Isaiah 40:22-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 40:18-26

The prophet here reproves those, 1. Who represented God by creatures, and so changed his truth into a lie and his glory into shame, who made images and then said that they resembled God, and paid their homage to them accordingly. 2. Who put creatures in the place of God, who feared them more than God, as if they were a match for him, or loved them more than God, as if they were fit to be rivals with him. Twice the challenge is here made, To whom will you liken God? Isa. 40:18; and again Isa.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 40:27-31

Here, I. The prophet reproves the people of God, who are now supposed to be captives in Babylon for their unbelief and distrust of God, and the dejections and despondencies of their spirit under their affliction (Isa. 40:27): ?Why sayest thou, O Jacob! to thyself and to those about thee, My way is hidden from the Lord? Why dost thou make hard and melancholy conclusions concerning thyself and thy present case as if the latter were desperate?? 1. The titles he here gives them were enough to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:22

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth ,.... Or, "the globe F26 על חוג "super sphaeram", Pagninus; "globum", Montanus Vatablus; "super orbem telluris", Vitringa. " of it; for the earth is spherical or globular: not a flat plain, but round, hung as a ball in the air; here Jehovah sits as the Lord and Sovereign; being the Maker of it, he is above it, orders and directs its motion, and governs all things in it: Kimchi rightly observes, that the heavens are the circle of... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:22

As a curtain "As a thin veil" - "It is usual in the summer season, and upon all occasions when a large company is to be received, to have the court sheltered from heat or inclemency of the weather by a velum, umbrella, or veil, as I shall call it; which being expanded on ropes from one side of the parapet wall to the other, may be folded or unfolded at pleasure. The psalmist seems to allude to some covering of this kind in that beautiful expression of spreading out the heavens like a... read more

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