The Meaning of Isaiah 40:29 Explained

Isaiah 40:29

KJV: He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

YLT: He is giving power to the weary, And to those not strong He increaseth might.

Darby: He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.

ASV: He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He giveth  power  to the faint;  and to [them that have] no might  he increaseth  strength. 

What does Isaiah 40:29 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God does not just possess all these qualities, but He shares His strength with those who need it. He has all energy, and He has energy to spare and to share. Whether we buckle under life"s pressures or lack innate strength, He provides durable, stable power (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Context Summary

Isaiah 40:18-31 - The Everlasting God The Giver Of Strength
Day changes to night, and as the twilight deepens, the stars come out in their myriads, Isaiah 40:26. To the poetic eye of the watcher, they appear as a vast flock following the shepherd, who calls each by its name. Not one falls out of its place, or is lacking. Will Jehovah do so much for stars and nought for men? Will He not have a name for each? Will He not guard and guide each? If He has sustained the orbs of light in their mighty rounds, will He fail the poor soul that clings to His feet?
They that wait on God change their strength. In their earliest days they rely on the energy and vigor of youth, on their blameless, unstained character, in the consciousness of their glorious manhood; but as years pass, they come to count all these as refuse in comparison with Jesus Christ the Lord, Philippians 3:8. Notice the order in Isaiah 40:31! At first sight we should have expected that it would advance from walking to running, and so to flying. But that order is reversed. It is more difficult to walk than to mount! Every cyclist will tell you that the hardest task is to keep your cycle at walking pace. [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 40:29 mean?

He gives to the weak power and to no [those who have] strength might He increases
נֹתֵ֥ן לַיָּעֵ֖ף כֹּ֑חַ וּלְאֵ֥ין אוֹנִ֖ים עָצְמָ֥ה יַרְבֶּֽה

נֹתֵ֥ן  He  gives 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַיָּעֵ֖ף  to  the  weak 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָעֵף  
Sense: faint, weary, fatigued.
כֹּ֑חַ  power 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
וּלְאֵ֥ין  and  to  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אוֹנִ֖ים  [those  who  have]  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֹון  
Sense: vigour, generative power.
יַרְבֶּֽה  He  increases 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.