Isaiah 40:4 kjv
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isaiah 40:4 nkjv
Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;
Isaiah 40:4 niv
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
Isaiah 40:4 esv
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Isaiah 40:4 nlt
Fill in the valleys,
and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves,
and smooth out the rough places.
Isaiah 40 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 40:3 | A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord...” | Immediately preceding context for preparing the way of the Lord. |
| Matt 3:3 | For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah... | John the Baptist's mission fulfills Isaiah's prophecy of preparing the way. |
| Mk 1:3 | "The voice of one crying in the wilderness..." | Echoes John the Baptist as the herald. |
| Lk 3:4-6 | "Every valley shall be filled...every mountain and hill be brought low..." | Luke explicitly quotes and expands on Isa 40:4-5 regarding John's ministry. |
| Jn 1:23 | "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness..." | John confirms his role in preparing the Lord's path. |
| Mal 3:1 | "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me..." | Prophecy of a messenger preparing the Lord's coming. |
| Isa 2:12-17 | For the Lord of hosts will have a day against all that is proud... | Theme of humbling the proud and exalting the lowly. |
| Jas 4:10 | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. | Spiritual parallel: human humility preceding divine exaltation. |
| Prov 15:19 | The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns... | Contrast with the smooth, obstacle-free path described by Isaiah. |
| Psa 18:7-9 | Then the earth reeled and rocked...the mountains shook and quaked... | God's power causing seismic, earth-changing events. |
| Isa 42:16 | "I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know...make the crooked places straight..." | God making a clear path for the blind (metaphorically). |
| Zech 14:4 | ...the Mount of Olives shall be split in two... | Eschatological prophecy of geological transformation upon the Lord's return. |
| Psa 65:6 | ...who by his strength established the mountains... | God's power over mountains, capable of raising and leveling them. |
| Ezek 16:27 | I will lift up my hand against you... | An example of 'lifting up' for judgment, contrasting with Isa 40's exalting. |
| Lk 18:14 | "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." | New Testament principle echoing the valley-mountain imagery. |
| Job 9:5 | He removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them... | God's incomprehensible power over nature. |
| Isa 35:8 | And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness... | Another prophetic description of a prepared, pure highway for God's people. |
| Isa 43:19 | "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth... I will make a way in the wilderness..." | God creating a new way, harkening back to the Exodus. |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth... | Ultimate cosmic transformation where all former obstacles are removed. |
| Jer 31:9 | ...I will lead them to streams of water, in a straight path... | God leading His people on a direct and unhindered path. |
| Hos 2:6 | Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her... | Contrast to the clear path; God placing obstacles when His people turn away. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God... | Call for spiritual humility, aligning with the imagery of humbling hills. |
Isaiah 40 verses
Isaiah 40 4 Meaning
Isaiah 40:4 declares a profound transformation of the landscape in preparation for the Lord's coming. It pictures an extensive earthwork where every low place is elevated, and every high place is lowered. The crooked and rugged paths are smoothed out, becoming level plains. This imagery signifies the divine removal of all obstacles, physical, spiritual, or societal, to ensure a clear and direct path for the glorious manifestation of God and His salvation. It anticipates a perfect accessibility for God's redemptive work.
Isaiah 40 4 Context
Isaiah 40 opens a new section of the book, often called the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-55), a stark contrast to the preceding chapters of judgment. The setting shifts from a present of national apostasy and impending doom to a future where Judah has experienced Babylonian exile, is now facing despair, and needs words of hope and restoration. The chapter begins with a call to "Comfort, comfort my people," proclaiming the end of their warfare and the pardon of their iniquity. This immediately follows in verse 3 with the famous declaration of preparing a "way for the Lord in the wilderness," announcing God's majestic return to His people.
Verse 4 specifies how this way is prepared: by dramatic alterations to the landscape. This vivid imagery is not merely about physical earthmoving but serves as a powerful metaphor for the removal of all impediments, both literal obstacles to a return journey from exile and, more profoundly, spiritual and social barriers that hinder humanity's reception of God's presence. Historically, it promised the exiles a clear path back to Jerusalem; prophetically, it foreshadowed the spiritual "highway" for the coming of the Messiah, most notably through the ministry of John the Baptist.
