The Meaning of Isaiah 40:17 Explained

Isaiah 40:17

KJV: All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

YLT: All the nations are as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.

Darby: All the nations are as nothing before him; they are esteemed by him less than a cipher, and vanity.

ASV: All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

All nations  before him [are] as nothing; and they are counted  to him less than nothing,  and vanity. 

What does Isaiah 40:17 Mean?

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 40:17 mean?

All nations [are] as nothing before Him less than nothing and worthless and they are counted by Him
כָּל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם כְּאַ֣יִן נֶגְדּ֑וֹ מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ־ לֽוֹ

הַגּוֹיִ֖ם  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
כְּאַ֣יִן  [are]  as  nothing 
Parse: Preposition-k, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
נֶגְדּ֑וֹ  before  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
מֵאֶ֥פֶס  less  than  nothing 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפֶס 
Sense: ceasing, end, finality.
וָתֹ֖הוּ  and  worthless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֹּהוּ  
Sense: formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness.
נֶחְשְׁבוּ־  and  they  are  counted 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לֽוֹ  by  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 40:17?

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