Chapter 40
40:1 Be comforted, be comforted, my people, says your God.
40:2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her: for her evil is come to an end, her iniquity is forgiven: she has received of the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.
40:3 The voice of one crying in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God.
40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways plain.
40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see, that the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
40:6 The voice of one, saying: cry. And I said: what shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of the field.
40:7 The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen, because the spirit of God has blown upon it. Indeed the people is grass:
40:8 The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen: but the word of our God endures for ever.
40:9 Get you up upon a high mountain, you that bring good tidings to Zion: lift up your voice with strength, you that bring good tidings to Jerusalem: lift it up, fear not. Say to the cities of Judah: behold your God:
40:10 Behold the Lord God shall come with strength, and his arm shall rule: behold his reward is with him and his work is before him.
40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young.
40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighed the heavens with his palm? Who has poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
40:13 Who has forwarded the spirit of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor, and has taught him?
40:14 With whom has he consulted, and who has instructed him, and taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
40:15 Behold the Gentiles are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the smallest grain of a balance: behold the islands are as a little dust.
40:16 And Libanus shall not be enough to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
40:17 All nations are before him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing, and vanity.
40:18 To whom then have you likened God? Or what image will you make for him?
40:19 Has the workman cast a graven statue? Or has the goldsmith formed it with gold, or the silversmith with plates of silver?
40:20 He has chosen strong wood, and that will not rot: the skillful workman seeks how he may set up an idol that may not be moved.
40:21 Do you not know? Has it not been heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood the foundations of the earth?
40:22 It is he that sits upon the globe of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts: he that stretches out the heavens as nothing, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in.
40:23 He that brings the searchers of secrets to nothing, that has made the judges of the earth as vanity.
40:24 And surely their stock was neither planted, nor sown, nor rooted in the earth: suddenly he has blown upon them, and they are withered, and a whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
40:25 And to whom have you likened me, or made me equal, says the Holy One?
40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things: who brings out their host in number, and calls them all by their names: by the greatness of his might, and strength, and power, not one of them was missing.
40:27 Why say you, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
40:28 Know you not, or have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, who has created the ends of the earth: he shall not faint, nor labor, neither is there any searching out of his wisdom.
40:29 It is he that gives strength to the weary, and increases force and might to them that are not.
40:30 Youths shall faint, and labor, and young men shall fall by infirmity.
40:31 But they that hope in the Lord shall change their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not labor, they shall walk and not faint.
785 . Be comforted, be comforted . This the second principle part of this book, in which he principally intends the comfort of the people through many promised benefits. And it is divided into two parts:
in the first, he leads them to the expectation of promises;
in the second, he describes the promise of divine benefits, below: thus says the Lord to my anointed (Isa 45:1).
The first of these is divided into three parts:
in the first, he comforts them with the power of the one who promises;
in the second, with his love: let the islands keep silence (Isa 41:1);
in the third, with the weakness of the idols who might be believed to resist: and now hear, O Jacob (Isa 44:1).
Concerning the first, he does three things:
first, he leads them to comfort;
second, he promises the comforter: the voice of one crying in the desert (Isa 40:3);
in the third part, he shows the power of God who comforts: who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? (Isa 40:12).
786 . Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, he leads the people to comfort: be comforted , in spiritual goods, be comforted , in the temporal goods granted you: he comforted the mourners in Zion (Sir 48:27); and the Lord answered the angel, that spoke in me, good words, comfortable words (Zech 1:13).
Second, he orders the prophets and priests to announce comfort: speak to the heart , namely, by comforting, and call them from sadness, from idolatry: I will lead her into the wilderness: and I will speak to her heart (Hos 2:14).
Third, he assigns the reason as to the remission of their fault: for her evil is come to an end , above: and this is all the fruit, that the sin thereof should be taken away (Isa 27:9); as to the end of punishments: she has received ; he speaks according to the time after the captivity: with a double destruction (Jer 17:18).
On the contrary, it says in Nahum 1:9: there shall not rise a double affliction ; and to this is to be said that they are called double as to the punishment of body and soul, as the fault is in both.
787 . The voice of one crying in the desert . Here he promises the comforter. And concerning this, he does three things:
first, he sends ahead the preparation;
second, he shows the firmness of the prophecy: the voice of one, saying (Isa 40:6);
third, he foretells the coming of the comforter: get you up upon a high mountain (Isa 40:9).
Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, he orders preparation: the voice of one crying in the desert , namely, the voice of John the Baptist, will be this: prepare , by conversion from evils, in the wilderness , of vices: be prepared to meet your God (Amos 4:12).
Second, he foretells the fulfilment: every valley , following the metaphor of the evil way: if it is mountainous, it causes labor, and thus is said, every valley shall be exalted , so that it is made as high as the mountains and everything may be made level; if it is winding, it causes wandering, and as to this he says, the crooked shall become straight ; if it is rocky, it causes pain in the feet, and as to this: the rough ways plain ; through which is signified that faintheartedness will be turned into security, pride into humility, wickedness into uprightness and cruelty into meekness: direct your heart into the right way (Jer 31:21).
Third, he shows the utility of the preparation: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed , that is, the Son: I will cure them: and I will reveal to them the prayer of peace (Jer 33:6); all flesh together shall see , that is, he will make himself visible to all, or he speaks of the day of judgment: every eye shall see him: and they also that pierced him (Rev 1:7).
788 . Some explain these verses thus: the voice , of God, crying , is this: in the desert, prepare , that is, in the land of Judah, formerly a desert, the way of the Lord , namely, for going to the temple; or in the desert, which is between Babylon and Judah. Every valley shall be exalted , by this all hindrances are shown to have been removed, so that the people return freely; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed , in the destruction of the Chaldees, through which he will appear glorious.
789 . The voice of one, saying . In this part, he shows the firmness of the prophecy by comparison to the frailty of men. Thus the Lord first orders a cry, which signifies an express and plain announcement: cry , below: cry, cease not (Isa 58:1); second, he orders human frailty to be cried out, with the prophet asking: and I said: what shall I cry , fearing that he will be ordered to cry something against his people, as above (Isa 6:9), and the Lord responding: all flesh is grass : the sun rose with a burning heat and parched the grass (Jas 1:11); third, he shows the firmness of the divine word, indeed the people is grass : heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away (Luke 21:33).
790 . Get you up upon a high mountain . Here he foretells the coming comforter. And concerning this, he does three things:
first, the Lord orders the prophet to announce it;
in the second part, he determines the promise of his coming: behold your God ;
in the third, he shows the condition of the one who comes: behold the Lord God shall come with strength (Isa 40:10).
Concerning the first, he determines who should announce, to whom, and how he should announce. Who, he determines to be he who has the office: you that bring good tidings : how shall they preach unless they be sent? (Rom 10:15).
He designates the manner by three things:
by the height of the location, so that he who announces good things will be heard from afar: upon a high mountain , mystically, Christ, or heavenly conversation and contemplation, above: come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord (Isa 2:3); below: they shall cry from the top of the mountains (Isa 42:11);
by the cry of the voice: lift up your voice with strength , so that many may hear, by preaching plainly and constantly, below: cry, cease not, lift up your voice (Isa 58:1);
by security of heart: lift it up, fear not : be not afraid at their presence (Jer 1:8).
He determines to whom it should be announced as to three things:
as to the province of the kingdom: say to the cities of Judah ;
as to the metropolis of the province: you that bring good tidings to Jerusalem ;
as to the rulers of the city: Zion , where the temple and the royal house were, below: the first shall say to Zion: behold they are here, and to Jerusalem I will give an evangelist (Isa 41:27); to you it behooved us first to speak the word of God (Acts 13:46).
791 . Behold your God . Here he sets out the promise of the coming of God: behold , at hand, your God , will come, above: God himself will come (Isa 35:4).
792 . Behold the Lord . Here he shows the condition of the one who comes.
And first, he shows that he will come strong to liberate: with strength , and his arm , his strength on the day of judgment; or in the first coming of Christ, in the power of his miracles; or in the destruction of Babylon, have you an arm like God? (Job 40:4).
Second, that he will come just to reward: behold his reward is with him and his work is before him , because it is in the ease of his will: but the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord (Wis 5:16).
Third, he shows that he will come kind to comfort: like a shepherd ; to feed the hungry: he shall feed his flock : I will feed them in the most fruitful pastures (Ezek 34:14): I will give you pastors who shall feed you (Jer 3:15); to gather together the dissenting: with his arm : other sheep I have (John 10:16); to carry the faltering: in his bosom : when he has found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing (Luke 15:5).
793 . Who has measured the waters . Here he shows divine power.
And first, he establishes it against the errors of idolaters, who detracted from divine power by making the creature equal to the creator: they served the creature rather than the Creator (Rom 1:25);
second, against the despair of the Jews, who detracted from divine power by distrust: lift up your eyes on high (Isa 40:26).
