Bible/Isaiah/40

Isaiah 40:2

40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably 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. comfortably: Heb. to the heart warfare: or, appointed time

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“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.”

Speak ye comfortably 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.

Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry to her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. ¶

40:3 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.

What does Isaiah 40:2 mean?

Isaiah 40:2 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include דָבַר (dâbar), לֵב (lêb), יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim). It connects to 14 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Speakדָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/H1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
ye
comfortablyלֵבlêb/labe/H3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
to
Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםYᵉrûwshâlaim/yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im/H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
and
cryקָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/H7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
unto
her,
that
her
warfareצָבָאtsâbâʼ/tsaw-baw'/H6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
is
accomplished,מָלֵאmâlêʼ/maw-lay'/H4390to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
that
her
iniquityעָוֺןʻâvôn/aw-vone'/H5771perversity, i.e. (moral) evil
is
pardoned:רָצָהrâtsâh/raw-tsaw'/H7521to be pleased with; specifically, to satisfy adebt
for
she
hath
receivedלָקַחlâqach/law-kakh'/H3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)
of
the
LORD'SיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
handיָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
doubleכֶּפֶלkephel/keh'-fel/H3718a duplicate
for
all
her
sins.חַטָּאָהchaṭṭâʼâh/khat-taw-aw'/H2403an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender
comfortably:
Heb.
to
the
heart
warfare:
or,
appointed
time

Commentary on Isaiah 40:2

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 40:2
="x-p" Here, 1. It is supposed that an honest good man may have but a little of the wealth of this world (all the righteous are not rich),—that a man may have but little, and yet may be honest (though poverty is a temptation to dishonesty, ch. xxx. 9 , yet not an invincible one),—and that a man may grow rich, for a while, by fraud and oppression, may have great revenues, and those got and kept without right, may have no good title to them nor make any good use of them. 2. It is maintained that a small estate, honestly come by, which a man is content with, enjoys comfortably, serves God with cheerfully, and puts to a right use, is much better and more valuable than a great estate ill-got, and then ill-kept or ill-spent. It carries with it more inward satisfaction, a better reputation with all that are wise and good; it will last longer, and will turn to a better account in the great day, when men will be judged, not according to what they had, but what they did. 9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 44:5

Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. divineth: or, maketh trial?

Genesis 44:15

And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? divine: or, make trial?

Deuteronomy 17:18

And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

2 Samuel 23:3

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. He: or, Be thou ruler, etc

2 Samuel 23:4

And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Psalms 45:6

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Psalms 45:7

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Isaiah 32:1

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

Isaiah 32:2

And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. great: Heb. heavy

Jeremiah 23:5

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Jeremiah 23:6

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE LORD: Heb. Jehovahtsidkenu

Hosea 10:4

They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

Amos 5:7

Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

Amos 6:12

Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

Topics

Affliction, Consolation UnderAfflictions and AdversitiesPardon

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 40:2.

Exodus 28:3

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Genesis 16:13

And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Genesis 18:5

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. comfort: Heb. stay are: Heb. you have passed

Genesis 20:8

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

Genesis 24:45

And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.

Genesis 34:3

And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. kindly: Heb. to the heart of the damsel

Leviticus 26:41

And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

Leviticus 26:43

The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 40:2 say?

Isaiah 40:2 (King James Version) reads: "Speak ye comfortably 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. comfortably: Heb. to the heart warfare: or, appointed time"

Is Isaiah 40:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 40:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 40:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 40:2
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