Teks -- Isaiah 40:12 (NET)

The Lord is Incomparable

40:12 Who has measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales?

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 40:12 - Who hath

Who can do this but God? And this discourse of God's infinite power and wisdom, is added to give them the greater assurance, that God was able to do the wonderful things, he had promised.

JFB: Isa 40:12

Lest the Jews should suppose that He who was just before described as a "shepherd" is a mere man, He is now described as GOD.

JFB: Isa 40:12 - Who

Who else but GOD could do so? Therefore, though the redemption and restoration of His people, foretold here, was a work beyond man's power, they should not doubt its fulfilment since all things are possible to Him who can accurately regulate the proportion of the waters as if He had measured them with His hand (compare Isa 40:15). But MAURER translates: "Who can measure," &c., that is, How immeasurable are the works of God? The former is a better explanation (Job 28:25; Pro 30:4).

JFB: Isa 40:12 - span

The space from the end of the thumb to the end of the middle finger extended; God measures the vast heavens as one would measure a small object with his span.

JFB: Isa 40:12 - dust of the earth

All the earth is to Him but as a few grains of dust contained in a small measure (literally, "the third part of a larger measure").

JFB: Isa 40:12 - hills in a balance

Adjusted in their right proportions and places, as exactly as if He had weighed them out.

Calvin: Isa 40:12 - Who hath measured?

12.Who hath measured? After having spoken of God’s friendly care in defending his people, he now proclaims his power, and bestows upon it all possible commendations, which, however, would produce less impression upon us, if we did not attend to the Prophet’s design. At first sight, ignorant readers would think that the Prophet crowds together unfinished sentences, which would be absurd. But if we look at his object, he adorns the power of God by a seasonable and elegant discourse, which is a true support of our faith, that we may not hesitate to believe that he will do what he has promised. Not without reason does Paul say that Abraham did not hesitate, because he believed that God who had promised was able to perform what he had said. (Rom 4:20.) In the same sense also he testifies of himself in another passage,

“I know whom I have believed; God is able to keep what I have committed to him.”
(2Ti 1:12.)

Such is also the import of those words of Christ,

“My Father who gave you to me is greater than all.”
(Joh 10:29.)

Since, therefore, we ought continually to strive against distrust, and since Satan attacks us by various contrivances, it is of great importance that the promises of God should be believed by us, to give to his power the praise which it deserves. Now, because the restoration of the people was beyond belief, it was necessary that godly minds should he raised above the world, that they might not view the grace of God as limited to human means.

We see that the Prophet does not merely teach that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, but applies to the present subject all that he relates concerning God’s infinite power; and in like manner it is fitted for our guidance. When any adversity befalls us, our salvation is hidden, and, as if a cloud had come between, the power of God is concealed; we are held in astonishment, as if the Lord had forsaken and overlooked us. Let us not, therefore, think that the Prophet speaks of some ordinary matter; for if this conviction of the power of God were deeply seated in our hearts, we would not be so much alarmed, and would not be disturbed by any calamity whatever. On this power, as we have said, Abraham leaned, that he might cordially embrace what was otherwise incredible; and, accordingly, Paul affirms (Rom 4:18) that “he hoped against hope;” for he believed that God was able to do what he had said, and did not waver or stagger in his mind. We are thus taught to raise our eyes above this world, that we may not judge by outward appearances, but may believe that what God hath spoken will come to pass; because all things are at his disposal.

While this conviction is necessary for all, I have said that the Jews had very great need of it; for they were pressed hard by very powerful enemies, they had no means of escape and no hope of freedom, and nothing was to be seen on every hand but a large and frightful wilderness. In vain, therefore, would consolation have been offered to them, had they not, at the suggestion of the Prophet, raised their minds to heaven, and, disregarding the appearances of things, fixed their whole heart on the power of God.

When he names “measures,” which are used by men in very small matters, he accommodates himself to our ignorance; for thus does the Lord often prattle with us, and borrow comparisons from matters that are familiar to us, when he speaks of his majesty; that our ignorant and limited minds may better understand his greatness and excellence. Away, then, with all gross conceptions of God; for his greatness far exceeds all creatures, so that heaven, and earth, and sea, and all that they contain, however vast may be their extent, yet in comparison of him are nothing.

