Isaiah 40 · Verse 7

Isaiah 40:7

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

Isaiah 40:7, King James Version

Isaiah 40:7 in other translations

BSB	The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
WEB	The grass withers, the flower fades, because the LORD’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.
ASV	The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass.
YLT	Withered hath grass, faded the flower, For the Spirit of Jehovah blew upon it, Surely the people is grass;
DARBY	The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, for the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
BBE	The grass becomes dry, the flower is dead; because the breath of the Lord goes over it: truly the people is grass.
Webster	The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

What does Isaiah 40:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. spirit of the Lord--rather, "wind of Jehovah" (Psa 103:16). The withering east wind of those countries sent by Jehovah (Jon 4:8). the people--rather, "this people" [Lowth], which may refer to the Babylonians [Rosenmuller]; but better, mankind in general, as in Is 42:5, so Is 40:6, "all flesh"; this whole race, that is, man.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 The grass withereth - The whole of this verse is wanting in three of Kennicott's and five of De Rossi's MSS., and in a very correct and ancient MS. of my own, and also in the Septuagint and Arabic. Surely the people "Verily this people" - So the Syriac; who perhaps read העם הזה haam hazzeh. Because the spirit of the Lord "When the wind of Jehovah" - רוח יהוה ruach Jehovah, a wind of Jehovah, is a Hebraism, meaning no more than a strong wind. It is well known that a hot wind in the east destroys every green thing. Compare Psa 103:16. Two MSS. omit the word יהוה Yehovah, Jehovah.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 40:1-11

The preaching of the gospel, and glad tidings of the coming of Christ. (Is. 40:1-11) The almighty power of God. (Is. 40:12-17) The folly of idolatry. (Is. 40:18-26) Against unbelief. (Is. 40:27-31) Verses 1-11 All human life is a warfare; the Christian life is the most so; but the struggle will not last always. Troubles are removed in love, when sin is pardoned. In the great atonement of the death of Christ, the…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 40:1-11 →

Isaiah 40:7 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.

יָבֵ֤שׁya.Veshit dries upH3001

חָצִיר֙cha.TzirgrassH2682

נָ֣בֵֽלNa.velit withersH5034

צִ֔יץTzitza flowerH6731

כִּ֛יkiifH3588

ר֥וּחַRu.ach[the] breath ofH7307

יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068

נָ֣שְׁבָהNa.she.vahit blowsH5380

בּ֑וֹboon it

אָכֵ֥ן'a.KhentrulyH403

חָצִ֖ירcha.Tzir[is] grassH2682

הָעָֽם\׃ha.'Amthe peopleH5971

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

Cross references for Isaiah 40:7

Job 41:21
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

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

Context

Isaiah 40:6
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 40:7
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Read all of Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	La hierba se seca, y la flor se cae; porque el viento de Jehová sopló en ella: ciertamente hierba es el pueblo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	L’herbe est desséchée, la fleur est fanée; car le souffle de l’ Éternel a soufflé dessus. Certes, le peuple est de l’herbe.
German Elberfelder 1871	Das Gras ist verdorrt, die Blume ist abgefallen; denn der Hauch Jehovas hat sie angeweht. Fürwahr, das Volk ist Gras.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Exsiccatum est fœnum, et cecidit flos, quia spiritus Domini sufflavit in eo. Vere fœnum est populus: