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Isaiah 40:17

God's power and sovereignty

15 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.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

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

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
KJV
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
WEB
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
ASV
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
DARBY
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are esteemed by him less than a cipher, and vanity.
BLB
All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, they are counted by Him [as less] than nothing and emptiness.
ÅB
Alle folkene er som intet for ham; som ingenting og bare tomhet er de aktet av ham.
OTB
For Ham er alle nasjonene som ingenting; de regnes av Ham som mindre enn ingenting og meningsløse.
B1930
Alle folkene er som intet for ham; som ingenting og bare tomhet er de aktet av ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 62:9

    Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

    Read in context

  • Daniel 4:34–35

    And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 29:7

    And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

    Read in context