Isaiah 40:4

4 Every valley shall be exalted , and every mountain and hill shall be made low : and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isaiah 40:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 40:4

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill
shall be made low
Which is not to be understood literally, but, as Kimchi says, parabolically and mystically: the meaning is, that in consequence of John's ministry, and our Lord's coming, such who were depressed and bowed down with the guilt of sin, and were low and humble in their own eyes, should be raised up and comforted; and that such who were elated with themselves, and their own righteousness, should be humbled; their pride and haughtiness should be brought down, and they treated with neglect and contempt, while great notice was taken of lowly minded ones; see ( Luke 14:11 ) and ( Luke 18:14 ) : and the crooked shall be straight and the rough places plain;
what before was dark and intricate in prophecy should now become clear; and such doctrines as were not so well understood should now become plain and easy.

Isaiah 40:4 In-Context

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished , that her iniquity is pardoned : for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted , and every mountain and hill shall be made low : and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed , and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
6 The voice said , Cry . And he said , What shall I cry ? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. straight: or, a straight place
The King James Version is in the public domain.