Isaiah 40:18

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

Isaiah 40:18 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 40:18

To whom then will ye liken God?
&c.] There is nothing in the whole creation that can bear any resemblance to him, or he to them; since all nations are as a drop of the bucket, as the small dust of the balance, as nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity: "or what likeness will ye compare unto him", F23 order, ordain, and appoint for him? in what rank can he be placed? to what class of beings can he be likened? what similitude can be given of him? what is there that is fit to be named with him, or compared to him? this, with what follows, is mentioned as an antidote to prevent the Jews falling into idolatry in Babylon, where they would be exposed unto it; or rather to prevent Christians in Gospel times from going into the idolatry of the Papists; see ( Acts 17:28 Acts 17:29 ) ( Revelation 19:20 Revelation 19:21 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (wl wkret twmd hmw) "et quid similitudinis ponetis ei", Pagninus; "ordinabitis", Montanus; "disponetis", Vatablus.

Isaiah 40:18 In-Context

16 And all Lebanon is not sufficient for the fire, nor all the beasts thereof sufficient for the sacrifice.
17 All the Gentiles are as nothing before him, and they are counted to him as vanity and as less than nothing.
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman prepares the graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold and casts silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks unto himself a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010