New American Standard Bible 2020
Isaiah 40:12
12Who has 1measured the 2waters in the hollow of His hand, And measured the heavens with a 3span, And 4calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?
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 God will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His compensation is with Him, And His reward before Him. 11Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And measured the heavens with a span, And calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales? 13Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has informed Him? 14With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of 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
- Whoמִיmîy · who?H4310
- measuredמָדַדmâdad · to measureH4058
- watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- in the hollowשֹׁ֫עַלshô‛al · handfulH8168
- And measuredתָּכַןtâkan · to measureH8505
- the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- spanזֶ֫רֶתzereth · spanH2239
- calculatedכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
- the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- with a measureשָׁלִישׁshâlîysh shâlôsh shâlôsh · thirdH7991
- And weighedשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
- the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- in a balanceפֶּ֫לֶסpeles · balanceH6425
- And the hillsגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
- in a pair of scalesמֹאזֵןmô'zên · balanceH3976
Cross-references for Isaiah 40:12
- Isaiah 48:13Assuredly My hand founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together.
- Job 11:7“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
- Job 38:4Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,
- Psalms 102:25In time of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
- Psalms 104:2Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
- Proverbs 8:26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.
- Proverbs 30:4Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His Son’s name? Surely you know!
- Hebrews 1:10And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
- Revelation 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them.
- Job 28:25When He imparted weight to the wind, And assessed 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
Notes
- 1. Isaiah 40:12 Job 38:8-11; Ps 102:25, 26; Is 48:13; Heb 1:10-12 ↩
- 2. Isaiah 40:12 DSS reads waters of the sea ↩
- 3. Isaiah 40:12 Or half cubit (9 in. or 22.8 cm) ↩
- 4. Isaiah 40:12 Lit contained; or comprehended ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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