God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 40:26
26Look at the sky and see. Who created these things? Who brings out the stars one by one? He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Lift 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.
Context of Isaiah 40:26
24They have hardly been planted. They have hardly been sown. They have hardly taken root in the ground. Then he blows on them and they wither, and a windstorm sweeps them away like straw. 25“To whom, then, can you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look at the sky and see. Who created these things? Who brings out the stars one by one? He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power, not one of them is missing. 27Jacob, why do you complain? Israel, why do you say, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my rights are ignored by my God”? 28Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The eternal God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t grow tired or become weary. His understanding is beyond reach.
Read all of Isaiah 40Isaiah 40:26 word by word
שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם וּרְאוּ֙ מִי־בָרָ֣א אֵ֔לֶּה הַמּוֹצִ֥יא בְמִסְפָּ֖ר צְבָאָ֑ם לְכֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִקְרָ֔א מֵרֹ֤ב אוֹנִים֙ וְאַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֔חַ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֥א נֶעְדָּֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
- your eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- on highמָרוֹםmârôm · heightH4791
- and beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- who hath createdבָּרָאbârâ' · to createH1254
- that bringeth outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- their hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
- by numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
- he callethקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- them all by namesשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- by the greatnessרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- of his mightאוֹן'ôn · strengthH202
- strongאַמִּיץ'ammîyts 'ammits · strongH533
- in powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
- not oneאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- failethעָדַר‛âdar · to lackH5737
Cross-references for Isaiah 40:26
- Isaiah 51:6Look at the sky. Look at the earth below. The sky will vanish like smoke. The earth will wear out like clothing, and those who live there will die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, and my righteousness will never fail.
- Deuteronomy 4:19Don’t let yourselves be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky—the sun, the moon, the stars, or anything else. The Lord your God has given them to all people everywhere.
- Job 31:26If I saw the light shine or the moon move along in its splendor
- Psalms 8:3When I look at your heavens, the creation of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have set in place—
- Psalms 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky displays what his hands have made.
- Isaiah 44:24The Lord reclaimed you. He formed you in the womb. This is what the Lord says: I, the Lord, made everything. I stretched out the heavens by myself. I spread out the earth all alone.
- Isaiah 45:7I make light and create darkness. I make blessings and create disasters. I, the Lord, do all these things.
- Isaiah 48:13My hand laid the foundation of the earth. My right hand stretched out the heavens. When I call for them, they both stand.
- Genesis 2:1Heaven and earth and everything in them were finished.
- Psalms 102:25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth. Even the heavens are the works of your hands.
- Psalms 148:3Praise him, sun and moon. Praise him, all shining stars.
- Jeremiah 10:11Tell them this: These gods will disappear from the earth and from under heaven because they didn’t make heaven and earth.
- Colossians 1:16He created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether they are kings or lords, rulers or powers— everything has been created through him and for him.
- Psalms 147:4He determines the number of stars. He gives each one a name.
- Psalms 89:11The heavens are yours. The earth is also yours. You made the world and everything in it.
Commentaries on Isaiah 40:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Left up your eyes on high - The rabbins say, He who is capable of meditating on the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, and does not meditate on them, is not worthy to have his name mentioned among men.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Lift up your eyes on high - Direct your eyes toward heaven, and in the contemplation of the wonders of the starry world, and of God‘s power there, learn the evidence of his ability to destroy his foes and to save his friends. Lowth connects this verse with the former, and renders it: Saith the Holy One, Lift up your eyes on high.‘ The words on high‘ here are evidently synonymous with heaven, and refer to the starry worlds. The design of the passage is to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-26Verses 18-26 Whatever we esteem or love, fear or hope in, more than God, that creature we make equal with God, though we do not make images or worship them. He that is so poor, that he has scarcely a sacrifice to offer, yet will not be without a god of his own. They spared no cost upon their idols; we grudge what is spent in the service of our God. To prove the greatness of God, the prophet appeals to all ages and nations. Those who are ignorant of this…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Lift up your eyes on high: Just as God told Abraham to look into the sky (Genesis 15:5), he also told Israel to look to the stars for encouragement (see also Isaiah 51:2–3). The cosmos shows God's great power and unmatched strength. The Strong One can strengthen the weak (Isaiah 40:27–31; see Psalm 147:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. bringeth out ... host--image from a general reviewing his army: He is Lord of Sabaoth, the heavenly hosts (Job 38:32). calleth ... by names--numerous as the stars are. God knows each in all its distinguishing characteristics--a sense which "name" often bears in Scripture; so in Ge 2:19, 20, Adam, as God's vicegerent, called the beasts by name, that is, characterized them by their several qualities, which, indeed, He has imparted. by the greatness…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 40:26
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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