Isaiah 40 22

Isaiah 40:22 kjv

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Isaiah 40:22 nkjv

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

Isaiah 40:22 niv

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

Isaiah 40:22 esv

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

Isaiah 40:22 nlt

God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
and makes his tent from them.

Isaiah 40 22 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Job 26:10He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters...God defines cosmic boundaries
Prov 8:27When He established the heavens, I was there; when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep...God's wisdom in creation
Job 22:14...He walks on the vault of heaven.God's lofty position
Job 25:6How much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!Human insignificance
Ps 8:4what is man that You remember him, the son of man that You care for him?Humankind's smallness against God's glory
Ps 144:3LORD, what is man, that You notice him? Or the son of man, that You think of him?Acknowledging human frailty
Gen 18:27...I have ventured to speak to the Lord, though I am dust and ashes.Abraham's humility before God
1 Cor 1:26-29God has chosen the foolish... weak... so that no one may boast...God chooses the humble and lowly
Ps 102:25-27Of old You founded the earth... and the heavens are the work of Your hands...God as immutable Creator
Isa 42:5Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out...God, the one who stretches out heavens
Isa 44:24...I, the LORD, am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself...Solitary act of creation
Isa 45:12I Myself made the earth and created man on it. I stretched out the heavens...Emphasizes sole Creator status
Isa 51:13...You have forgotten the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens...Reminder of God's power in creation
Jer 10:12It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens.God's wisdom and power in cosmic creation
Zech 12:1...The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth...Divine authorship of cosmos
Ps 104:2You stretch out the heavens like a tent curtain...Similar imagery for heavenly creation
Hab 3:6...He looked, and made the nations tremble... everlasting mountains shattered...Earth responds to His presence
Rev 4:10-11...You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things...Worship for God's creation
Col 1:16-17For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth... He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.Christ's role in creation and sustenance
Neh 9:6You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens... with all their host, the earth and everything on it...Exclusive deity and creation
Acts 17:24The God who made the world and all things in it, He being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.God's transcendence as Creator
Job 9:8He alone stretches out the heavens...God's unparalleled cosmic power

Isaiah 40 verses

Isaiah 40 22 Meaning

Isaiah 40:22 declares the supreme transcendence and unparalleled majesty of God. He is depicted as dwelling far above the entire cosmos, with the earth and its inhabitants appearing minuscule and insignificant in His presence. The verse vividly portrays His effortless power in creating and sustaining the vast expanse of the heavens, comparing it to unfurling a thin curtain or spreading out a dwelling tent. It emphasizes His singular omnipotence as the sovereign Creator over all things.

Isaiah 40 22 Context

Isaiah chapter 40 marks a significant shift in the book of Isaiah, moving from prophecies of judgment to messages of comfort, hope, and restoration for God's exiled people. The chapter opens with a call to "Comfort, comfort My people" (v. 1), proclaiming an end to their period of punishment. It sets the stage for God's coming glory, emphasizing His eternal nature against the transient nature of humanity and all creation. Verse 22, in particular, reinforces God's immeasurable power and sovereignty as the Creator, in direct contrast to the impotence of pagan idols (as elaborated in subsequent verses, 40:18-20, 25) and the futility of human might. The preceding verses (40:12-17) already highlight God's unfathomable wisdom and power by asking rhetorical questions about who could measure or instruct Him. Against this backdrop of divine omnipotence, the apparent insignificance of God's people in exile and the power of their oppressors are put into perspective. This verse serves to assure the despondent Israelites that their God, the incomparable Creator, is fully capable of fulfilling His promises of salvation and restoration.

Isaiah 40 22 Word analysis

  • He (הוּא - Hu')
    • Significance: An emphatic personal pronoun, strongly referring to Yahweh, distinguishing Him as the sole subject of these actions. It underscores His unique identity and sovereignty.
  • sits (יָשַׁב - yāshaḇ)
    • Significance: While literally "sits," in this context, it often implies reigning, enthronement, established authority, and fixed sovereignty. It is not a passive act but denotes His position of ultimate control and command.
  • above (עַל - ʿal)
    • Significance: Denotes a position of transcendence, superiority, and ultimate authority. It emphasizes God's absolute detachment from, yet complete control over, the creation.
  • the circle (חוּג - ḥūḡ)
    • Significance: Refers to a circle, circuit, or vault, as drawn by a compass. This term accurately describes the spherical appearance of the earth from an elevated vantage point or the discernible circular horizon. It doesn't imply a flat disk but rather a distinct, round shape.
  • of the earth (הָאָרֶץ - hāʾāreṣ)
    • Significance: Refers to the physical planet, the terrestrial globe. God's dominion is over the entire inhabited world.
  • and its inhabitants (וְיֹשְׁבֶיהָ - wəyōšəḇeyhā)
    • Significance: Refers to the people dwelling on the earth. This highlights a stark contrast between God's elevated position and their grounded existence.
  • are like grasshoppers (כַּחֲגָבִים - kaḥăḡāḇîm)
    • Significance: A vivid simile. Grasshoppers are small, numerous, and easily scattered or crushed. It symbolizes the utter insignificance, fragility, and powerlessness of humanity in comparison to God's immense majesty and power.
  • who stretches out (נוֹטֶה - nôṭeh)
    • Significance: A participle denoting a continuous action. Implies extending, unfurling, or inclining. This is a common divine action verb in scripture for the act of creation, emphasizing ease and limitless power.
  • the heavens (שָׁמַיִם - šāmāyim)
    • Significance: Refers to the sky, the firmament, and the entire celestial expanse. In Hebrew, it is typically plural or dual, emphasizing its vastness.
  • like a curtain (כַּדֹּק - kađđōq)
    • Significance: Simile for fine cloth, gauze, or a thin veil. It illustrates the ease and effortlessness with which God created and sustains the immense heavens; it costs Him no struggle or effort.
  • and spreads them out (וַיִּמְתָּחֵם - wayyimtāḥêm)
    • Significance: A parallel verb to "stretches out," reinforcing the action of extending and unfurling with similar ease and breadth.
  • like a tent (כְּאֹהֶל - kəʾōhel)
    • Significance: Simile comparing the heavens to a dwelling or shelter. This implies the heavens are vast and all-encompassing, like a huge canopy stretched out overhead. The "to dwell in" could refer to Him finding habitation or providing a cosmic tent for His creation to exist under.

Words-Group Analysis:

  • "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth": This phrase encapsulates God's ultimate transcendence and sovereign dominion over the physical world. His seating "above" signifies authority and a position of detached observation and control over the entire planetary sphere.
  • "and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers": This potent simile immediately establishes humanity's profound insignificance when juxtaposed with the magnificent Creator. It highlights fragility, mortality, and the inability to contend with such a God.
  • "who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in": This depicts God as the masterful and effortless architect of the cosmos. The imagery of a "curtain" conveys the lightness and ease of His creative act, while a "tent" emphasizes the vast, encompassing, yet orderly, expanse of the heavens, providing a dwelling for Himself and His created beings.

Isaiah 40 22 Bonus section

This verse contains a subtle yet potent polemic against the idol worship and polytheism prevalent in the ancient Near East. While other cultures depicted their gods as limited, localized, or engaging in fierce cosmic struggles to create or maintain the world, Isaiah presents Yahweh as the singular, effortlessly omnipotent God who acts alone. He does not require helpers, nor does He expend great effort to fashion the cosmos. This contrasts sharply with mythical accounts of deity rivalries and strenuous creative acts, underscoring Yahweh's uniqueness and unmatched power. His dominion extends over the entire "circle of the earth," indicating a global, not localized, sovereignty, unlike many pagan deities tied to specific lands or cities.

Isaiah 40 22 Commentary

Isaiah 40:22 stands as a monumental declaration of Yahweh's unparalleled glory and absolute supremacy. In a context intended to comfort and encourage a despairing people, the prophet portrays God as infinitely transcendent. His seat "above the circle of the earth" affirms His cosmic sovereignty, viewing the world not from within it, but from a vantage point that encompasses and oversees all. This celestial perspective reduces the most powerful human beings and nations to mere "grasshoppers"—frail, tiny, and fleeting—shattering any human pretension to might or permanence. Furthermore, the very heavens, immense and mysterious to ancient eyes, are treated by God with utter ease, unfurled like a lightweight "curtain" or an easily pitched "tent." This vivid imagery underlines His effortless creative power, a power so vast that the universe itself is a simple garment or shelter He has provided. This verse offers profound comfort to believers: if God is this overwhelmingly powerful over creation, then no human obstacle or political adversary can thwart His purposes for His people, and His promises are unassailably sure. It instills confidence in His ability to intervene and restore, even when circumstances seem impossible, by contrasting His eternal might with all that is temporary and finite.