Matthew Henry on Isaiah 40:18-26
The prophet here reproves those, 1. Who represented God by creatures, and so changed his truth into a lie and his glory into shame, who made images and then said that they resembled God, and paid their homage to them accordingly. 2. Who put creatures in the place of God, who feared them more than God, as if they were a match for him, or loved them more than God, as if they were fit to be rivals with him. Twice the challenge is here made, To whom will you liken God? Isa 40:18, and again Isa 40:25. The Holy One himself says, To whom will you liken me? This shows the folly and absurdity, (1.) Of corporal idolatry, making visible images of him who is invisible, imagining the image to be animated…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 40:24
they--the "princes and judges" (Isa 40:23) who oppose God's purposes and God's people. Often compared to tall trees (Psa 37:35; Dan 4:10).
not . . . sown--the seed, that is, race shall become extinct (Nah 1:14).
stock--not even shall any shoots spring up from the stump when the tree has been cut down: no descendants whatever (Job 14:7; see on Isa 11:1).
and . . . also--so the Septuagint. But MAURER translates, "They are hardly (literally, 'not yet', as in Kg2 20:4) planted (&c.) when He (God) blows upon them."
blow--The image is from the hot east wind (simoon) that "withers" vegetation.
whirlwind . . . stubble-- (Psa 83:13), where, "like a wheel," refers to the rotatory action of t…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on Isaiah 40:24
Yea, they shall not be planted,.... As trees are, like the cedars in Lebanon, though they may seem to be such; but be like the grass of the field, and herbs of the earth: or, "even they shall be", as if they were "not planted (c)", they shall not grow and flourish; or they shall be plucked up, and be no more; this is said of the princes and judges of the earth; nay,
they shall not be sown; as seed is, which springing up, brings forth fruit, but so it shall not be with them; or they shall be as if they had not been sown, no fruit being brought forth by them:
yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth; so as to continue and abide, but they shall soon vanish and disappear, as the most…
