The Meaning of Isaiah 40:12 Explained

Isaiah 40:12

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?

YLT: Who hath measured in the hollow of his hand the waters? And the heavens by a span hath meted out, And comprehended in a measure the dust of the earth, And hath weighed in scales the mountains, And the hills in a balance?

Darby: Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with his span, and grasped the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in scales?

ASV: 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Isaiah 40:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The opposites of waters and heavens, and dust and mountains, express the totality of God"s careful and effortless workmanship in creation. The question is rhetorical (cf. Job 38:41). No one but the Lord is the Creator. His omnipotence is in view.

Context Summary

Isaiah 40:9-17 - Creator And Ruler Of All The Earth
Zion is bidden to climb the highest mountain within reach, and announce the advent of the Savior-God. When all eyes are turned to behold Him, expecting a mighty hero, lo, a shepherd conducts His flock across the waste lands, gathering the weakly lambs to His bosom and gently leading the ewes with their young. Do not be afraid of God; He has a shepherd's heart. Words can never tell out all His tenderness; His pitying, understanding love.
We are next conducted to the Great Sea, Isaiah 40:12. Remember, says the prophet, that God's hands are so strong that the ocean lies in them as a drop of water in man's. He can place mountains in the scales He holds. So great is He that if all Lebanon's forests were laid as wood on His altar, and all its beasts were consumed as burnt sacrifices, it would not be sufficient to set forth Page 68 His praise. And this God is our God forever and ever. The Creator of the ends of the earth is our Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 40

1  The promulgation of the Gospel
3  The preaching of John Baptist foretold
9  The preaching of the apostles foretold
12  The prophet, by the omnipotence of God
18  And his incomparableness
26  Comforts the people

What do the individual words in Isaiah 40:12 mean?

Who has measured in the hollow of His hand the waters and heaven with a span Measured and calculated in a measure the dust of the earth and Weighed in scales the mountains and the hills in a balance
מִֽי־ מָדַ֨ד בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ מַ֗יִם וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בַּזֶּ֣רֶת תִּכֵּ֔ן וְכָ֥ל בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁקַ֤ל בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙ הָרִ֔ים וּגְבָע֖וֹת ؟ בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם

מָדַ֨ד  has  measured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָדַד  
Sense: to measure, stretch.
בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֹׁעַל  
Sense: hollow hand, hollow of hand, handful.
מַ֗יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙  and  heaven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
בַּזֶּ֣רֶת  with  a  span 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: זֶרֶת  
Sense: span.
תִּכֵּ֔ן  Measured 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
וְכָ֥ל  and  calculated 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כּוּל  
Sense: to seize, contain, measure.
בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ  in  a  measure 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלִישׁ 
Sense: third part.
עֲפַ֣ר  the  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְשָׁקַ֤ל  and  Weighed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁקַל  
Sense: to weigh, weigh out, pay out.
בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙  in  scales 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּלֶס  
Sense: balance, scale.
הָרִ֔ים  the  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וּגְבָע֖וֹת  and  the  hills 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
؟ בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם  in  a  balance 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, md
Root: מֹאזְנַיִם  
Sense: scales, balances.