Isaiah 40:15
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
14 Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
- KJV
- Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
- WEB
- Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.
- ASV
- Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: Behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
- DARBY
- Behold, the nations are esteemed as a drop of the bucket, and as the fine dust on the scales; behold, he taketh up the isles as an atom.
- BLB
- Behold, the nations [are] like a drop from a bucket, and they have been reckoned like dust of the scales! Behold, the islands He lifts up like fine dust,
- ÅB
- Se, folkeferd er som en dråpe av et spann, og som et støvgrand i en vektskål er de aktet; se, øyene[^1] er som det fine støv han lar fare til værs.
- OTB
- Sannelig, nasjonene er som en dråpe i en bøtte; de regnes som støv på vektskålen; Han løfter opp øyene som fint støv.
- B1930
- Se, folkeferd er som en dråpe av et spann, og som et støvgrand i en vektskål er de aktet; se, øene er som det fine støv han lar fare til værs. / < SLM 97, 1. JES 42, 10.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
Read in contextIsaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
Read in contextJob 34:14–15
If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
Read in contextIsaiah 29:5
But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,
Read in contextIsaiah 11:11
On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Read in contextIsaiah 41:5
The islands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward.
Read in contextGenesis 10:5
From these, the maritime peoples separated into their territories, according to their languages, by clans within their nations.
Read in contextIsaiah 66:19
I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
Read in context