Isaiah 40 6

Isaiah 40:6 kjv

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isaiah 40:6 nkjv

The voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

Isaiah 40:6 niv

A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

Isaiah 40:6 esv

A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

Isaiah 40:6 nlt

A voice said, "Shout!"
I asked, "What should I shout?"
"Shout that people are like the grass.
Their beauty fades as quickly
as the flowers in a field.

Isaiah 40 verses

Isaiah 40 6 Meaning

Isaiah 40:6 profoundly declares the ephemeral and fragile nature of all human existence, strength, and glory. It posits that everything originating from humanity, its life, beauty, power, and achievements, is transient, fading away as quickly as grass and the flowers of the field under harsh conditions. This stark assessment serves as a critical foundation, emphasizing the futility of relying on human endeavors or institutions, thereby preparing the audience to comprehend the ultimate reliability and enduring power of God's eternal word.

Isaiah 40 6 Context

Isaiah chapter 40 marks a significant pivot in the book of Isaiah, initiating what is often referred to as "Second Isaiah" or the "Book of Consolation" (chapters 40-66). This section directly addresses the Jewish people during or facing the end of their Babylonian exile, offering comfort and hope after a long period of judgment.

The chapter opens with a divine command: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God" (40:1). This introduces themes of forgiveness, an end to their servitude, and the imminent arrival of God's glory. Verses 3-5 depict a highway being prepared in the wilderness for the return of the Lord and His people, symbolizing divine intervention and deliverance. Against this backdrop of grand divine promise, verse 6 steps in to ground the hope in reality by first establishing the extreme contrast between all things human and the absolute stability of God. It's a call to abandon trust in any earthly power or human institution, including those that oppressed them (like Babylon), or even in their own limited strength, as all these are intrinsically fleeting. By demonstrating the impermanence of humanity, the passage paves the way for the profound and comforting truth of God's eternal word, which follows in Isaiah 40:8. This contextual shift prepares the exiles' hearts to place their ultimate hope not in changing worldly circumstances or human efforts, but in the unwavering faithfulness of their God.

Isaiah 40 6 Word analysis

• A voice: (קֹול֙ - qol) Denotes an audible sound, but in this biblical context, it refers to an authoritative divine, angelic, or prophetic voice. It signals a pronouncement of immense importance and certainty, often a direct communication from God or His messenger, commanding attention and obedience.
• says, 'Cry out.' (אֹמֵ֣ר קְרָ֔א - omer qera) Qara means to call, proclaim, summon, or read aloud. This is a command to make a public and urgent declaration, underscoring the vital nature of the message to be delivered. The imperative suggests a pressing truth that must be broadcast.
• And I said, 'What shall I cry?': (וָֽאֹמַר֙ מָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֔א - va'omar mah eqra) This is a human, almost bewildered, response to the divine command. It signifies a moment of hesitation, a question arising from the magnitude or unexpectedness of the message, highlighting the prophet's (or speaker's) need for clarification before articulating such a profound truth. It sets the stage for the revelatory answer.
• All flesh: (כָּל־ הַבָּשָׂר֙ - kol-habbasar) Basar means "flesh" and refers universally to all humanity, indeed, all living, mortal creatures. It emphasizes the physical, transient, and finite aspect of existence, highlighting inherent weakness and the absence of eternal life or spiritual strength apart from God.
• is grass,: (חָצִיר֙ - chatsir) Chatsiyr is common pasture grass or fresh green vegetation. It symbolizes extreme transience and short duration. Grass sprouts quickly and beautifully after rain but rapidly withers and dries up under the scorching Middle Eastern sun, becoming lifeless and insignificant. It signifies universal mortality and perishability.
• and all its loveliness: (וְכָל־ חַסְדּוֹ֙ - vekhol-chasdo) Chasdo (from the root chesed) is a significant term. While chesed often means "steadfast love" or "mercy" (when referring to God), in contexts of human characteristics, it can convey "beauty," "glory," "grace," "strength," "favor," or the "desirable quality" of something. Here, it refers to whatever is considered good, attractive, or robust about human existence—its pomp, achievements, outward splendor, power, or supposed virtue. The use of "loveliness" underscores that even the most admirable aspects of humanity are just as fleeting as life itself.
• is like the flower of the field. (כְּצִ֣יץ הַשָּׂדֶֽה - ketsits hassadeh) Tsits means flower or blossom. This imagery intensifies the metaphor of transience and fragility. Flowers possess a striking but temporary beauty and vividness; they flourish only for a brief season before wilting and disappearing, just as human life and glory are beautiful but fleeting and destined to pass away.

Words-group analysis

• "A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?'": This exchange establishes a divine mandate for a message and highlights a moment of human apprehension or seeking clarity regarding the momentous declaration that is about to be given. It sets the prophetic scene, emphasizing that the subsequent truth is divinely revealed and crucially important.
• "All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.": This powerful, universal statement contrasts human nature with divine truth. It encapsulates the core message of human transience, encompassing not just life itself (flesh is grass), but also every aspect of human glory, beauty, strength, and achievements (all its loveliness is like the flower of the field). This comprehensive frailty of humanity creates a void that only the eternal nature of God and His word can fill, forming the basis for true comfort and hope.

Isaiah 40 6 Bonus section

This verse functions as a key component of the theological argument of Isaiah 40-66, meticulously establishing humanity's existential limits and intrinsic unreliability before contrasting it with God's incomparable and eternal nature. This stark juxtaposition, often referred to as an "adynaton" when fully understood in conjunction with verse 8, ensures that the comfort offered by God is not predicated on any human capability but solely on divine faithfulness. The prophet is not merely stating a biological fact, but making a profound theological point: all that is temporary cannot provide lasting hope. Therefore, any true, abiding comfort must originate from beyond the transient realm, from God Himself, whose "word will stand forever" (Isa 40:8). The inclusion of "all its loveliness" (chasdo) broadens the scope of impermanence beyond mere life to encompass human greatness, virtues, and self-worth, highlighting that even our best, apart from God, holds no eternal substance.

Isaiah 40 6 Commentary

Isaiah 40:6 delivers a crucial and foundational declaration of human impermanence. The commanding "Cry out!" prompts a question from the prophetic voice, underscoring the weight and perhaps startling nature of the revelation: humanity in its entirety—its physical existence ("all flesh") and every admirable quality, glory, strength, or beauty it possesses ("all its loveliness")—is as fleeting and vulnerable as "grass" and a "flower of the field." This vivid imagery draws from familiar experiences in the ancient Near East, where vegetation flourishes briefly then quickly succumbs to the scorching sun. The verse thereby aims to divest any human or worldly entity of its ultimate authority, stability, or power. It implicitly challenges reliance on temporary earthly kingdoms, human wisdom, or personal strength, redirecting focus away from the unreliable and towards the immutable. This profound recognition of human frailty and the temporal nature of all human achievement serves as an essential precursor to comprehending the absolute, enduring truth and power of God's word, as further articulated in this chapter.