Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 55:9
9“For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- New International Version (NIV)“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Context of Isaiah 55:9
7Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will freely forgive. 8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”
Read all of Isaiah 55Isaiah 55:9 word by word
כִּֽי־גָבְה֥וּ שָׁמַ֖יִם מֵאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֣ן גָּבְה֤וּ דְרָכַי֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַ֖י מִמַּחְשְׁבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 55:9
- Psalms 36:5Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven, your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Psalms 77:19Your way went through the sea and your path through the vast water, but your footprints were unseen.
- Psalms 89:2For I will declare, “Faithful love is built up forever; you establish your faithfulness in the heavens.”
- Psalms 103:11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.
- Romans 11:31so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy.
Commentaries on Isaiah 55:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9For as the heavens are higher - I am persuaded that כ caph, the particle of comparison, is lost in this place, from the likeness of the particle כי ki, immediately preceding it. So Houbigant and Secker. And their remark is confirmed by all the ancient Versions, which express it; and by the following passage of Psalm 103:11, which is almost the same: - הארץ על שמים כגבה כי haarets al shamayim chigboah ki יראיו על חסדו גבר yereaiv al chasdo gabar "For as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 Here is a gracious offer of pardon, and peace, and of all happiness. It shall not be in vain to seek God, now his word is calling to us, and his Spirit is striving with us. But there is a day coming when he will not be found. There may come such a time in this life; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut. There must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind. We must alter our judgments about persons and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9My thoughts are not your thoughts: God's plans are wonderful (Psalm 92:5; compare Psalm 94:11). God's creations, including humans, cannot fully understand the Creator's thoughts. However, his messengers reveal insights and knowledge about some of his actions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. (Psa 57:10; 89:2; 103:11). "For" is repeated from Is 55:8. But Maurer, after the negation, translates, "but."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 55:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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