Isaiah 40

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:23

That bringeth princes to nothing ,.... The great men of the earth, kings, rulers, and nobles, these he brings to the dust; and all their counsels, schemes, and purposes, come to nothing; and their monarchies and kingdoms too in time. Where are now the Babylonish, Persian, and Grecian monarchies, and those great princes that formerly reigned in them? he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity ; their decrees and decisions to stand for nothing, as "tohu" and "bohu", the first of which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:24

Yea, they shall not be planted ,.... As trees are, like the cedars in Lebanon, though they may seem to be such; but be like the grass of the field, and herbs of the earth: or, "even they shall be", as if they were "not planted F3 אף בל נטעו "perinde ut non plantati", Calvin; and so the following clauses. ", they shall not grow and flourish; or they shall be plucked up, and be no more; this is said of the princes and judges of the earth; nay, they shall not be sown ; as seed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:25

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One? Or be upon a level with? since the greatest of men on earth are brought to nothing by him, and are no more: this is repeated from Isaiah 40:18 and supported with fresh strength of argument, to show that there is nothing whatever, that is a fit likeness and similitude, by which to represent the Lord. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high ,.... From the earth, and the inhabitants of it, even those of the greatest power and influence in it, to the heavens above, those that are visible to the eye: and behold who hath created these things ; that are seen in the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars; consider the Creator of them, what a glorious Being he must be; what power he must be possessed of; what dazzling light he must dwell in; what glory and majesty he must be clothed with; and how infinitely... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:27

Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel ,.... The Jews, supposed to be in captivity, are here meant, according to Jarchi and Kimchi; whom the prophet reproves, for murmuring at the calamities and afflictions there endured by them; but it may be the church and people of God, in Gospel times, are here intended, being under suffering circumstances, either under Rome Pagan, or Rome Papal; not only inwardly repining, but openly complaining and uttering, as follows: my way is hid from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:28

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard ?.... From the history of the church in all ages; from the experience of all good men; from their own knowledge and observation; from the Scriptures, and the prophets, the interpreters of them; both that what is before suggested is wrong, and that what follows is true, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ? or, "the God of the world"; that has made it, and upholds it, and governs... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:29

He giveth power to the faint ,.... Who are ready to faint under afflictions, because they have not immediate deliverance, or their prayers are not answered at once, or promises not fulfilled as they expected; to such he gives fresh supplies of spiritual strength; he strengthens their faith, and enlarges their views, to behold the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, and confirms his blessings and promises of grace unto them, Psalm 27:13 . The Targum is, "who giveth wisdom to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:30

Even the youths shall faint and be weary ,.... Such as are in the prime of their strength, and glory in it, yet through the hand of God upon them, by one disease or another, their strength is weakened in the way; or they meet with that which they are not equal to, and sink under, and are discouraged, and obliged to desist. Some think the Babylonians and Chaldeans are here meant, the enemies of Israel, and by whom they were carried captive. The Targum interprets this clause, as well as the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord ,.... As children on their parents, to do them honour, to obey their commands, and receive food and blessings from them; as servants on their masters, to know their pleasure, do their work, and have their wages; as clients on their patrons, to have advice of them, put their cause into their hands, and know how it goes; and as beggars at the door, who knock and wait, tell their case and wait, meet with repulses, yet keep their place, and continue waiting: such... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40

In this chapter the prophet opens the subject respecting the restoration of the Church with great force and elegance; declaring God's command to his messengers the prophets to comfort his people in their captivity, and to impart to them the glad tidings that the time of favor and deliverance was at hand, Isaiah 40:1 , Isaiah 40:2 . Immediately a harbinger is introduced giving orders, as usual in the march of eastern monarchs, to remove every obstacle, and to prepare the way for their... read more

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