Bible/Isaiah/40

Isaiah 40:4

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.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: straight: or, a straight place plain: or, a plain place

KJV

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Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.

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

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

40:5 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.

What does Isaiah 40:4 mean?

Isaiah 40:4 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include גַּיְא (gayʼ), נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ), הַר (har). It connects to 6 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
Every
valleyגַּיְאgayʼ/gah'-ee/H1516a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent)
shall
be
exalted,נָשָׂאnâsâʼ/naw-saw'/H5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
and
every
mountainהַרhar/har/H2022a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
and
hillגִּבְעָהgibʻâh/ghib-aw'/H1389a hillock
shall
be
made
low:שָׁפֵלshâphêl/shaw-fale'/H8213to depress or sink (expectation figuratively, to humiliate, intransitive or transitive)
and
the
crookedעָקֹבʻâqôb/aw-kobe'/H6121(transitive) fraudulent or (intransitive) tracked
shall
be
made
straight,מִישׁוֹרmîyshôwr/mee-shore'/H4334a level, i.e. a plain (often used (with the article prefix) as a proper name of certain districts); figuratively, concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) justice (sometimes adverbially, justly)
and
the
rough
placesרֶכֶסrekeç/reh'-kes/H7406a mountain ridge (as of tied summits)
plain:בִּקְעָהbiqʻâh/bik-aw'/H1237properly, a split, i.e. a wide level valley between mountains
straight:
or,
a
straight
place
plain:
or,
a
plain
place

Commentary on Isaiah 40:4

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 40:4
0 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. We wish this were always true as a proposition, and we ought to make it our prayer for kings, and all in authority, that a divine sentence may be in their lips, both in giving orders, that they may do that in wisdom, and in giving sentence, that they may do that in equity, both which are included in judgment, and that in neither their mouth may transgress, 1 Tim. ii. 1 . But it is often otherwise; and therefore, 1. It may be read as a precept to the kings and judges of the earth to be wise and instructed. Let them be just, and rule in the fear of God; let them act with such wisdom and conscience that there may appear a holy divination in all they say or do, and that they are guided by principles supernatural: let not their mouths transgress in judgment, for the judgment is God's. 2. It may be taken as a promise to all good kings, that if they sincerely aim at God's glory, and seek direction from him, he will qualify them with wisdom and grace above others, in proportion to the eminency of their station and the trusts lodged in their hands. When Saul himself was made king God gave him another spirit. 3. It was true concerning Solomon who wrote this; he had extraordinary wisdom, pursuant to the promise God made him, See 1 Kings iii. 28 . 11 A just weight and balance are the Lord 's: all the weights of the bag

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Deuteronomy 25:16

For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Isaiah 25:5

Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

Isaiah 28:9

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. doctrine: Heb. the hearing?

Isaiah 29:14

Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. proceed: Heb. add

Luke 12:48

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Revelation 19:11

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Topics

Highways, FigurativeMountainsStraightTravellersValleys

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 40:4 say?

Isaiah 40:4 (King James Version) reads: "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: straight: or, a straight place plain: or, a plain place"

Is Isaiah 40:4 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 40:4 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 40:4, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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