Devine Scripture

Isaiah 40:16

What does Isaiah 40:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Isaiah 40:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Isaiah 40:16 means

This verse further illustrates God's incomparable greatness by demonstrating the inadequacy of even the vast resources of Lebanon. Even if all the forests of Lebanon and all its abundant wildlife were offered as burnt offerings, they would not be sufficient to honor or satisfy God's infinite worth. This emphasizes that no human sacrifice, no matter how grand or costly, can fully comprehend or fulfill the demands of God's majesty.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Lebanon is not enough to make a fire with, or all its cattle enough for a burned offering.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And Libanus shall not be enough to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

Context

Building on the theme of nations' insignificance, this verse offers another powerful illustration of God's unapproachable majesty. It employs an extreme example of material wealth and sacrifice to stress humanity's ultimate inadequacy before God. This further underscores the vast chasm between God's worth and anything humanity can offer, setting the stage for concluding that nations are ultimately nothing before Him.

v.15Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

v.16This passage

v.17All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Hebrews 10:5

    Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;

  • Psalms 40:6

    Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.

  • Psalms 50:9

    I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goats out of thy folds.

  • Micah 6:6

    Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

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