Isaiah 40 4 Word analysis
Word-by-word analysis
- Every (Kol, כֹּל): Denotes universality and totality. Not one valley will be excluded; the transformation is complete and absolute.
- valley (Gai / Ge'ah, גֵּאָה): A low-lying area, often narrow; frequently a symbol for lowliness, humiliation, or the downtrodden. Spiritually, it can represent despondency or a humbled state.
- shall be lifted up (Nāśāʾ, נָשָׂא): To lift, raise, bear. Implies exaltation, restoration, being brought out of a low place. It is a divine act of elevation.
- and every mountain (Har, הַר): A natural elevation; often a symbol of power, pride, human achievement, or obstacles. Also, places of idolatrous worship (high places).
- and hill (Giv'ah, גִּבְעָה): A smaller elevation than a mountain; also symbolizes pride or less significant obstacles.
- be made low (Shāfal, שָׁפַל): To be or become low, to humble, to bring down. A divine act of humbling, contrasting with human exalting of oneself.
- the uneven ground (ʿĀqōḇ, עָקֹב): Crooked, devious, deceitful, winding, rugged. Implies difficulty, irregularity, or moral perversion.
- shall become level (Mîshōr, מִישׁוֹר): Level ground, plain, equity, justice, straightness. Implies ease, clarity, and righteousness.
- and the rough places (Mirqāṣîm, מִרְקָצִים): Rough, steep, precipitous, rugged, hard places. Impassable or dangerous terrain.
- a plain (Biqʿah, בִּקְעָה): A wide, level valley; a broad, expansive plain. Signifies open, clear, unobstructed passage.
Words-group analysis
- Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low: This expresses a radical, divinely ordained inversion. The natural hierarchy of elevation is flattened. Metaphorically, it speaks to social justice, spiritual humility, and God's sovereign power to elevate the humble and humble the proud, removing disparities that hinder progress. It underscores God's ability to clear any monumental barrier.
- the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain: This elaborates on the concept of path clearing. The previously difficult, treacherous, or morally perverse aspects (uneven/rough) are utterly transformed into straightforward, accessible paths (level/plain). This speaks to clarity, justice, and the removal of all ambiguity or difficulty in God's chosen path. It assures that the way of the Lord will be utterly smooth and easy for those meant to traverse it.
Isaiah 40 4 Bonus section
The imagery of highway construction for a monarch's arrival was common in the ancient Near East, where kings would commission the leveling of roads for their grand processions. Isaiah adapts this concept to signify God's royal, triumphal advent. The promise of this cosmic-scale leveling and smoothing ensures not only ease of travel but also represents God's intention to overcome all opposition, establish perfect equity, and provide direct, unimpeded access to His presence and salvation for His people. This prophetic vision of divine road-building highlights the immense love, power, and forethought of God in preparing for humanity's redemption, finding its primary historical fulfillment in the work of John the Baptist making way for Christ, and looking forward to Christ's final glorious return.
Isaiah 40 4 Commentary
Isaiah 40:4 profoundly articulates the extent of God's preparatory work for His manifestation. It uses the powerful imagery of a universal terrestrial reshaping, transcending natural laws, to convey divine power and commitment. This isn't a mere promise of physical earthworks; it's a symbolic declaration of radical transformation—removing every barrier, whether external (obstacles to return from exile) or internal (spiritual impediments like pride or despondency). The "valleys lifted up" signify God elevating the downtrodden and despairing, while "mountains brought low" represent the humbling of human arrogance, self-sufficiency, or any opposing force that resists God's will. The leveling of "uneven" and "rough" ground emphasizes the removal of all difficulties and injustices, ensuring an unobstructed, clear, and equitable path. This magnificent preparation culminates in the appearance of God's glory (verse 5), signaling salvation for all flesh. It’s a divine promise of ultimate clarity, accessibility, and sovereign restoration.