# Isaiah 40.9 **Book:** [Isaiah](/codex/isaiah-the-prophet/) · ASV ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 7. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. 8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever. > > **9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!** > > 10. Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young. (Isaiah 40:7-11, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 7. The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. 8. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” > > **9. You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”** > > 10. Behold, the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young. (Isaiah 40:7-11, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 7. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. > > **9. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! O Zion: or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion O Jerusalem: or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem** > > 10. Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. with strong: or, against the strong his work: or, recompence for his work 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. that: or, that give suck (Isaiah 40:7-11, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 7. Withered hath grass, faded the flower, For the Spirit of Jehovah blew upon it, Surely the people [is] grass; 8. Withered hath grass, faded the flower, But a word of our God riseth for ever. > > **9. On a high mountain get thee up, O Zion, Proclaiming tidings, Lift up with power thy voice, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, Lift up, fear not, say to cities of Judah, 'Lo, your God.'** > > 10. Lo, the Lord Jehovah with strength cometh, And His arm is ruling for Him, Lo, His hire [is] with Him, and His wage before Him. 11. As a shepherd His flock He feedeth, With His arm He gathereth lambs, And in His bosom He carrieth [them]: Suckling ones He leadeth. (Isaiah 40:7-11, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** YHWH through the prophet Isaiah - **Audience:** exilic / post-exilic Israel anticipating restoration - **Location:** Judah / Babylonian exile context - **Time period:** Isaiah's ministry c. 740-680 BC; chs. 40-55 envision the exilic / post-exilic restoration ## Theological reading Isaiah 40:9 opens the *mevasser* tradition in the Book of Consolation (Isa 40-66). The verse commands the *mevasseret Zion*, "she who brings good news to Zion", to climb the mountain and announce YHWH's coming. The participial form is the OT origin of the entire NT *evangelist* vocabulary: the LXX renders it with *euangelizomenos*. The content of the announcement is *"Behold, your God!"*, the herald proclaims the arrival of YHWH Himself to reign and shepherd His people (vv. 10-11). The verse stands at the entry point of the Servant-Songs trajectory and inaugurates the prophetic-herald figure that will be developed at [Isaiah 52.7](/codex/isaiah-52-7/) and culminate at [Isaiah 61.1](/codex/isaiah-61-1/), where the Servant becomes the *mevasser* in person. The Lukan-Markan use of Isa 40:3-5 to introduce John the Baptist (Mk 1:2-3; Lk 3:4-6) carries the announcement-context of v. 9 along with it. ## Key words - [H1319 - basar](/codex/h1319-basar/), *basar*, the verb *to bring good news*; the *mevasseret* participle here ## See also - [H1319 - basar](/codex/h1319-basar/), the lexical hub - [Isaiah 52.7](/codex/isaiah-52-7/); [Isaiah 61.1](/codex/isaiah-61-1/), the other principal *mevasser* texts - [Isaiah 40](/codex/isaiah-40/), chapter context - [Isaiah](/codex/isaiah-the-prophet/), book hub - [Gospel](/codex/g2098-euangelion/) ## Quoted in **Lexicon:** - [G2097 - euangelizo](/codex/g2097-euangelizo/) - [G2098 - euangelion](/codex/g2098-euangelion/) **Passages:** - [Isaiah 52.7](/codex/isaiah-52-7/) ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.