Devine Scripture

Isaiah 40:18

What does Isaiah 40:18 mean?

A plain-English look at Isaiah 40:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Isaiah 40:18 means

This crucial rhetorical question challenges the very notion of idolatry: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" The implied answer is a resounding "No one." This challenges the human tendency to reduce God to a manageable, created form or concept. It asserts God's unique transcendence and unlikeness to anything in creation, directly leading into a critique of idol worship and reaffirming His incomprehensible nature.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Whom then is God like, in your opinion? or what will you put forward as a comparison with him?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him?

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

To whom then have you likened God? or what image will you make for him?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

To whom then will ye likenGod? and what likeness will ye compare unto him?

Context

Having established God's incomparable greatness and the insignificance of nations, this verse directly poses the central question of idolatry. It serves as a pivotal transition, moving from God's sovereignty over creation to directly challenging attempts to represent Him. This question sets up the subsequent two verses, which describe the futility and human effort involved in making idols.

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

v.18This passage

v.19The image, a workman hath cast it, and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth for it silver chains.

Cross references

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

  • Psalms 89:8

    O Jehovah God of hosts, Who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O Jehovah? And thy faithfulness is round about thee.

  • Jeremiah 10:16

    The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

  • Isaiah 40:25

    To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal to him? saith the Holy One.

  • Exodus 8:10

    And he said, Against to-morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like unto Jehovah our God.

  • Hebrews 1:3

    who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

  • 1 Samuel 2:2

    There is none holy as Jehovah; For there is none besides thee, Neither is there any rock like our God.

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