American Standard Version
Isaiah 40:12
12Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Isaiah 40:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
- New International Version (NIV)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?
Context of Isaiah 40:12
10Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?
Read all of Isaiah 40Isaiah 40:12 word by word
מִֽי־מָדַ֨ד בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ מַ֗יִם וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בַּזֶּ֣רֶת תִּכֵּ֔ן וְכָ֥ל בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁקַ֤ל בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙ הָרִ֔ים וּגְבָע֖וֹת בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
- measuredמָדַדmâdad · to measureH4058
- watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- spanזֶ֫רֶתzereth · spanH2239
- dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- weighedשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
- mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- hillsגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
- balanceפֶּ֫לֶסpeles · balanceH6425
Cross-references for Isaiah 40:12
- Isaiah 48:13Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
- Job 11:7Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
- Job 38:4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
- Psalms 102:25Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands.
- Psalms 104:2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain;
- Proverbs 8:26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
- Proverbs 30:4Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou knowest?
- Hebrews 1:10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands:
- Revelation 20:11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
- Job 28:25To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.
Commentaries on Isaiah 40:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Who hath measured - The object in this and the following verses to Isaiah 40:26, is to show the greatness, power, and majesty of God, by strong contrast with his creatures, and more especially with idols. Perhaps the prophet designed to meet and answer an implied objection: that the work of deliverance was so great that it could not be accomplished. The answer was, that God had made all things; that he was infinitely great; that he had entire control over…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 All created beings shrink to nothing in comparison with the Creator. When the Lord, by his Spirit, made the world, none directed his Spirit, or gave advice what to do, or how to do it. The nations, in comparison of him, are as a drop which remains in the bucket, compared with the vast ocean; or as the small dust in the balance, which does not turn it, compared with all the earth. This magnifies God's love to the world, that, though it is of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13These rhetorical questions suggest the answer, “No one!” God alone created everything. He will judge creation (Isaiah 24:17), and only he can and will restore it through his salvation.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Lest the Jews should suppose that He who was just before described as a "shepherd" is a mere man, He is now described as God. Who--Who else but God could do so? Therefore, though the redemption and restoration of His people, foretold here, was a work beyond man's power, they should not doubt its fulfilment since all things are possible to Him who can accurately regulate the proportion of the waters as if He had measured them with His hand (compare Is…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 40:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 40
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries