King James Bible Fellowship Read the Bible

KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Isaiah 40:17–28

A connected passage, with study helps kept beside the verses they explain.

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected

Isaiah 40:17

17All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

Isaiah 40:18

18¶ To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

Isaiah 40:19

19The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

Isaiah 40:20

20He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

Isaiah 40:21

21Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Isaiah 40:22

22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Isaiah 40:23

23That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

Isaiah 40:24

24Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

Isaiah 40:25

25To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

Isaiah 40:26

26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Isaiah 40:27

27Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

Isaiah 40:28

28¶ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

ENSURE CONTEXTUALIZATION

Add surrounding context

Extend this passage one adjacent verse at a time.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS VERSE?

Ask a Local Pastor

Find a nearby pastor committed to holding fast the faithful word, then use the public contact information to begin a real conversation. Nothing is sent or stored for you.

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:17

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

All

Wholly, entirely, or altogether; every one or the whole amount, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

before

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

counted

Numbered; told; esteemed; reckoned; imputed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

vanity

Emptiness, worthlessness, transience, futile desire, or excessive self-regard.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:18

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

liken

To compare, represent as similar, or show a resemblance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

God

A deity or object of worship; when referring to the LORD, the one true God.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

likeness

Resemblance in form; similitude.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

compare

To examine together, liken, or set one thing beside another to show likeness or difference.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:19

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

workman

Any man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; by way of eminence, a skillful artificer or laborer.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

melteth

To make or become liquid or dissolved; to waste or lose substance; figuratively, to lose courage or strength.

Meaning drawn from: Approved KJV word-family definition · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

image

A likeness, representation, or visible form; often an idol when made or used as an object of worship.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

chains

Series of connected links used as ornaments, restraints, or bonds; figuratively, confinement, affliction, or surrounding force.

Meaning drawn from: Approved KJV word-family definition · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:20

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

rot

To decay, putrefy, waste away, or lose soundness.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

cunning

Skill, art. Wrought with skill; curious; ingenious.

Meaning drawn from: Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

workman

Any man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; by way of eminence, a skillful artificer or laborer.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

prepare

To make all things ready; to put things in suitable order. Ina general sense, to fit, adapt or qualify for a particular purpose, end, use, service or state, by any means whatever.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

image

A likeness, representation, or visible form; often an idol when made or used as an object of worship.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:21

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

known

Recognized, understood, perceived, acknowledged, or made evident.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

told

To tell: to say, relate, inform, count, or make known.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

beginning

That which is first; the first state; commencement; entrance into being. The first cause; origin.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

understood

Comprehended, perceived the meaning, or knew with the mind.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

earth

The ground or dry land; the world or inhabited realm; or a country and its people, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:22

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

earth

The ground or dry land; the world or inhabited realm; or a country and its people, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

grasshoppers

The small leaping insect called a grasshopper in the KJV; the entry does not impose a particular modern species.

Meaning drawn from: Approved KJV word-family definition · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

out

Outside, away from within, forth, absent, or no longer in a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:23

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

princes

Rulers, chiefs, or persons of high rank and authority.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

maketh

To form, create, produce, cause, appoint, perform, or render into a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Skeat 1893

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

earth

The ground or dry land; the world or inhabited realm; or a country and its people, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

vanity

Emptiness, worthlessness, transience, futile desire, or excessive self-regard.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:24

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Yea

Yes; truly; an expression of affirmation or emphasis.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

planted

Set in the earth for propagation; set; fixed; introduced; estab lished.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

sown

Scattered, as seed; sprinkled with seed, as ground.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

stock

The stem or main body of a tree or other plant; the fixed, strong, firm part; the origin and support of the branches.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

take

To receive, seize, carry, accept, choose, or lay hold of, with the exact sense determined by context.

Meaning drawn from: Skeat 1893

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

root

The part of a plant fixed in the earth; figuratively, the origin, cause, foundation, ancestor, or source of growth; also, to take root or eradicate.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

earth

The ground or dry land; the world or inhabited realm; or a country and its people, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

blow

To strike, sound, breathe, or move with wind; also a stroke or gust.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

stubble

The cut, dry remnants of grain stalks, literally or as a figure of what is easily scattered or burned.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:25

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

liken

To compare, represent as similar, or show a resemblance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

equal

The same or comparable in measure, value, standing, or likeness.

Meaning drawn from: Skeat 1893 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Holy

Belonging to God or set apart for him; sacred; morally pure. Applied to God, it expresses his perfect purity; in Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, it identifies the Spirit of God.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (alignment witness) · Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

One

The number one; a single person or thing; the same or united as a whole.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:26

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

eyes

The organs of sight; by extension, sight, attention, judgment, or presence, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

high

Raised or far above; great in height, rank, degree, or importance; as an adverb, greatly or aloft.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

created

Formed from nothing; caused to exist; produced; generated; invested with a new character; formed into new combinations, with a peculiar shape, constitution and properties; renewed.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

out

Outside, away from within, forth, absent, or no longer in a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

number

A count or quantity; also to count, reckon, appoint, or include among a group.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

all

Wholly, entirely, or altogether; every one or the whole amount, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

names

Words or titles by which persons or things are known; also reputation, authority, or the persons named, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

strong

Having strength, power, firmness, endurance, influence, or the ability to resist and prevail.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

power

Ability, strength, authority, dominion, or the right and capacity to act.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

one

The number one; a single person or thing; the same or united as a whole.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:27

