Isaiah 40:26

 Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

a. NASB 2020: Raise your eyes on high And see who has created these stars,  The One who brings out their multitude by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.  [NASB20] New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: Lift up on high your eyes, And see -- who hath prepared these? He who is bringing out by number their host, To all of them by name He calleth, By abundance of strength (And he is strong in power) not one is lacking.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Lift up your eyes on high and see! Who has created these? He Who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name; through the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing or lacks anything. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. The Milstein Edition, Later Prophets, Isaiah. With Rabbinic Commentary: Raise your eyes on high and see Who created these [things]! He brings forth their legions by number; He calls to each of them by name; by the abundance of His power and by vigor of His strength, not one is missing.  [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES\MILSTEIN EDITION THE LATTER PROPHETS, ISAIAH Ⓒ Copyright 2013 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. ESV: Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

1. “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number…”

a. Lift up [Strong: 5375 nâsâʼ, naw-saw'; or נָסָה nâçâh; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative:—accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.]

b. [your] eyes [Strong: 5869 ʻayin, ah'-yin; probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):—affliction, outward appearance, before, think best, colour, conceit, be content, countenance, displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), × him, humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), × me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, regard, resemblance, sight, × thee, × them, + think, × us, well, × you(-rselves).]

c. [on high [Strong: 4791 mârôwm, maw-rome'; from H7311; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft):—(far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on) high (one, place), loftily, upward.]

d. Behold [Strong: 7200 râʼâh, raw-aw'; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):—advise self, appear, approve, behold, × certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, × indeed, × joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, × be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), × sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, × surely, × think, view, visions.]

e. who [Strong: 4310 mîy, me; an interrogative pronoun of persons, as H4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix:—any (man), × he, × him, O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), would to God.]

f. [hath] created [Strong: 1254 bârâʼ, baw-raw'; a primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes):—choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).]

g. these [things] [Strong: 428 ʼêl-leh, ale'-leh; prolonged from H411; these or those:—an-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).]

h. [that] bringeth [out] [Strong: 3318 yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.]

i. [their] hosts [Strong: 6635 tsâbâʼ, tsaw-baw'; or (feminine) צְבָאָה tsᵉbâʼâh; from H6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):—appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).]

j. [by] number [Strong: 4557 miçpâr, mis-pawr'; from H5608; a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration:— abundance, account, × all, × few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, time.]

2. “...he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.” 

a. [he] calleth [Strong: 7121 qârâʼ, kaw-raw'; a primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications):—bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.]

b. [them] all [Strong: 3605 kôl, kole; or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל kôwl; from H3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):—(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

c. [by] names [Strong: 8034 shêm, shame; a primitive word [perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:—+ base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]

d. [by the] greatness [Strong: 7230 rôb, robe; from H7231; abundance (in any respect):—abundance(-antly), all, × common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), × very (age).]

e. [of his] might [Strong: 202 ʼôwn, one; probably from the same as H205 (in the sense of effort, but successful); ability, power, (figuratively) wealth:—force, goods, might, strength, substance.]

f. [for that he is] strong [Strong: 533 ʼammîyts, am-meets'; or (shortened) אַמִּץ ʼammits; from H553; strong or (abstractly) strength:—courageous, mighty, strong (one).]

g. [in] power [Strong: 3581 kôach, ko'-akh; or (Daniel 11:6) כּוֹחַ kôwach; from an unused root meaning to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizard:—ability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.]

h. not [Strong: 3808 lôʼ, lo; or לוֹא lôwʼ; or לֹה lôh; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; + not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles:—× before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

i. one [Strong: 376 ʼîysh, eesh; contracted for H582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):—also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.]

j. faileth [Strong: 5737 ʻădar, aw-dar'; a primitive root; to arrange, as a battle, a vineyard (to hoe); hence, to muster and so to miss (or find wanting):—dig, fail, keep (rank), lack.]

1). Institute of Creation Research, Days of Praise 12/27/2023: Our text makes three majestic statements about the cosmos, each reflecting true scientific insight as well as the work of each person of the divine Trinity. The omnipresent Father has “brought out” an infinite “host” of organized systems in the cosmos—galaxies, stars, planets, animals, and people. All are capable of description mathematically, “by number,” and thus all bear witness to their great Designer. Chance processes never generate organization or complexity, so special creation by God is the only legitimate explanation for the “numbered” host of heaven. The Son is the omniscient Word of information, description, and meaning. Every system in the cosmos is not only numbered but named! That is, in the mind of its Creator, it has a function and has been coded to fulfill its purpose. The Second Law states that systems never code themselves but rather always tend to distort the information originally programmed into them. Only an omniscient Creator could thus implement the divine purpose for every created entity. Finally, the Holy Spirit is the omnipotent Energizer who activates and empowers every system. The Second Law says that energy becomes less available as time goes on, so only the Creator could provide the energy to activate the designed, programmed cosmos in the beginning. When we finally look up and really “behold who hath created these things,” we must see God the Creator—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. HMM

2). Proverbs 3:19  The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

a). understanding [Strong: 8394  tabuwn taw-boon' and (feminine) tbuwnah {teb-oo-naw'}; or towbunah {to-boo-naw'}; from 995; intelligence; by implication, an argument; by extension, caprice:--discretion, reason, skilfulness, understanding, wisdom.]

b). established [Strong: 3559 kuwn koon a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very deed.] 

c). When God created the heavens, he prepared it with skilful intelligence.

3). Amateur Astronomer’s Handbook: “I we construct a scale model of the solar system, with the sun about 4 inches across, the  earth will be about 25 feet away, the size of a grain of sand, and Pluto [Just recently demoted from being a planet.] will be about 300 yards away. But the nearest star to the sun, represented by another 4 inch globe would have to be placed almost 1500 miles away.” [The nearest star is Alpha Centauri, 4 and1/3 light years away: 186,000 miles per second for a year = 6 million million miles.]

4). Stars, Planets, and Galaxies: “There are at least 100 billion stars in this expansive disk [The Milky Way] which is so large that a light beam would require 100,000 years to cross it.”

5). Amateur Astronomer’s Handbook: “It is obvious, then, that the whole galaxy is of enormous extent, and that a mile is an absurdly inadequate unit of distance. Instead, astronomers make use of the light year.” [God uses his hands! Chuckle, Chuckle.]

6). Popular Science, 2/78; “Giant Telescopes”: “One thing is certain. There’s enough universe out there for all the 1000 inch telescopes we could ever dream of building. A single gnat flying a foot in front of your face on a summer evening, hides the light of dozens of distant galaxies, each containing some 100,000 million (100 billion) suns…”

7). Stars, Planets, and Galaxies; Clusters of Galaxies: “At a distance of several diameters from the Local Group there are other clusters of galaxies. North of Spica in Virgo, there is a region called the Realm of the Galaxies. Here, vast assemblages are found containing thousands of galaxies in one of the largest clusters known. Its distance is about 40 million light years. The number of galaxies contained may be numbered in the tens of thousands, with the greatest concentration toward the constellation Virgo; the number of Galaxies tapers off as the Local Group is reached. From all appearances, this is the local Supergalaxy, a galaxy of galaxies, instead of stars. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is one in tens of thousands far out on the rim of a gigantic wheel of galaxies whose flat distribution indicates a rotation about the center. The local supergalaxy is only one of many, for investigations show others in the direction of Hydra and Pavo. Clusters of galaxies extend into space in all directions many billions of light years. Thus, we can see that the universe is composed of hierarchies of increasing magnitude, in constant motion, in an unimaginably vast sea of space.”

a). Jeremiah 33:22  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. 

b). Psalm 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.