Isaiah 40:13

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?

American Standard Version (1901)

Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

Bible in Basic English

By whom has the spirit of the Lord been guided, or who has been his teacher?

Free Bible Version

Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or taught him what to do as his counselor?

Geneva Bible 1599

Who hath instructed ye Spirit of the Lord? or was his counseler or taught him?

King James (Authorized) Version

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

One Unity Resource Bible

Who has directed Ruach Yahweh [Spirit of He sustains breathing] or has taught him as his counselor?

Translation for Translators

And ◄who else can advise Yahweh’s Spirit?/No one else can advise Yahweh’s Spirit!► [RHQ] ◄Who can teach him or advise/tell him what he should do?/No one can teach him or advise/tell him what he should do!► [RHQ]

Unlocked Literal Bible

Who has comprehended the mind of Yahweh, or instructed him as his counselor?

Noah Webster Bible

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught him?

World English Bible

Who has directed Yahweh’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor?

Young's Literal Translation

Who hath meted out the Spirit of Jehovah, And, [being] His counsellor, doth teach Him!

Context

Here Is Your God!

¹²Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance? ¹³Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor? ¹⁴Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?

Sermons

Broken Down Altars

Billy Sunday

Summary

Isaiah 40:13 highlights the incomparable wisdom and understanding of the Lord. It emphasizes that no one can counsel or instruct Him, showcasing His sovereignty and omniscience. This verse serves as a reminder of God's infinite knowledge and authority, surpassing human comprehension and intellect. It humbles humanity before the Almighty, acknowledging His supremacy and unmatched wisdom in all things. Ultimately, Isaiah 40:13 exalts God as the source of all wisdom and the one deserving of reverence and awe.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

A second question follows in Isa 40:13, Isa 40:14. "Who regulated the Spirit of Jehovah, and (who) instructed Him as His counsellor? With whom took He counsel, and who would have explained to Him and instructed Him concerning the path of right, and taught Him knowledge, and made known to Him a prudent course?" The first question called to mind the omnipotence of Jehovah; this recalls His omniscience, which has all fulness in itself, and therefore precludes all instruction from without. "The Spirit of Jehovah" is the Spirit which moved upon the waters at the creation, and by which chaos was reduced to order. "Who," inquires this prophet - "who furnished this Spirit with the standard, according to which all this was to be done?" תּכּן as in Isa 40:12, to bring into conformity with rule, and so to fit for regulated working. Instead of mercha tifchah athnach, which suggests the Targum rendering, "quis direxit spiritum? Jehova" (vid., Pro 16:2), it would be more correct to adopt the accentuation tifchah munach athnach (cf., Exo 21:24; Exo 23:9), and there are certain codices in which we find this (see Dachselt). In Isa 40:13 we might follow the Septuagint translation, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς σύμβιβᾶ (Rom 11:34; Co1 2:16, συμβιβάσει) αὐτόν, but in this case we miss the verb היה. The rendering we have given above is not so harsh, and the accentuation is indifferent here, since silluk is never written without tifchahif only a single word precedes it. In Isa 40:14 the reciprocal נוע is connected with את = אם. The futt. cons. retain their literal meaning: with whom did He consult, so that he supplied Him with understanding in consequence (hēbhı̄n, generally to understand, here in a causative sense). The verbs of instruction are sometimes construed with בּ of the lesson taught, sometimes with a double accusative. In reply to the questions in Isa 40:13, Isa 40:14, which are essentially one, Israel must acknowledge that its God is the possessor of absolute might, and also of absolute wisdom.