Isaiah 40:21-22 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:19-26

Idolatry ridiculous. A strong tone of irony and ridicule runs through the description; and nothing could better illustrate by contrast that sublime faith which has just been presented to our view. I. THE IMAGE CONTRASTED WITH JEHOVAH . All our thought is composed of images, but what a descent from that image in the mind and solely there on which we have been dwelling, to yonder thing of metal, which the craftsman casts, and the goldsmith overlays with gold, and for which he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:21

Have ye not known? Hitherto the prophet has restrained himself, and confined himself to quiet sarcasm. Now he bursts out. Is there any one so insensate, so devoid of natural reason and understanding, as not to know what has been known to all from the beginning—yea, from the foundations of the earth—by "the light that is in them," viz. that God is something wholly different from this?—that he is such a One as the prophet proceeds to describe in Isaiah 40:22-24 , alike above nature and above... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:22

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth ; rather, above the vault of the earth ; above the vault of sky which seems to arch over the earth. As grasshoppers; i.e. minute, scarcely visible (comp. Numbers 13:33 ). That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain. So in Psalms 104:2 , only that here the "curtain" is represented as one of thin gauze. The idea is common to Isaiah with Job ( Job 9:8 ), Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 10:12 ; Jeremiah 51:15 ), and Zechariah ( Zechariah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 40:21

Have ye not known? - This is evidently an address to the worshippers of idols, and either designed to be addressed to the Jews themselves in the times of Manasseh, when idolatry abounded, or to all idolaters. The prophet had in the previous verses shown the manner in which the idols were made, and the folly of regarding them as objects of worship. He now turns and addresses the worshippers of these idols, as being without excuse. They might have known that these were not the true God. They had... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 40:22

It is he that sitteth - Margin, ‘Him that sitteth,’ that is, have you not known him? The Hebrew literally means ‘the sitter, or he sitting on the circle of the each;’ and it may be connected either with Isaiah 40:21, ‘Have ye not known him sitting on the circle of the earth?’ or with Isaiah 40:18, ‘What likeness will ye compare to him that sitteth on the circle of the earth?’ In either case the phrase is designed to show the majesty and glory of God. The word ‘sitteth’ refers to God as a... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:21-24

Isaiah 40:21-24. Have ye not known Jehovah to be the only true God, the Maker and Governor of the world, and all its inhabitants? How can ye be ignorant of so evident a truth? He addresses his speech to the idolatrous Gentiles; from the beginning Namely, of the world, as the next clause explains it: were not these infinite perfections of God manifestly discovered to all mankind, by the creation of the world? It is he that sitteth As a judge or governor upon his throne; upon, or... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-31

Israel’s incomparable God (40:12-31)Should any doubt God’s ability to re-establish Israel in its homeland, the psalm of praise that follows drives away those doubts. God is the great Creator; the universe appears insignificant compared with him. He does whatever he wants, without any help or advice from his creatures (12-14). Israel has no need to fear Babylon or any other ruling power, for nations also are insignificant and powerless before him (15-17). How absurd, therefore, for people to... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 40:21

Have ye not . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis , for emphasis. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 40:22

sitteth. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. upon = above. circle = circuit, or vault: i.e. as far as one can see, around or above. See Job 22:14 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 40:18-26

Isaiah 40:18-26. To whom then will ye liken God?— To whom, &c. or what resemblance will ye contrive for him? Isaiah 40:19. The workman casts an image; and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and worketh silver chains: Isaiah 40:20. He who is thrifty in his oblation, chooses wood that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare him an image which will not start. Latter end of Isaiah 40:21. Have ye not considered the foundations of the earth? Isaiah 40:22. Him that... read more