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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-17

The scope of these verses is to show what a great and glorious being the Lord Jehovah is, who is Israel's God and Saviour. It comes in here, 1. To encourage his people that were captives in Babylon to hope in him, and to depend upon him for deliverance, though they were ever so weak and their oppressors ever so strong. 2. To engage them to cleave to him, and not to turn aside after other gods; for there are none to be compared with him. 3. To possess all those who receive the glad tid 78da... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:17

All nations before him are as nothing ,.... As if they were nonentities, and were not real beings in comparison of him, who is the Being of beings, the author of all beings which exist in all nations; who are all in his sight, and are not only as grasshoppers, as is after mentioned, but even as nothing: and they are counted to him as less than nothing, and vanity ; if there is or could be such a thing less than nothing, that they are; and so they are accounted of by him; they are like... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-17

The greatness of God and the littleness of man. These most eloquent words, so impressive as they stand that it seems undesirable to touch them in the way of analyzing them, may speak to us of— I. THE IMMEASURABLE GREATNESS OF GOD . 1 . His Divine majesty. All that is most vast and powerful in the universe—the sea, the heavens, the land, the mountains, etc.—is small and slight indeed when compared with him; his surroundings, his possessions, all bespeak his unapproachable... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-18

Jehovah incomparable. I. HIS POWER OVER NATURE . The boldest imagery to express this thought: the "hollow of his hand;" his "span;" his "tierce," a small measure; his scales, with which he weighs the volumes of sea and laud, and measures the vast extent of heaven without an effort,—as we use the hand to weigh or to span! Far from taking offence at such figures, we feel them to be truthful, appropriate, sublime. The Creator is infinitely superior to his world. Vastness of space... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-26

God in creation. Creation tells of God in many ways. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork: day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge" ( Psalms 19:1 , Psalms 19:2 ). "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" ( Romans 1:20 ). Here we have noted especially— I. GOD 'S MARVELLOUSNESS IN CREATION ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:12-31

THE MIGHT AND GREATNESS OF GOD CONTRASTED WITH THE WEAKNESS OF MAN AND THE FUTILITY OF IDOLS . If captive Israel is to be induced to turn' to God, and so hasten the time of its restoration to his favour and to its own land, it must be by rising to a worthy conception of the nature and attributes of the Almighty. The prophet, therefore, in the remainder of this chapter, paints in glorious language the power and greatness, dud at the same time the mercy, of God,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:16-26

The hopelessness and the simplicity of Divine service. "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn," etc.; "Not one faileth." If we were asked whether it was a very difficult or a very simple thing to serve the Lord, we should say, "It is both the one and the other; everything depends upon the way and the spirit in which we proceed." We learn— I. THAT MERE QUANTITY OF SERVICE IS VAIN AND FUTILE . "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor will [all] the beasts thereof suffice... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 40:17

All nations ; rather, all the nations ; i.e. all the nations of the earth put together. In Isaiah 40:15 single "nations" had been declared to be of no account; now the same is said of all the nations of the earth collectively. They are accounted of God as 'ephes , nothingness, and tohu , chaos or confusion. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 40:17

Are as nothing - This expresses literally what had been expressed by the beautiful and striking imagery above.Less than nothing - A strong hyperbolic expression denoting the utter insignificance of the nations as compared with God. Such expressions are common in the Scriptures.And vanity - Hebrew, תהו tôhû - ‘Emptiness;’ the word which in Genesis 1:2 is rendered ‘without form.’ read more

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