Isaiah

Isaiah 40:12–14

¹²Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,

or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,

or weighed the mountains on a scale

and the hills with a balance?

¹³Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,^g

or informed Him as His counselor?^h

¹⁴Whom did He consult to enlighten Him,

and who taught Him the paths of justice?

Who imparted knowledge to Him

and showed Him the way of understanding?

Footnotes

g 40:13 Or mind of the LORD; see also LXX.
h 40:13 Cited in Romans 11:34|ROM 11:34and 1 Corinthians 2:16

Read all of Isaiah 40

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 40:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִֽי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
has measured	מָדַ֨ד	mā·ḏaḏ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4058 measure
the waters	מַ֗יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
in the hollow of his hand	בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ	bə·šā·‘o·lōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8168 hollow hand, handful
or marked off	תִּכֵּ֔ן	tik·kên	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8505 regulate, measure, estimate
the heavens	וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙	wə·šā·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
with the span of his hand	בַּזֶּ֣רֶת	baz·ze·reṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2239 span
Who has held	וְכָ֥ל	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3557 comprehend, contain
the dust	עֲפַ֣ר	‘ă·p̄ar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6083 dry earth, dust
of the earth	הָאָ֑רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
in a basket	בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ	baš·šā·liš	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7991 third
or weighed	וְשָׁקַ֤ל	wə·šā·qal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H8254 weigh
the mountains	הָרִ֔ים	hā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
on a scale	בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙	bap·pe·les	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6425 balance, scale
and the hills	וּגְבָע֖וֹת	ū·ḡə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural	H1389 hill
with a balance	בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃	bə·mō·zə·nā·yim	Preposition-b; Noun - md	H3976 balances, scales

Isaiah 40:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִֽי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
has directed	תִכֵּ֥ן	ṯik·kên	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8505 regulate, measure, estimate
the Spirit	ר֖וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
or informed Him	יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃	yō·w·ḏî·‘en·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3045 know
His counselor	עֲצָת֖וֹ	‘ă·ṣā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6098 counsel, advice

Isaiah 40:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Whom	מִ֤י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
did He consult	נוֹעָץ֙	nō·w·‘āṣ	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3289 advise, counsel
to enlighten Him	וַיְבִינֵ֔הוּ	way·ḇî·nê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H995 discern
and who taught Him	וַֽיְלַמְּדֵ֖הוּ	way·lam·mə·ḏê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3925 exercise in, learn
the paths	בְּאֹ֣רַח	bə·’ō·raḥ	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H734 way, path
of justice	מִשְׁפָּ֑ט	miš·pāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
Who imparted	וַיְלַמְּדֵ֣הוּ	way·lam·mə·ḏê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3925 exercise in, learn
knowledge to Him	דַ֔עַת	ḏa·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
and showed Him	יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃	yō·w·ḏî·‘en·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3045 know
the way	וְדֶ֥רֶךְ	wə·ḏe·reḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
of understanding	תְּבוּנ֖וֹת	tə·ḇū·nō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Isaiah 40:12 Proverbs 30:4 · Hebrews 1:10–12 · Psalm 102:25–26 · Job 38:4–11 · Isaiah 48:13 · Proverbs 8:26–28 · Revelation 20:11 · Job 28:25 · Job 11:7–9 · Psalm 104:2–3

Isaiah 40:13 1 Corinthians 2:16 · Romans 11:34 · Job 21:22 · Job 36:22–23 · Luke 10:22 · Ephesians 1:11 · John 1:13

Isaiah 40:14 Job 21:22 · Colossians 2:3

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.