Isaiah 40:1 kjv
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isaiah 40:1 nkjv
"Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God.
Isaiah 40:1 niv
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Isaiah 40:1 esv
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Isaiah 40:1 nlt
"Comfort, comfort my people,"
says your God.
Isaiah 40 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 40:2 | Speak comfortably to Jerusalem…that her warfare is ended… | Immediate continuation of the command to comfort. |
| Isa 49:13 | Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth…for the Lord comforts His people… | God's act of comforting His people. |
| Isa 51:3 | The Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places… | God explicitly comforting Zion/Jerusalem. |
| Isa 52:9 | Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted His people… | Exhortation to rejoice due to God's comfort. |
| Isa 54:7-8 | For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back…with everlasting love I will have compassion on you. | God's returning compassion after a period of abandonment. |
| Isa 66:13 | As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem. | God's comfort compared to a mother's tenderness. |
| Jer 31:13 | I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow. | Prophecy of future comfort and joy after sorrow. |
| Zec 1:17 | The Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem. | Prophecy of God's renewed favor and comfort for Jerusalem. |
| Hos 2:14 | I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. | God speaking kindly/tenderly to His unfaithful people. |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. | God's presence as a source of comfort. |
| Ps 77:2 | In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my soul refused to be comforted. | The need for comfort in distress, contrasting with human refusal. |
| 2 Cor 1:3-4 | God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble… | God as the ultimate source of comfort, and the believer's role. |
| Lk 2:25 | Simeon was righteous and devout, looking for the comfort of Israel… | Messianic expectation linked to "comfort of Israel." |
| Matt 3:3 | A voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord!' | Connects to the larger Isaiah 40 message of preparing for the Lord. |
| Jn 14:16-18 | I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever… | The Holy Spirit as the "Comforter" or "Helper" in NT. |
| Rom 15:4 | For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. | Scripture as a source of comfort and hope. |
| Heb 6:18 | God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. | God's unchangeable promises bring strong encouragement/comfort. |
| 1 Thess 4:18 | Therefore comfort one another with these words. | Believers are to comfort each other with prophetic words. |
| 1 Thess 5:11 | Therefore encourage one another and build each other up… | Exhortation for mutual encouragement, a form of comfort. |
| Rom 15:13 | May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. | The ultimate outcome of God's comforting presence. |
Isaiah 40 verses
Isaiah 40 1 Meaning
Isaiah 40:1 opens with a divine command for God's messengers to deliver a message of deep comfort to His exiled people, specifically Jerusalem. It marks a dramatic shift from the preceding chapters' judgment and pronouncements of doom to a tender assurance of God's renewed favor and imminent restoration. This verse is the programmatic opening of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), heralding an end to suffering and the dawning of salvation.
Isaiah 40 1 Context
Isaiah chapter 40 marks a profound shift in the book of Isaiah, following the pronouncements of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem for their disobedience, culminating in the prophecy of the Babylonian exile in chapter 39. This opening verse is the beginning of the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-55), addressed to a people who would eventually find themselves in Babylonian captivity, living under a foreign power. Historically, this message comes hundreds of years after Isaiah delivered it but looks forward to a time when Israel would be languishing in exile, feeling abandoned by God. The initial chapters of Isaiah detail the reasons for God's judgment, but from chapter 40 onwards, the tone changes dramatically to one of hope, restoration, and the future coming of God's glorious salvation. The historical context thus provides the "why" for the initial suffering, and Isaiah 40:1 offers the "what's next"—a divinely initiated message of comfort.
Isaiah 40 1 Word analysis
- Comfort, comfort: (נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ, naḥămû naḥămû). The doubling of the imperative verb intensifies the command and signifies its urgency, importance, and comprehensive nature. It's a profound call to fully embrace the message of solace. The root naḥam (נחם) carries meanings of "to be sorry," "to repent," and "to comfort." Here, it specifically denotes active solace, often in the face of deep grief or distress. This divine call to comfort stands in direct contrast to the preceding chapters of harsh rebuke, highlighting God's renewed compassion.
- My people: (עַמִּי, ʻammî). This possessive term emphasizes the intimate and covenantal relationship between God and Israel. Despite their disobedience leading to exile, they remain His chosen people. It signifies ownership and affection, a reminder that God has not forsaken them. This declaration implicitly rejects the notion that their suffering means God has disowned them or that other gods are more powerful.
- Speak: (דַּבְּרוּ, dabberû). An imperative plural, like "comfort." This verb indicates authoritative communication. The messengers are commanded not just to feel comfort but to vocalize it, making it known explicitly. It implies active proclamation rather than passive reassurance.
- Tenderly/Kindly: (עַל לֵב, ʻal lēv). Literally translated "to the heart." This Hebrew idiom denotes speaking gently, compassionately, and persuasively to someone's innermost being, their feelings, and will. It implies an appeal full of understanding and sympathy, not harshness or accusation. It ensures the message isn't just conveyed, but received and felt deeply. This nuance contrasts sharply with the blunt rebukes often found earlier in Isaiah, portraying a loving rather than an angry Father.
- Jerusalem: (יְרוּשָׁלִַם, Yerušālayim). Represents the capital city, but symbolically stands for the entire Jewish people, the covenant community, and the center of their religious and national identity. Its plight reflects the nation's suffering. Direct address to Jerusalem acknowledges its central role in both their past judgment and their future restoration, highlighting God's specific concern for His holy city and its inhabitants.
Isaiah 40 1 Bonus section
- The unnamed speakers of "Comfort, comfort" are often understood as prophets or divine messengers. This implies that God's comfort does not come silently but is actively proclaimed through His appointed agents. In a broader sense, this also falls on every believer to be a source of comfort using God's Word.
- The transition from chapters 1-39 (prophecies of judgment) to chapters 40-66 (prophecies of comfort and salvation) is sometimes described as a move from "Isaiah of Jerusalem" to "Deutero-Isaiah" by some scholars, though within Christian theology, the unified authorship is widely affirmed. Regardless of this debate, the thematic shift in chapter 40 is undeniable and profound.
- This verse sets the stage for the New Testament theme of preparing the way for the Lord (Isa 40:3-5), fulfilled by John the Baptist and ultimately leading to Christ's mission to comfort and save. It provides the ancient foundation for the "gospel of peace."
- The instruction to "speak tenderly" to Jerusalem can be seen as a direct refutation of any notion that God's dealing with His people is arbitrary or lacking in emotional depth. It emphasizes His parental care and passionate concern for their healing and reconciliation.
Isaiah 40 1 Commentary
Isaiah 40:1 is a watershed moment, dramatically shifting the tone from God's righteous judgment to His boundless compassion. The double imperative, "Comfort, comfort," underscores the divine urgency and the profound nature of the solace to be delivered. This comfort is directed at "My people," an enduring term of endearment even after their profound unfaithfulness, signaling that God's covenant love remains unbroken. The instruction to "speak tenderly to Jerusalem" is pivotal, demonstrating God's desire for the message to penetrate the deepest recesses of His people's despair, not with rebuke but with empathetic reassurance. This is a prophetic invitation to God's chosen to release the burden of past judgment and embrace the dawn of grace. It's an affirmation of God's enduring faithfulness, promising restoration and future glory. Practically, it reminds us that even after periods of divine correction or personal suffering, God’s ultimate desire is to bring comfort, using His word and His messengers (like believers today) to deliver that balm to broken hearts.