Isaiah 40:18 (YLT)

Passage

And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him?

Nearby Context

Isaiah 40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.

Isaiah 40:17 All the nations <FI>are<Fi> as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.

Isaiah 40:18 And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him?

Isaiah 40:19 The graven image poured out hath a artisan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining.

Isaiah 40:20 He who is poor <FI>by<Fi> heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artisan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image--not moved.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "liken", "likeness", and "compare". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "liken" and "likeness", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "All the nations FI are Fi as..." into verse 19's "The graven image poured out hath a...", so "liken" and "likeness" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "liken" and "likeness" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.