1 The Glory of Yahweh Will Be Revealed “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
2 “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem;And call out to her, that her 40:2Or hard service warfare has been fulfilled,That her 40:2Or penalty of iniquity has been accepted as paid off iniquity has been removed,That she has received from the hand of YahwehDouble for all her sins.”
3 ¶A voice 40:3Or of one calling out is calling,“Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness;Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
4 “Let every valley be lifted up,And every mountain and hill be made low;And let the rough ground become a plain,And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 40:5Or In order that the Then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed,And all flesh will seeittogether;For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Call out.”Then 40:6Or I said he answered, “What shall I call out?”All flesh is grass, and all its lovingkindness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass 40:7Or dries up, cf.42:15;Ps 90:5-6 withers, the flower fades, 40:7Or Because When the breath of Yahweh blows upon it;Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass 40:8 Or dries up, cf.42:15;Ps 90:5-6 withers, the flower fades,But the word of our God stands forever.
9 ¶Get yourself up on a high mountain,O Zion, bearer of good news,Raise up your voice powerfully,O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;Raiseitup, do not fear.Say to the cities of Judah,“Behold your God!”
10 Behold, Lord Yahweh will come with strength,With His arm ruling for Him.Behold, His reward is with HimAnd His recompense before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will shepherd His flock;In His arm He will gather the lambsAnd carrythemin His bosom;He will gently lead the nursingewes.
12 ¶Who has measured the 40:12DSS waters of the sea waters in the hollow of His hand,And 40:12Or measured, marked off encompassed the heavens by the 40:12A span was approx. 9 in. or 23 cm span,And 40:12Lit contained, comprehended calculated the dust of the earth by the measure,And weighed the mountains in a balanceAnd the hills in a pair of scales?
13 Who has 40:13Or measured, marked off encompassed the Spirit of Yahweh,Or as His counselor has informed Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel andwhogave Him understanding?Andwhotaught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledgeAnd made Him know the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,And are counted as a speck of dust on the scales;Behold, He lifts up the coastlands like fine dust.
16 Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before Him;They are counted by Him as non-existent andutterlyformless.
18 ¶To whom then will you liken God?Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As forthe graven images, a craftsman casts it,A goldsmith plates it with gold,And a silversmithfashionschains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverishedto make sucha contributionChooses a tree that does not rot;He seeks out for himself a wise craftsmanTo 40:20Or set up prepare a graven image that will not be shaken.
21 ¶Do you not know? Have you not heard?Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who 40:22Or is enthroned inhabits above the 40:22Or vault circle of the earth,And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;It is He who stretches out the heavens like a curtainAnd spreads them out like a tent to inhabit.
23 It is He who reduces rulers to nothing,Who makes the 40:23Or leaders judges of the earthutterlyformless.
24 40:24Or Not even Scarcely have they been planted; 40:24Or Not even Scarcely have they been sown; 40:24Or Not even Scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,But He merely blows on them, and they 40:24Or dry up, cf.42:15;Ps 90:5-6 wither,And the storm carries them away like stubble.
25 “To whom then will you liken MeThat I would behisequal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on highAnd see who has created thesestars,The One who leads forth their host by number,He calls them all by name;Because of the greatness of His vigor and the 40:26As in DSS and ancient versions; M.T. strong strength ofHispower,Not oneof themis missing.
27 ¶Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,“My way is hidden from Yahweh,And the justice due me passes by my God”?
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?The Everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth,Does not become weary or tired.His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weary,And tohim wholacks vigor He increases might.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired,And choice young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who hope in YahwehWill gain new power;They will 40:31Or sprout wings mount upwith 40:31Or pinions wings like eagles;They will run and not get tired;They will walk and not become weary.