Isaiah 40:1-11 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Prologue Announcing the End of the Exile. If. The prophet sees in the triumphs of Cyrus the coming fall of Babylon's empire, and a revolution in the fortunes of the exiles. These are God's voice bidding the prophet and all who hear it encourage His people. Let them speak tenderly to Jerusalem (i.e. the nation, not the city). Her forced service is completed, her punishment has been more than adequate to her offence.

Isaiah 40:3-5. Rapt from earth, the prophet hears a heavenly being in Yahweh's court bidding other spiritual beings prepare in the wilderness a straight path for Yahweh, who shall march with His people back to their city. Let all hills and depressions be levelled.

Isaiah 40:3. Render, Hark! One is calling, Prepare ; so too in Isaiah 40:6.

Isaiah 40:5. A gloss added after Isaiah 40:9-11 had been cut off from Isaiah 40:4 by the insertion of Isaiah 40:6-8, which originally stood after Isaiah 40:11 (see below).

Isaiah 40:9-11. Zion's heralds of good news (render, O ye that tell), those who have received the commission of Isaiah 40:1, are bidden ascend the hills to watch for Yahweh's coming, and proclaim it as they see Him approach along the wondrous way through the desert. Look, cries the prophet, He comes in might; His arm, long inactive, has displayed His power. Before Him goes the booty His arm has won, His delivered people. Gently He cares for them on the journey as a shepherd for his sheep.

Isaiah 40:11. Read, like a shepherd, and gather them with his arm; the lambs he shall carry in his bosom and the ewes shall he lead.

Isaiah 40:6-8. The Message which the Prophet is to Deliver.

Isaiah 40:6-8 breaks its present context and differs metrically from it. It forms an excellent introduction to, and should be inserted before, Isaiah 40:12-31. Another heavenly voice floats to the prophet's ear, bidding him proclaim. He asks (read, I said, mg.) what shall be his proclamation, and the answer comes, Man and his power are but transitory, whereas the word, the proclaimed purpose, of God endures for ever. The thought is not so much that men are creatures of a day as that the great kingdoms are doomed when Yahweh intervenes.

Isaiah 40:6. goodliness: read, glory (LXX), or splendour.

Related Commentaries of Isaiah 40:1

Isaiah 40:1-11

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

2 Speak ye comfortablya 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.

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.

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

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.

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:

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

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

9 O Zion,c 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!

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

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.