Defender: Isa 40:12 - measured the waters

This series of rhetorical questions - to which the only answer can be the omniscient God - stresses the precise accuracy with which the various components of the creation have been designed. The amount and distribution of the earth's waters (unique to the earth in all the universe), as studied in such sciences as hydrology, meteorology, oceanography is probably the most important question.

Defender: Isa 40:12 - with the span

The almost infinite number and variety of stars have all been carefully planned and even named by God (Isa 40:26). This is the domain of astronomy.

Defender: Isa 40:12 - dust of the earth

The "dust of the earth," out of which all things are constructed (Gen 2:7), must refer to the basic elements of matter. The precise divine measurements of these chemical elements suggests the valence structure of their molecules, where the structure and properties of all the various materials and compounds in nature are controlled.

Defender: Isa 40:12 - weighed the mountains

Geophysics is structured around the principle of isostasy (equal weights), the growth and motions of the earth's physiographical features all interrelated with their sizes, densities, etc."

TSK: Isa 40:12 - measured // measure // weighed

measured : Isa 48:13; Job 11:7-9, Job 38:4-11; Psa 102:25, Psa 102:26, Psa 104:2, Psa 104:3; Pro 8:26-28, Pro 30:4; Heb 1:10-12; Rev 20:11

measure : Heb. tierce

weighed : Job 28:25

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 40:12 - Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? i.e. who can measure them? for indicative verbs in the Hebrew language are oft taken potentially. Who can do this and the following things but God! And this discourse of God’ s infinite power and wisdom is here conveniently added, to give them the greater assurance that God was able, as he had declared himself willing, to do these great and wonderful things which he had promised; and that neither men nor false gods were able to hinder him in it. God is here compared to a mighty giant, supposed to be so big that he can take up and hold all the waters of the sea and rivers of the whole world in one hand, and span the heavens, and then take up and weigh the whole earth with the other hand.

Haydock: Isa 40:12 - Who // Fingers

Who. He now proceeds to shew the difference between God and idols. ---

Fingers, is not expressed in Hebrew, which may denote the epha, Psalm lxxix. 6. (Calmet) ---

God's power and goodness in the works of the creation, shew what he will do for man. (Worthington)

Gill: Isa 40:12 - Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand // and meted out heaven with the span // and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure // and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?.... The following account of the power, wisdom, and all sufficiency of God, and which is to be understood of Christ, is to show that he is equal to the work of redemption and salvation he has engaged in, and was about to come and perform, and that he is able to do it, as well as to execute his office as a shepherd; and also to observe, that though his rich grace and goodness he had condescended to take upon him the work of a saviour, and the office of a shepherd, yet this was not to be interpreted as if he had lost his dignity and glory as a divine Person, or as if that was in the least diminished; for he was no other than that infinite Being, "who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand"; the waters of the seas, for which he has provided a receptacle, where he has collected and put them together; the dimensions of which are exactly known to him, and the vast confluence of water is no more in his hands than so much water as a man can hold in the hollow of his hand, in his fist, or hand contracted:

and meted out heaven with the span; which he has stretched out as a curtain, Isa 40:22, and the measure of which is but one hand's breadth with him; and is no more to him than stretching out a carpet or canopy; and as easily measured by him as a piece of cloth is by a man with the span of his hand, or any measuring rule or yard:

and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure; the word ^r used signifies the third part of some larger measure, as of a sextarius, as some; or of an ephah, or bath as others; or of some other measure not known; See Gill on Psa 80:5. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "with three fingers"; and the sense may be, that the dust of the earth, or the earth itself, which is but dust, is no more with the Lord than so much earth or dust as a man can hold between his thumb and two fingers; and in like manner is the whole earth comprehended by the Lord:

and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; as easily as a man can throw in his goods into a pair of scales, and take the true weight of them, with equal ease did the Lord raise the mountains and the hills in a proper proportion, and has so exactly poised them, as if he had weighed them in a pair of scales; this seems to hint at the use of mountains and hills to be a sort of ballast to the earth, and shows the original formation of them from the beginning. The answer to the above question is, that it was the same divine Person of whom it is said, "behold your God, and who should come with a strong hand, and feed his flock."