judges into something worthless.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

*Yes, they won't be planted or sown. Their roots won't grow in the ground. He will blow on them, causing them to dry up, and the wind will blow them away like straw.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

*To whom can I compare myself, or am I equal to anyone? asks the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

*Look up to the heavens and see who made all this, the one who calls each thing by name because of his great strength. He does this because he's very powerful, and nothing fails to happen as he intends.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

*Why do you say, Jacob, and you, Israel, that God's way is hidden, and your judgment is ignored by Him?

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

*Do you not know or hear that the eternal God, the Lord, the maker of all Earth's edges, never grows tired or weary? His understanding cannot be fully understood.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

*He gives strength to those who are weak, and increases the power of those who have none.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

*Even young people will become tired and weak, and young men will fail completely.

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

*But those who patiently trust in the Lord will regain their energy; they will soar like eagles; they will run without getting tired; and they will walk without losing strength.

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