Concerning the first, he does two things:
first, he shows the power of God;
second, he excludes error: to whom then have you likened God (Isa 40:18).
Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, he shows divine power together with divine wisdom in the ease with which he measures and creates all things: for he makes all things in number, as to the multitude of principles; in measure, as to determination of each under its particular being; in weight, as to the inclination of each to its end (Wis 11:21). In the hollow , that is, easily, like what is measured by the hollow, which is a closed hand; with his palm , that is, easily, with the palm, which is an open hand; who has poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth , upon nothing (Job 26:7), for it is supported by nothing outside it, otherwise the repose of the earth would be forced, over the waters (Ps 135[136]:6), as to the place, for it is surrounded by waters, upon its own bases (Ps 103[104]:5), as to the proper cause of its repose, which is its own nature; with three fingers , that is, easily; or, with three properties: weight, dryness, and immobility; weighed , he makes each to be weighed by its proper weight.
794 . Second, he shows the sufficiency of his power, that he needs no helper: who has forwarded , against the philosophers who posit that the last creatures were created by the mediation of the first creatures; of his wisdom, that he needs no counsel: or who has been his counsellor , that he would give the Lord counsel; with whom has he consulted , that the Lord would ask counsel of him; who has instructed him , of the form of his work; the path of natural justice , which he set before all things, so that nothing exceeds the bounds of its nature; knowledge , of the knowledge of created things, both universals and particulars, against the philosophers; the way of understanding , as to the government of the world: whose helper are you? Is it of him that is weak? And dost you hold up the arm of him that has no strength? (Job 26:2).
795 . Third, he shows its excellence, that it exceeds all the multitude of nations: behold the Gentiles are as a drop , a little spot, of a bucket , falling from a bucket, which is a vessel of water fit for the thirsty, which is accounted as nothing; the smallest grain , which is between the arms of a balance and is easily inclined to either: seeing we have heard scarce a little drop of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness? (Job 26:14).
He also shows that it exceeds every fitting honor and especially as to offerings: and Libanus , that is, the trees of Libanus, in which it abounds, because it is wooded, nor the beasts , in which it abounds, because it is fit for pasture: what shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? (Mic 6:6).
He also shows that it exceeds every perfection of creation: both natural, for the being of creatures is, in respect to God, non being; for Dionysius says, in his book on Divine Names 12.4, that so far as the participants surpass non-participants, and the participations surpass the participants, to such an extent, he who is the principle of the participants exceeds both the participations and the participants: all nations are before him as if they had no being at all ; and as to superadded perfections, which are fulfilling in a certain way: and are counted to him as nothing . I beheld the earth, and lo it was void, and nothing (Jer 4:23).
796 . To whom . Here he excludes the error of the idolaters.
And first, he mocks this error as to the intention of the worker, that they wished to make a god: then , consequently, he is so powerful, to whom have you likened God , he speaks according to the error of those who thought the likenesses themselves were gods, or what image , as to those who thought the things of which they were likenesses were gods, as the sun or the moon: who is like to you, among the strong, O Lord? (Exod 15:11). And as to the foolish work, that they wished to introduce the noblest form into base matter: has the workman cast a graven statue? They gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood (Wis 14:21).
797 . Second, he convicts the one who errs.
And first, from the natural law, which prescribes: do you not know , by natural reason, that idols are not gods?; and from the written law, which prohibits: has it not been told you? Have they not heard? (Rom 10:18).
He convicts also from the consideration of terrestrial creatures, as to their creation: have you not understood the foundations of the earth , to have been founded by him? That is, that part of the earth that is next to the center: when he balanced the foundations of the earth (Prov 8:29). And as to their creator: it is he that sits upon the globe of the earth , for it is spherical, as though governing it, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts , in respect to the magnitude of the earth, or of God himself;
also from the creation of heavenly creatures: he that stretches out , as to the magnitude of heaven, as nothing , as to the subtlety of its substance, as a tent , for himself, as that in which his power first shines out among corporeal things, as to power; or as in the dwelling of the angels and saints, as to dignity; or also of the whole lower creation, as to their brightness: he prepares the world by his wisdom (Jer 10:3).
Third, he convicts them as to the subjugation of the great, setting out the destruction of those who are great, either according to knowledge: he that brings the searchers of secrets , namely the philosophers; or according to power, the judges , that is, the princes: they have failed in their search (Ps 63:7[64:6]). And he shows the ease of their destruction by a similitude of grass or of a tree, which does not have strong roots in the earth: and surely : against a leaf, that is carried away with the wind, you show your power, and you pursue a dry straw (Job 13:25).
