Isaiah 40 · Verse 21

Isaiah 40:21

Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Isaiah 40:21, King James Version

Isaiah 40:21 in other translations

BSBDo you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?
WEBHaven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?
ASVHave ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
YLTDo ye not know--do ye not hear? Hath it not been declared from the first to you? Have ye not understood From the foundations of the earth?
DARBY— Do ye not know? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood the foundation of the earth?
BBEHave you no knowledge of it? has it not come to your ears? has not news of it been given to you from the first? has it not been clear to you from the time when the earth was placed on its base?
WebsterHave ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

What does Isaiah 40:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. ye--who worship idols. The question emphatically implies, they had known. from the beginning--(Is 41:4, 26; 48:16). God is the beginning (Re 1:8). The tradition handed down from the very first, of the creation of all things by God at the beginning, ought to convince you of His omnipotence and of the folly of idolatry.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Have ye not known - On this verse Kimchi has a very interesting comment, an extract of which I subjoin. "The whole world may be considered as a house built up; heaven its roof; the stars its lamps; and the fruits of the earth its table spread. The Master of the house is God, blessed for ever; and man is the steward into whose hand all the business of the house is given. If he always consider in his heart that the Master of the house is continually over him, and that he keeps his eye upon his work, and if in consequence he acts wisely, he shall find favor in the eyes of the Master of the house. But if he find wickedness in the house, then will he remove him מן פקידתו min pekidutho, 'from his stewardship.' The foolish steward does not think of this; for as his eyes do not see the Master of the house, he saith in his heart, 'I will eat and drink what I find in this house, and will take my pleasure in it; nor shall I be careful whether there be a master over this house or not.' When the Lord of the house marks this, he comes and expels him from the house speedily, and with great anger; therefore it is said, Isa 40:23, He bringeth the princes to nothing." It seems that this parable had been long in use among the Jews, as our blessed Lord alludes to it in his parable of the unjust steward. Or did the rabbin, finding it to his purpose, steal the parable from the Gospel? In both places it has great and peculiar beauties. Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth "Have ye not understood it from the foundations of the earth?" - The true reading seems to be ממוסדות mimmosedoth, to answer to מראש merosh in the foregoing line. It follows a word ending with מ mem, and out of three mems concurring, it was an easy mistake to drop the middle one.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 40:18-26

Whatever we esteem or love, fear or hope in, more than God, that creature we make equal with God, though we do not make images or worship them. He that is so poor, that he has scarcely a sacrifice to offer, yet will not be without a god of his own. They spared no cost upon their idols; we grudge what is spent in the service of our God. To prove the greatness of God, the prophet appeals to all ages and nations. Those…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 40:18-26 →

Isaiah 40:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲל֤וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
תֵֽדְעוּ֙te.de.'Udo you knowH3045
הֲל֣וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
תִשְׁמָ֔עוּtish.Ma.'udo you hearH8085
הֲל֛וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
הֻגַּ֥דhu.Gadhas it been toldH5046
מֵרֹ֖אשׁme.Roshfrom [the] beginningH7218
לָכֶ֑םla.Khemto you
הֲלוֹא֙ha.lO'¿ notH3808
הֲבִ֣ינֹתֶ֔םha.Vi.no.Temhave you understoodH995
מוֹסְד֖וֹתmos.Dot[the] foundations ofH4146
הָאָֽרֶץ\׃ha.'A.retzthe earthH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 40:21

  • Isaiah 46:8

    Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

  • Isaiah 48:13

    Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

  • Acts 14:17

    Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

  • Romans 1:19-21

    Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

  • Psalms 50:6

    And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

  • Romans 1:28

    And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

  • Psalms 115:8

    They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
27:11; 44:20; 46:8; Ps 19:1-5; 115:8; Jer 10:8-12; Ac 14:17
Ro 1:19-21,28; 3:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 40:20

    He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

  • Isaiah 40:21

    Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

  • Isaiah 40:22

    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:

Read all of Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿No sabéis? ¿no habéis oído? ¿nunca os lo han dicho desde el principio? ¿no habéis sido enseñados desde que la tierra se fundó?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ne savez-vous pas? Ne l’avez-vous pas entendu? Cela ne vous a-t-il pas été déclaré dès le commencement? N’avez-vous pas compris la fondation de la terre?…
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wisset ihr es nicht? Höret ihr es nicht? Ist es euch nicht von Anbeginn verkündet worden? habt ihr nicht Einsicht erlangt in die Grundlegung der Erde?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Numquid non scitis? numquid non audistis? numquid non annuntiatum est vobis ab initio? numquid non intellexistis fundamenta terræ?