Isaiah 40:13 kjv
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isaiah 40:13 nkjv
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him?
Isaiah 40:13 niv
Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?
Isaiah 40:13 esv
Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?
Isaiah 40:13 nlt
Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD?
Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
Isaiah 40 13 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!... | God's unsearchable wisdom |
Rom 11:34 | "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" | Direct quote of Isa 40:13/Job 15:8 |
1 Cor 2:10-11 | For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God... | The Spirit comprehends God's thoughts |
1 Cor 2:16 | "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" | Another direct echo of Isa 40:13 in NT |
Ps 147:5 | Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is unsearchable. | God's boundless understanding |
Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"... | God's superior wisdom over humans |
Job 21:22 | "Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are on high?" | God cannot be taught |
Job 36:23 | "Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'?" | God needs no moral instructor |
Jer 23:18 | "For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord...? | None stand in God's counsel to advise Him |
Ps 33:11 | The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart... | God's plans are eternal and unwavering |
Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. | God's counsel prevails over human plans |
Isa 9:6 | ...and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God... | God is the ultimate source of counsel |
Dan 2:20-22 | Blessed be the name of God...he gives wisdom to the wise... | God alone grants wisdom; He doesn't need it |
Jas 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously... | God bestows wisdom, not receives |
Prov 8:14 | "I [Wisdom] have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength." | Wisdom is intrinsic to God |
Job 38:4 | "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding." | God questions human limits, not for advice |
Job 40:2 | "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God..." | No one can challenge or correct God |
Acts 17:25 | nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything... | God is self-sufficient |
Ps 50:12 | "If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine." | God's self-sufficiency extended to all needs |
1 Tim 1:17 | To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God... | Emphasizes the unique nature of God |
Isa 40:28 | ...There is no searching of his understanding. | Reiterates the unsearchable nature of God |
Isaiah 40 verses
Isaiah 40 13 Meaning
Isaiah 40:13 proclaims God's unparalleled and unchallengeable wisdom, knowledge, and sovereign counsel. It asserts that no created being can comprehend, measure, instruct, or advise the Lord regarding His plans, purposes, or His very Spirit. God is self-sufficient, His understanding infinite, requiring no external counsel or insight to form or execute His will. The rhetorical questions demand a resounding negative answer, highlighting Yahweh's absolute transcendence and unmatched wisdom, in contrast to the limitations of human and pagan deities.
Isaiah 40 13 Context
Isaiah chapter 40 marks a pivotal shift in the book of Isaiah, moving from prophecies of judgment to messages of comfort and restoration for the exiles in Babylon. It begins with "Comfort, comfort my people" (v.1). The chapter seeks to reassure a dispirited people of God's unmatched power, wisdom, and faithfulness, urging them to lift their eyes above their immediate struggles to see the sovereign Lord. Verses 12-14 serve as a crescendo of rhetorical questions, challenging anyone to rival God's creative power or intellectual capacity. Verse 12 recounts God's physical measurements of the cosmos, building to verse 13 which now extends the concept of divine measure to God's very mind and Spirit. This immediate context is critical, demonstrating Yahweh's absolute distinctness and superiority over all creation, including the gods and wisdom of Babylon, which often relied on omens, astrology, and human counselors. The verses constitute a direct polemic against any competing claims of power or wisdom, particularly against the vast empires and their deities that the Israelites encountered.
Isaiah 40 13 Word analysis
- Who (מִי, mī): A rhetorical interrogative pronoun. It strongly implies "No one" or "No created being." It underscores the uniqueness and isolation of God in this specific attribute.