798 . Third, he sets out the conclusion: and to whom have you likened me? Who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord? (Ps 88:7[89:6]).
799 . Lift up your eyes . Here he establishes the same divine power against those who despair.
And first, he establishes divine majesty from the creation of things: who has created these things , namely, heavenly things: he spoke, and they were made (Ps 148[149]:5); from the perfection of his knowledge: who brings out , to fulfill his will, in number , determined in his knowledge, their host , namely, the stars or angels of the heavens, and calls them all by their names , determining for each its proper nature, from which it can be named: who tells the number of the stars: and calls them all by their names (Ps 146[147]:4); from the fullness of his dominion: by the greatness of his might , for fighting, and strength , for resisting, and power , for working; not one of them was missing , from his dominion: is there any numbering of his soldiers? (Job 25:3).
800 . Second, he excludes their error.
And first, he sets out the error: why say you: my way is hid from the Lord , he does not see what evils I suffer, otherwise, he would defend me; judgment , that is, the power to judge, which he formerly had: say not: I shall be hidden from God (Sir 16:16[17]); they have said: the Lord has forsaken the earth, and the Lord sees not (Ezek 9:9).
Second, he sets out the reproof of the error;
and first, the confirmation of the proof from the law: know you not , from the natural law, or have you not heard , from the written law, these things which follow?;
second, he sets out the reproof,
first, showing the greatness of God from the things which he has in himself, namely, the eternity of his dominion: everlasting God ; the Lord shall reign for ever and ever (Exod 15:18); unfailing power: he shall not faint , that he could not do all things, nor labor , that he could do them with difficulty: his power is an everlasting power (Dan 7:14); the incomprehensibility of his knowledge, neither is there any searching out of his wisdom : O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways (Rom 11:33).
801 . Second, by the great things which he does in others.
And first, in those whom he strengthens, he shows their original weakness: it is he that gives strength , as to him who first had been strong and then weakened; to them that are not , as to those who were not strong, above: you have been a strength to the poor (Isa 25:4); he calls those things that are not (Rom 4:17); the weak things of the world has God chosen (1 Cor 1:27).
Second, he shows the greatness of his strength by comparison to natural strength,
which he shows failing first: youths shall faint , who are in the state of advancing; young men , who seem strong: no man shall prevail by his own strength (1 Sam 2:9);
second, the greatness of the strength given by God: but they that hope in the Lord shall change their strength , namely, from natural to divine, so that they are not tired in ascending: they shall take wings : they shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle (Prov 23:5); nor in swift progress: they shall run ; nor in continuous advancing: they shall walk , above: there is none that shall faint, nor labor (Isa 5:27).
802 . The Spirit of the Lord is helped (see 40:13) not in creation, but in justification, Augustine: he who created you without you, will not justify you without you .
By preaching: for we are God’s coadjutors (1 Cor 3:9);
by preparation: draw nigh to God: and he will draw nigh to you (Jas 4:8);
by cooperation: looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God (Heb 12:15).
803 . The saints are compared to eagles (see 40:31),
because of the height of their flight: will the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest in high places? (Job 39:27); in which is signified eminence of contemplation, above: his eyes shall see the king in his beauty (Isa 33:17);
because of the subtlety of their odor: wheresoever the body shall be, thither will the eagles also be gathered together (Luke 17:37); in which is signified the fervor of love: we will run after you to the odor of your ointments (Song 1:3);
because of the loftiness of their place: three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of. The way of an eagle in the air (Prov 30:18–19); in which is signified zeal for heavenly conversation: but our conversation is in heaven (Phil 3:20);
because of the swiftness of their motion: our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air (Lam 4:19); in which is signified promptness of good works: have you seen a man swift in his work? (Prov 22:29);
because of their renewal: your youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s (Ps 102[103]:5); in which is signified zeal for amendment and progress: though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day (2 Cor 4:16);
because of the beauty of their members: a large eagle with great wings, long-limbed, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus (Ezek 17:3); in which is signified the beauty of the virtues: you are all fair, O my love (Song 4:7);
because of their solicitude for their children: as the eagle enticing her young to fly, and hovering over them, he spread his wings (Deut 32:11); in which is signified solicitude for the saints: who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire? (2 Cor 11:29).