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Israel

The name given to Jacob and, by extension, his descendants, their nation, or the people so called in Scripture.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

hid

Concealed, covered, kept secret, or placed out of sight.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Lord

LORD: The name of God the Father in English, from the Hebrew Tetragrammaton YHWH, also rendered GOD and JEHOVAH. Lord: A title applied to God and Christ as ruler and master, the one to whom worship and obedience are due. lord: A male master, owner, ruler, or superior addressed or described as one having authority.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (alignment witness) · Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

God

A deity or object of worship; when referring to the LORD, the one true God.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

DEFINED WORDS

Isaiah 40:28

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Hast

Have: possess, hold, receive, or experience; also used as an auxiliary verb.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

known

Recognized, understood, perceived, acknowledged, or made evident.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

everlasting

Enduring forever or without end; eternal in the person, life, judgment, kingdom, mercy, righteousness, or other reality spoken of.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

God

A deity or object of worship; when referring to the LORD, the one true God.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828 · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

Lord

LORD: The name of God the Father in English, from the Hebrew Tetragrammaton YHWH, also rendered GOD and JEHOVAH. Lord: A title applied to God and Christ as ruler and master, the one to whom worship and obedience are due. lord: A male master, owner, ruler, or superior addressed or described as one having authority.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE) · Strong 1890 (alignment witness) · Webster 1828

MEANING IN THIS VERSE

Creator

One who creates; in KJV usage, God as the maker of heaven, earth, and mankind.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE + 1611)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

ends

The last or concluding part; a termination, limit, purpose, or result. As a verb, to cease or bring to a close.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

earth

The ground or dry land; the world or inhabited realm; or a country and its people, according to context.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · KJV usage (PCE)

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

fainteth

Faints; grows weak, weary, feeble, or discouraged.

Meaning drawn from: KJV usage (PCE + 1611) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · Webster 1828

APPROVED COMBINED MEANING

weary

To reduce or exhaust the physical strength of the body; to tire; to fatigue.

Meaning drawn from: Webster 1828 · Webster 1828 (independently verified transcription) · Strong 1890 (KJV alignment witness) · KJV usage (PCE)

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

Choose how far to extend the reference list.

From verse 17

  1. Psalms 62:9
    Study this reference
  2. Daniel 4:34–35
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 29:7
    Study this reference
  4. 2 Corinthians 12:11
    Study this reference
  5. Job 25:6
    Study this reference

From verse 18

  1. Isaiah 46:5
    Study this reference
  2. 1 Samuel 2:2
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 40:25
    Study this reference
  4. Exodus 15:11
    Study this reference
  5. Acts 17:29
    Study this reference

From verse 19

  1. Jeremiah 10:9
    Study this reference
  2. Exodus 32:2–4
    Study this reference
  3. Habakkuk 2:18–19
    Study this reference
  4. Isaiah 46:6–7
    Study this reference
  5. Judges 17:4
    Study this reference

From verse 20

  1. Isaiah 41:7
    Study this reference
  2. Isaiah 46:7
    Study this reference
  3. Jeremiah 10:3–4
    Study this reference
  4. Isaiah 2:8–9
    Study this reference
  5. Daniel 5:23
    Study this reference

From verse 21

  1. Acts 14:17
    Study this reference
  2. Isaiah 46:8
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 48:13
    Study this reference
  4. Psalms 50:6
    Study this reference
  5. Romans 1:19–21
    Study this reference

From verse 22

  1. Proverbs 8:27
    Study this reference
  2. Isaiah 42:5
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 66:1
    Study this reference
  4. Psalms 104:2
    Study this reference
  5. Jeremiah 10:12
    Study this reference

From verse 23

  1. Job 12:21
    Study this reference
  2. Psalms 107:40
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 34:12
    Study this reference
  4. Jeremiah 25:18–27
    Study this reference
  5. Isaiah 19:13–14
    Study this reference

From verse 24

  1. Isaiah 41:16
    Study this reference
  2. Haggai 1:9
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 17:13
    Study this reference
  4. Jeremiah 23:19
    Study this reference
  5. 1 Kings 21:21–22
    Study this reference

From verse 25

  1. Isaiah 40:18
    Study this reference
  2. Deuteronomy 4:15–18
    Study this reference
  3. Deuteronomy 4:33
    Study this reference
  4. Deuteronomy 5:8
    Study this reference

From verse 26

  1. Colossians 1:16–17
    Study this reference
  2. Jeremiah 32:17–19
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 48:13
    Study this reference
  4. Isaiah 51:6
    Study this reference
  5. Isaiah 44:24
    Study this reference

From verse 27

  1. Isaiah 49:4
    Study this reference
  2. Luke 18:7–8
    Study this reference
  3. Isaiah 49:14
    Study this reference
  4. Job 27:2
    Study this reference

From verse 28

  1. Romans 11:33–34
    Study this reference
  2. Psalms 147:5
    Study this reference
  3. 1 Timothy 1:17
    Study this reference
  4. Isaiah 55:8–9
    Study this reference
  5. Philippians 1:6
    Study this reference

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in Scripture.

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION

Still have questions? Ask a Local Pastor.

See public contact information for nearby churches. You decide whether to call, email, or visit.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is used for this search only. It is not saved or sent to a church.