- has measured / directed (תִכֵּן, thikken): This verb (Qal perfect of
תּוּן
) carries meanings like "to weigh," "to measure," "to calculate," "to direct," or "to determine." In this context, following the physical measuring of the earth in v.12, it transcends physical metrics to imply comprehending, assessing, or circumscribing God's mental faculties and spiritual essence. It suggests the impossible task of quantifying, regulating, or understanding the limits of God's inner being. - the Spirit (רוּחַ, rūach): Here, rūach refers to God's animating life principle, His mind, intelligence, character, and inner disposition. It's His divine essence, power, and wisdom. While not yet the developed New Testament understanding of the Holy Spirit as a distinct Person, it certainly points to God's divine cognitive faculty and active power from which such Person proceeds.
- of the LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal, immutable, and unique identity as the self-existent, faithful God. This distinguishes Him utterly from all pagan deities or human conceptions of a god.
- or what / and who (וּמִ֤י, ūmī): The conjunctive "and" (waw) links the two rhetorical questions, strengthening the argument. Again,
mī
implies "No one." - His counselor / man of His counsel (אִישׁ֙ עֲצָת֔וֹ, ʾîš ʿăṣātōh):
ʾîš
means "man."ʿăṣātōh
(fromעֵצָה
,etsah
) means "counsel" or "plan." So literally, "man of His counsel." This phrase refers to someone who gives advice or makes known information. It speaks to the human concept of a king or ruler needing advisers, spies, or experts. The question implicitly denies God needs any such earthly wisdom. - taught Him / made Him to know (יוֹדִיעֶ֖נּוּ, yôḏîʿennū): This is a Hiphil imperfect of yādaʿ (to know), meaning "to cause to know" or "to instruct." It means: who caused God to know something? Who informed Him? This challenges the idea of any external source of knowledge for God, affirming His absolute omniscience.
Words-group analysis:
- "Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD": This phrase poses the profound challenge to quantify or define the very essence and mind of God. It's about His boundless nature and unfathomable intellect. The divine Spirit, embodying God's wisdom, purpose, and understanding, is beyond all human comprehension or scale. It establishes God's infinite wisdom as self-originated.
- "or what His counselor taught Him": This second part reiterates the first by shifting focus to the source of wisdom. It directly refutes any notion that God gains knowledge or wisdom from an external adviser, unlike human rulers. This negates all forms of polytheistic practices where deities might confer with each other or need external assistance to devise plans. It solidifies God's sovereign and independent knowledge and purpose.
Isaiah 40 13 Bonus section
The rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40 (and throughout Second Isaiah) are not mere literary devices but function as a profound form of instruction and persuasion. They engage the audience by demanding an obvious answer, which serves to amplify God's attributes without explicitly listing them. In the cultural context of ancient Near Eastern polytheism, where gods were often depicted as fallible, capricious, or needing human intercession and wisdom, this verse presents a stark contrast, elevating Yahweh to a category of one. The subsequent appropriation of this verse by the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:34 demonstrates its enduring theological significance, grounding the mysteries of God's redemptive plan in His inscrutable wisdom. This verse serves as a crucial Old Testament precursor to the New Testament's doctrine of God's omniscience and the self-existent nature of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 40 13 Commentary
Isaiah 40:13 is a declarative assertion wrapped in rhetorical questions, functioning as a powerful statement of Yahweh's absolute transcendence. It is the logical culmination of the grand picture of creation given in v.12. If God effortlessly measures the cosmos with His hand, how much more does He self-contain all wisdom? The "Spirit of the LORD" here represents God's boundless intellect, His deepest thoughts, and His very character—the very essence from which His decrees proceed. No one, from cosmic entities to human "wise men," can possibly "measure" or comprehend the depths of this divine mind, let alone offer Him counsel or instruction. God is not simply the greatest among equals; He is categorically unique, utterly self-sufficient, and the sole author of wisdom. This verse provides foundational truth for a suffering people: their God knows all, plans all perfectly, and requires no aid, therefore His promises of deliverance are secure.
- Practical usage example: When faced with seemingly impossible situations or doubts about God's plan, recalling this verse reaffirms that God operates from perfect, independent wisdom. We don't need to instruct Him or understand every detail of His counsel.