Isaiah 40:15

Isaiah 40:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
• New International Version (NIV)Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

Context of Isaiah 40:15

13Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor? 14From whom does he receive directions? Who teaches him the correct way to do things, or imparts knowledge to him, or instructs him in skillful design? Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales. He lifts the coastlands as if they were dust. 16Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings. 17All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.

Isaiah 40:15 word by word

הֵ֤ן גּוֹיִם֙ כְּמַ֣ר מִדְּלִ֔י וּכְשַׁ֥חַק מֹאזְנַ֖יִם נֶחְשָׁ֑בוּ הֵ֥ן אִיִּ֖ים כַּדַּ֥ק יִטּֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold, the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• as a dropמַרmar · dropH4752
• of a bucketדְּלִיdelîy dŏlîy · bucketH1805
• and are countedחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: countH2803
• as the small dustשַׁ֫חַקshachaq · cloudH7834
• of the balanceמֹאזֵןmô'zên · balanceH3976
• behold, he taketh upנָטַלnâţal · to liftH5190
• the islesאִי'îy · coastlandH339
• as a very little thingדַּקdaq · thinH1851

Cross-references for Isaiah 40:15

• Isaiah 38:22Hezekiah said, “What is the confirming sign that I will go up to the Lord’s temple?”
• Job 34:14If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath,
• Jeremiah 10:10The Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King. When he shows his anger the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand up to his fury.
• Isaiah 11:11At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.
• Isaiah 41:5The coastlands see and are afraid; the whole earth trembles; they approach and come.
• Isaiah 59:18He repays them for what they have done, dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries and punishing his enemies. He repays the coastlands.
• Isaiah 66:19I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.
• Genesis 10:5From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
• Daniel 11:18Then he will turn his attention to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition, he will make him pay for his shameful conduct.
• Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will terrify them, for he will weaken all the gods of the earth. All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands.

Commentaries on Isaiah 40:15

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Behold, the nations - All the nations of the earth. This is designed to show the greatness of God, in comparison with that which strikes man as great - a mighty nation; and the main object seems to be, to show that God could accomplish his purposes without their aid, and that they could not resist him in the execution of his plans. If they were as nothing in comparison with him, how easily could he execute his purposes! If they were as nothing, how little…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. 15God rules over all nations and their power structures. Compared to God, they are almost nothing. This includes the Babylonian Empire, which was just a tool in God's hand.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. of--rather, (hanging) from a bucket [Maurer]. he taketh up ... as a very little thing--rather, "are as a mere grain of dust which is taken up," namely, by the wind; literally, "one taketh up," impersonally (Ex 16:14) [Maurer]. isles--rather, "lands" in general, answering to "the nations" in the parallel clause; perhaps lands, like Mesopotamia, enclosed by rivers [Jerome] (so Is 42:15). However, English Version, "isles" answers well to "mountains" (Is…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 40:15

• Balances
• Bucket
• God Continued...
• Idolatry
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Bosom
• Bucket
• Carry
• Cry
• Feed
• Renew
• Balance
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah (2)
• John, Gospel of

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