Isaiah 40:30
in Isaiah 40Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
KJV
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
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This verse in Isaiah 40
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHe shows the greatness of his strength by comparison to natural strength, which he shows failing first: youths shall faint, who are in the state of advancing; young men, who seem strong: no man shall prevail by his own strength (1 Sam 2:9).
This site's exposition
He giveth power to the faint
on Isaiah 40:29-31
The chapter's answer to Jacob's despair is power given away rather than merely displayed, he gives power to the faint and increases strength to those who have none. Even youths grow weary and young men utterly fall, the natural strength every generation trusts eventually failing them. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, mounting up with wings as eagles, running and not growing weary, walking and not fainting, and Clarke notes the descending order of the promise, flight, then a run, then simply the ability to keep walking, since ordinary endurance is the harder and more lasting gift.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 27 and following) Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel: My way is hidden from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over by my God? Do you not know, or have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint, neither is He weary, and there is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The meaning is, God shall by his spirit so dispose mens hearts, and by his providence so order the affairs of the world, as to make way for the accomplishment of his promise. This was eminently fulfilled, when Christ, who was, and is God, blessed forever, came into the world in a visible manner.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,.... Such as are in the prime of their strength, and glory in it, yet through the hand of God upon them, by one disease or another, their strength is weakened in the way; or they meet with that which they are not equal to, and sink under, and are discouraged, and obliged to desist. Some think the Babylonians and Chaldeans are here meant, the enemies of Israel, and by whom they were carried captive.
It was especially a direction to the prophets that should live in the time of captivity, when Jerusalem was in ruins; they must encourage the captives to hope for enlargement in due time. Gospel ministers, being employed by the blessed Spirit as comforters, and as helpers of the joy of Christians, are here put in mind of their business.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Even the youths shall faint - The most vigorous young men, those in whom we expect manly strength, and who are best suited to endure hardy toil. They become weary by labor. Their powers are soon exhausted. The design here is, to contrast the most vigorous of the human race with God, and to show that while all their powers fail, the power of God is unexhausted and inexhaustible.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיִֽעֲפ֥וּ | veyiafu | and they may grow weary | H3286 → | 9 times |
| נְעָרִ֖ים | nearim | youths | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וְיִגָ֑עוּ | veyigau | so they may become weary | H3021 → | 26 times |
| וּבַחוּרִ֖ים | uvachurim | and young men | H970 → | 44 times |
| כָּשׁ֥וֹל | kashol | certainly <to stumble> | H3782 → | 62 times |
| יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃ | yikashelu | they stumble | H3782 → | 62 times |
וְיִֽעֲפ֥וּand they may grow weary
veyiafuH3286 →9 times
נְעָרִ֖יםyouths
nearimH5288 →239 times
וְיִגָ֑עוּso they may become weary
veyigauH3021 →26 times
וּבַחוּרִ֖יםand young men
uvachurimH970 →44 times
כָּשׁ֥וֹלcertainly <to stumble>
kasholH3782 →62 times
יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃they stumble
yikasheluH3782 →62 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ecclesiastes 9:11I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 21:30–31
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Lamentations 3:37–38
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Job 5:11–14
He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.
- Jeremiah 9:23
Through
Psalms 34:10Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
it leads to
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Matthew 6:32
For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
- Psalms 104:21
The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
- Luke 1:51–53
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
- Psalms 84:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
On this verse
About Isaiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.