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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Isaiah 40:13

Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord? Who can measure and understand Him, or, being His counselor, hath taught Him? advising Him on the basis of his understanding of the Lord's mind. Cf Romans 11:34. The fundamental principle of education is here stated: Understanding the pupil and giving him instruction, teaching him to discriminate and to perform the works of His government properly. It is preposterous that God should need or seek the counsel of any man.

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See also Isaiah 40:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHO HATH DIRECTED - This passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 11:34, and referred to by him in 1 Corinthians 2:16. The word rendered ‘directed’ here (תכן _tikēn_) is the same which is used in the prev...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    II. THE LATER PROPHECIES OF COMFORT AND GLORY (40-66) Like the first part this second part of Isaiah has three sections. The three sections of the first part revealed the judgments to come upon the Je...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    AN EXPANSION OF THE TEXT SUGGESTED IN ISAIAH 40:6. Isaiah 40:12. The Majesty of God, in Whose Eyes the World is Insignificant. God is the Creator, disposing of earth and heaven as very small things. N...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    (ISAIAH 40:12) WHO.... WHO... WITH WHOM... ? Isaiah 40:12 are introductory: while the Figure of speech _Erotesis_ emphasizes the importance of Him Who speaks. HIS COUNSELLER. the man (Hebrew. _'ish._...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The argument for the infinitude of God opens with a series of rhetorical questions, not needing to be answered, but intended to raise the thoughts of despondent Israelites to the contemplation of the...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    From the _POWER_ of Jehovah, the writer passes to expatiate on His perfect and self-sufficing _wisdom_. _Who hath directed_ The verb is the same as "meted out" in the previous verse, and the transitio...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHO HATH MEASURED THE WATERS, &C.— The prophet here, in the most sublime manner, celebrates the divine majesty and greatness, but particularly his wisdom. Rapt into an extacy, after he had described t...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    b. PERCEIVE THE NATURE OF THE LORD TEXT: Isaiah 40:12-26 12 Who hath measured the water in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a me...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? WHO HATH DIRECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, OR (BEING) HIS COUNSELOR, HATH TAUGHT HIM? The Hebrew here for "directed...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ISRAEL'S RESTORATION FROM EXILE IN BABYLON On the authorship and date of these Chapter s see Intro. According to their subject matter, they fall naturally into three divisions of almost equal length...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God is completely self-sufficient. In other words, he does not depend on anyone else....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD PROMISES COMFORT TO HIS PEOPLE ISAIAH CHAPTER S 40 TO 48 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 40 This chapter begins the second half of the Book of Isaiah. • In CHAPTER...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHO HATH DIRECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD? — The term, which had been used in a lower sense in Isaiah 40:7, is here clothed as with a Divine personality, answering, as it were, to the wisdom of Proverb...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    מִֽי ־תִכֵּ֥ן אֶת ־ר֖וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה וְ אִ֥ישׁ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER I THE DATE OF Isaiah 40:1; Isaiah 41:1; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 43:1;...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VI GOD: A SACRAMENT Isaiah 40:12 SUCH are the Four Voices which herald the day of Israel's redemption. They are scarcely silent, before the Sun Himself uprises, and horizon after horizon of...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CREATOR AND RULER OF ALL THE EARTH Isaiah 40:9-17 Zion is bidden to climb the highest mountain within reach, and announce the advent of the Savior-God. When all eyes are turned to behold Him, expecti...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    We now commence the prophecies of peace, which also fall into three divisions, dealing in turn with the purpose of peace (40-48), the Prince of Peace (49-57), the program of peace (58-66). The fist el...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] (s) his counsellor hath taught him? (s) He shows God's infinite wisdom for the same....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Some have thought that the person of God the Father is here spoken of, because the Church is taught to look up to Him with peculiar reverence of character, as the Creator. But, as the church is never...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    13._Who instructed the Spirit of Jehovah? _What the Prophet had formerly taught concerning the Lord’s goodness and power he now adds concerning his wisdom. And we ought to observe the connection; for,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The first part of that which might be called the second book of Isaiah extends from chapter 40 to the end of chapter 48. The Messiah is, comparatively speaking, but little introduced here. It is rathe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHO HATH DIRECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD,.... In the creation of all things, in garnishing the heavens, and moving upon the face of the waters? not anyone, angel or man; there were none with him, nor...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counsellor hath taught him? Ver. 13. _Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord?_] Who was then of his council when he made the universe? None...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Who hath measured the waters_, &c. Who can do this but God? And this discourse on God's infinite power and wisdom is added, to give them the greater assurance, that he was able, as he had declared hi...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    HIS COUNSELOR: _ Heb._ man of his counsel...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-17 All created beings shrink to nothing in comparison with the Creator. When the Lord, by his Spirit, made the world, none directed his Spirit, or gave advice what to do, or how to do it. The nati...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Who did God either need or take to advise him in any of his works, either of creation or the government of the world? were they not all the effects of his own sole wisdom? Therefore though all the nat...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Isaiah 40:13 directed H8505 (H8765) Spirit H7307 LORD H3068 counselor H376 H6098 taught H3045 (H8686)...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GREATNESS OF GOD PROCLAIMED (ISAIAH 40:12). And He will be able to do it because of His greatness. In this vital passage the greatness of God to do What He declares He will do is now revealed in...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 40:1. _Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God._ «They need it, and they shall have it. Mind, O my servants, that you give it to them: Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 40:1. _Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem._ The loss of comfort is no small loss. God would have his people happy. They are in the best conditi...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 40:1. _Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath recei...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Joyful prospect given to the people of God of the happiness of coming redemption. Reproof for their despondencies. CHARACTERS: God, Holy Spirit, Isaiah. CONCLUSION: Nothing can be spoken mo...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Isaiah 40:1. _Comfort ye, comfort ye my people._ What a sweet voice is this to the church, after all her long afflictions. The words are doubled, to designate the fulness of comfort in the pardon of s...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?_ THE GRANDEUR OF GOD The prophet’s notions of God are diffused through all the verses of the text. The prophet’s design in describing the Dei...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 40:1 Encouragement for God’s Exiles: “The Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed.” These visionary chapters are addressed to the exiles in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem in 586...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    PART III. ISAIAH'S LATER PROPHECIES (CH. 40-66.). SECTION I. THE PEOPLE OF GOD COMFORTED IN TRIBULATION (Isaiah 40:1.). EXPOSITION...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    But he's talking about a whole new message of God for the people as we get into the new covenant of God. And so it is appropriate that this new section of Isaiah begins with the word of the Lord decla...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 1:11; Job 21:22; Job 36:22; Job 36:23;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Who — Who did God either need or take to advise him in any of his works, either of creation or the government of the world....

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