Isaia 40:23-31

23 egli riduce i principi a nulla, e annienta i giudici della terra;

24 appena piantati, appena seminati, appena il loro fusto ha preso radici in terra, Egli vi soffia contro, e quelli seccano, e l’uragano li porta via come stoppia.

25 A chi dunque voi vorreste somigliare perch’io gli sia pari? dice il Santo.

26 Levate gli occhi in alto, e guardate: Chi ha create queste cose? Colui che fa uscir fuori, e conta il loro esercito, che le chiama tutte per nome; e per la grandezza del suo potere e per la potenza della sua forza, non una manca.

27 Perché dici tu, o Giacobbe, e perché parli così, o Israele: "La mia via è occulta all’Eterno e al mio diritto non bada il mio Dio?"

28 Non lo sai tu? non l’hai tu udito? L’Eterno è l’Iddio d’eternità, il creatore degli estremi confini della terra. Egli non s’affatica e non si stanca; la sua intelligenza è imperscrutabile.

29 Egli dà forza allo stanco, e accresce vigore a colui ch’è spossato.

30 I giovani s’affaticano e si stancano; i giovani scelti vacillano e cadono,

31 ma quelli che sperano nell’Eterno acquistan nuove forze, s’alzano a volo come aquile; corrono e non si stancano, camminano e non s’affaticano.

Isaia 40:23-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 40

This chapter treats of the comforts of God's people; of the forerunner and coming of the Messiah; of his work, and the dignity of his person; of the folly of making idols, and of the groundless complaints of the church of God. The consolations of God's people, by whom to be administered, and the matter, ground, and reason of them, Isa 40:1,2. John the Baptist, the harbinger of Christ, is described by his work and office, and the effects of it; it issuing in the humiliation of some, and the exaltation of others, and in the revelation of the glory of Christ, Isa 40:3-5, then follows an order to every minister of the Gospel what he should preach and publish; the weakness and insufficiency of men to anything that is spiritually good; their fading and withering goodliness, which is to be ascribed to the blowing of the Spirit of God upon it; and the firmness and constancy of the word of God is declared, Isa 40:6-8, next the apostles of Christ in Jerusalem are particularly exhorted to publish fervently and openly the good tidings of the Gospel; to proclaim the coming of Christ, the manner of it, and the work he came about; and to signify his faithful discharge of his office as a shepherd, Isa 40:9-11, the dignity of whose person is set forth by his almighty power, by his infinite wisdom, and by the greatness of his majesty, in comparison of which all nations and things are as nothing, Isa 40:12-17 and then the vanity of framing any likeness to God, and of forming idols for worship, is observed, Isa 40:18-25, and from the consideration of the divine power in creation and upholding all things, the church of God is encouraged to expect renewed strength and persevering grace, and is blamed for giving way to a distrustful and murmuring spirit, Isa 40:26-31.