Isaiah

Isaiah 40:12–17

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?

¹⁵Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are considered a speck of dust on the scales;

He lifts up the islandsⁱ like fine dust.

¹⁶Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel,

nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.

¹⁷All the nations are as nothing before Him;

He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

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
i 40:15 Or coastlands

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

Isaiah 40:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	הֵ֤ן	hên	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
the nations	גּוֹיִם֙	gō·w·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
are like a drop	כְּמַ֣ר	kə·mar	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4752 drop
in a bucket	מִדְּלִ֔י	mid·də·lî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H1805 bucket
they are considered	נֶחְשָׁ֑בוּ	neḥ·šā·ḇū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2803 think, account
a speck of dust	וּכְשַׁ֥חַק	ū·ḵə·ša·ḥaq	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7834 dust, cloud
on the scales	מֹאזְנַ֖יִם	mō·zə·na·yim	Noun - md	H3976 balances, scales
He lifts up	יִטּֽוֹל׃	yiṭ·ṭō·wl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5190 lift, bear
the islands	אִיִּ֖ים	’î·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H339 coast, region
like fine dust	כַּדַּ֥ק	kad·daq	Preposition-k, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1851 thin, small, fine

Isaiah 40:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Lebanon	וּלְבָנ֕וֹן	ū·lə·ḇā·nō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3844 Lebanon
not	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
sufficient	דֵּ֖י	dê	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1767 sufficiency, enough
for fuel	בָּעֵ֑ר	bā·‘êr	Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1197 burn, consume
nor its animals	וְחַיָּת֔וֹ	wə·ḥay·yā·ṯōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
enough	דֵּ֖י	dê	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1767 sufficiency, enough
for a burnt offering	עוֹלָֽה׃ס	‘ō·w·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5930 whole burnt-offering

Isaiah 40:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the nations	הַגּוֹיִ֖ם	hag·gō·w·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
are as nothing	כְּאַ֣יִן	kə·’a·yin	Preposition-k; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
before Him	נֶגְדּ֑וֹ	neḡ·dōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
He regards them	נֶחְשְׁבוּ־	neḥ·šə·ḇū-	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2803 think, account
as nothingness	מֵאֶ֥פֶס	mê·’e·p̄es	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H657 the two extremities
and emptiness	וָתֹ֖הוּ	wā·ṯō·hū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness