Isaiah 40

16. All Lebanon's forest would not supply fuel enough to burn sacrifices worthy of the glory of God ( Isaiah 66:1 , 1 Kings 8:27 , Psalms 50:8-13 ).
beasts--which abounded in Lebanon.

17. ( Psalms 62:9 , Daniel 4:35 ).
less than nothing--MAURER translates, as in Isaiah 41:24 , "of nothing" (partitively; or expressive of the nature of a thing), a mere nothing.
vanity--emptiness.

18. Which of the heathen idols, then, is to be compared to this Almighty God? This passage, if not written (as BARNES thinks) so late as the idolatrous times of Manasseh, has at least a prospective warning reference to them and subsequent reigns; the result of the chastisement of Jewish idolatry in the Babylonish captivity was that thenceforth after the restoration the Jews never fell into it. Perhaps these prophecies here may have tended to that result (see 2 Kings 23:26 2 Kings 23:27 ).

19. graven--rather, an image in general; for it is incongruous to say "melteth" (that is, casts out of metal) a graven image (that is, one of carved wood); so Jeremiah 10:14 , "molten image."
spreadeth it
chains--an ornament lavishly worn by rich Orientals ( Isaiah 3:18 Isaiah 3:19 ), and so transferred to their idols. Egyptian relics show that idols were suspended in houses by chains.

20. impoverished--literally, "sunk" in circumstances.
no oblation--he who cannot afford to overlay his idol with gold and silver ( Isaiah 40:19 ).
tree . . . not rot--the cedar, cypress, oak, or ash ( Isaiah 44:14 ).
graven--of wood; not a molten one of metal.
not be moved--that shall be durable.

21. ye--who worship idols. The question emphatically implies, they had known.
from the beginning--( Isaiah 41:4 Isaiah 41:26 , 48:16 ). God is the beginning ( Revelation 1:8 ). The tradition handed down from the very first, of the creation of all things by God at the beginning, ought to convince you of His omnipotence and of the folly of idolatry.

22. It is he--rather, connected with last verse, "Have ye not known?"--have ye not understood Him that sitteth . . . ? ( Isaiah 40:26 ) [MAURER].
circle--applicable to the globular form of the earth, above which, and the vault of sky around it, He sits. For "upon" translate "above."
as grasshoppers--or locusts in His sight ( Numbers 13:33 ), as He looks down from on high ( Psalms 33:13 Psalms 33:14 , 113:4-6 ).
curtain--referring to the awning which the Orientals draw over the open court in the center of their houses as a shelter in rain or hot weather.

23. ( Psalms 107:4 , Daniel 2:21 ).
judges--that is, rulers; for these exercised judicial authority ( Psalms 2:10 ). The Hebrew, shophtee, answers to the Carthaginian chief magistrates, suffetes.

24. they--the "princes and judges" ( Isaiah 40:23 ) who oppose God's purposes and God's people. Often compared to tall trees ( Psalms 37:35 , Daniel 4:10 ).
not . . . sown--the seed, that is, race shall become extinct ( Nahum 1:14 ).
stock--not even shall any shoots spring up from the stump when the tree has been cut down: no descendants whatever ( Job 14:7 ;
and . . . also--so the Septuagint. But MAURER translates, "They are hardly (literally, 'not yet', as in 2 Kings 20:4 ) planted (&c.) when He (God) blows upon them."
blow--The image is from the hot east wind (simoon) that "withers" vegetation.
whirlwind . . . stubble--( Psalms 83:13 ), refers to the rotatory action of the whirlwind on the stubble.

25. (Compare Isaiah 40:18 ).

26. bringeth out . . . host--image from a general reviewing his army: He is Lord of Sabaoth, the heavenly hosts ( Job 38:32 ).
calleth . . . by names--numerous as the stars are. God knows each in all its distinguishing characteristics--a sense which "name" often bears in Scripture; so in Genesis 2:19 Genesis 2:20 , Adam, as God's vicegerent, called the beasts by name, that is, characterized them by their several qualities, which, indeed, He has imparted.
by the greatness . . . faileth--rather, "by reason of abundance of (their inner essential) force and firmness of strength, not one of them is driven astray"; referring to the sufficiency of the physical forces with which He has endowed the heavenly bodies, to prevent all disorder in their motions [HORSLEY]. In English Version the sense is, "He has endowed them with their peculiar attributes ('names') by the greatness of His might," and the power of His strength (the better rendering, instead of, "for that He is strong").

27. Since these things are so, thou hast no reason to think that thine interest ("way," that is, condition, Psalms 37:5 , Jeremiah 12:1 ) is disregarded by God.
judgment is passed over from--rather, "My cause is neglected by my God; He passes by my case in my bondage and distress without noticing it."
my God--who especially might be expected to care for me.

28. known--by thine own observation and reading of Scripture.
heard--from tradition of the fathers.
everlasting, &c.--These attributes of Jehovah ought to inspire His afflicted people with confidence.
no searching of his understanding--therefore thy cause cannot, as thou sayest, escape His notice; though much in His ways is unsearchable, He cannot err ( Job 11:7-9 ). He is never "faint" or "weary" with having the countless wants of His people ever before Him to attend to.

29. Not only does He "not faint" ( Isaiah 40:28 ) but He gives power to them who do faint.
no might . . . increaseth strength--a seeming paradox. They "have no might" in themselves; but in Him they have strength, and He "increases" that strength ( 2 Corinthians 12:9 ).

30. young men--literally, "those selected"; men picked out on account of their youthful vigor for an enterprise.

31. mount up--( 2 Samuel 1:23 ). Rather, "They shall put forth fresh feathers as eagles" are said to renovate themselves; the parallel clause, "renew their strength," confirms this. The eagle was thought to moult and renew his feathers, and with them his strength, in old age (so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Psalms 103:5 ). However, English Version is favored by the descending climax, mount up--run--walk; in every attitude the praying, waiting child of God is "strong in the Lord" ( Psalms 84:7 , Micah 4:5 , Hebrews 12:1 ).