Isaiah 40 17

Isaiah 40:17 kjv

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

Isaiah 40:17 nkjv

All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

Isaiah 40:17 niv

Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.

Isaiah 40:17 esv

All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Isaiah 40:17 nlt

The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
In his eyes they count for less than nothing ?
mere emptiness and froth.

Isaiah 40 verses

Isaiah 40 17 Meaning

Nations are seen as less than nothing before God. They are considered nonexistent and completely insignificant in His presence. God is the ultimate sovereign, and human nations and their powers are utterly trivial in comparison to His might and eternal reign.

Isaiah 40 17 Context

This verse is part of Isaiah's prophetic message to Israel, offering comfort and assurance in a time of exile and oppression, likely referencing the Babylonian captivity. The surrounding verses (Isaiah 40:12-17) highlight God's incomparable power and sovereignty by contrasting Him with the nations. God is depicted as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, demonstrating His ability to bring His people out of their difficult circumstances. The passage aims to show the futility of relying on human power or the might of worldly kingdoms, emphasizing that God alone holds true power and authority. This message would have been especially impactful to an audience struggling under foreign rule and looking for hope in divine intervention.

Isaiah 40 17 Word Analysis

• כְּמֵ֤הַ (kəmêha'): "like a nothingness" or "as emptiness."
  • Derived from "מֵהַ" (mehah), an intensive form related to "מה" (mah) meaning "what" or "nothing."
  • Indicates utter worthlessness and lack of substance.
• אֵין (ʾên): "not" or "is not."
  • A strong negative particle.
  • Emphasizes the absence of value or significance.
• נֶחְשְׁבוּ (neḥšəḇû): "they are reckoned" or "they are counted."
  • Passive, Qal (simple) perfect verb from "חָשַׁב" (ḥašab), meaning to think, count, regard, reckon.
  • Implies judgment or evaluation by God.
• עֲוֺת (ʿăwôt): "iniquity," "perverseness," or "transgression."
  • From "עָוָה" (ʿāwâ), meaning to bend, do perversely, act wrongly.
  • In this context, it signifies the inherent wrongness or sinfulness of the nations in their dealings.
• קַל (qal): "light" or "less than."
  • Adjective, Comparative.
  • Signifies a reduction in value or weight.
• מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmenû): "than Him" or "from Him."
  • Prepositional phrase, "מִן" (min) meaning "from" or "than," attached to the pronoun "נוּ" (nu), representing the masculine singular pronoun "He" (God).
  • Establishes a direct comparison highlighting God's supreme magnitude.

Word Groups Analysis

• "all the nations are as nothing and less than nothing": This phrase establishes an absolute declaration of the nations' insignificance. The repetition of negative concepts ("nothing" and "less than nothing") amplifies the idea, leaving no room for the nations to possess inherent power or value in the divine economy.
• "before Him they are counted less than nothing": This emphasizes the standard of God's judgment. It's not an arbitrary statement but a reckoning based on divine reality. The term "counted" (neḥšəḇû) implies a formal, objective assessment by the Almighty.

Isaiah 40 17 Bonus Section

The concept of nations being "less than nothing" is foundational in biblical theology for understanding divine sovereignty. This verse doesn't deny the real-world impact of nations and their rulers; rather, it subordinates their authority and significance to God's ultimate plan. Many commentators see this as a prelude to the unfolding plan of salvation, which will ultimately triumph over all earthly powers through God's intervention. The comparison used by Isaiah is vivid, comparing nations to something that has no weight or substance at all. Scholars often link this to the Hebrew concept of hebel (vanity, emptiness), although mehah here is a stronger, more emphatic term. The parallel in Isaiah 40:15, "Behold, the nations are as a drop from a bucket and as dust from the scales," uses different, but complementary, imagery to convey the same idea of insignificance. The consistent message throughout Scripture is that true and lasting power belongs to God alone.

Isaiah 40 17 Commentary

This verse powerfully contrasts the limited, fleeting power of earthly nations with the infinite, eternal sovereignty of God. The nations, with all their might and dominion, are seen as utterly negligible when placed beside the Creator. Their perceived power is an illusion from God's perspective; in His presence, they are considered to be less than zero. This teaches humility to humanity and exalts God's supreme authority. It calls believers not to place their trust in any earthly power or system but to recognize that ultimate power resides solely with God, who is the author and sustainer of all creation. This foundational truth serves as a basis for confident reliance on God, even in the face of overwhelming opposition from the world.