Isaiah 40:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The Lord Returns to Jerusalem“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Transliteration

naḥămû naḥămû ʿammî yōʾmar ʾĕlōhêkem

Grammar Details

• *naḥămû*: piel imperative, 2nd person masculine plural - repeated for emphasis
• *ʿammî*: noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular possessive suffix - 'my people'
• *yōʾmar*: qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'he says/will say'
• *ʾĕlōhêkem*: noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural possessive suffix - 'your God'

Word Meanings

• *naḥămû*: comfort/console
• *ʿammî*: my people/my nation
• *yōʾmar*: says/will say/is saying
• *ʾĕlōhêkem*: your God/your deity [plural form with singular meaning]

Referenced Verses

• Isa 51:12 : 12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?
• Zeph 3:14-17 : 14 Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem,“Don’t be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic! 17 The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.”
• 2 Cor 1:4 : 4 who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
• Jer 31:10-14 : 10 Listen to the LORD’s message, O nations. Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea. Say,“The one who scattered Israel will regather them. He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.” 11 For the LORD will rescue the descendants of Jacob. He will secure their release from those who had overpowered them. 12 They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be radiant with joy over the good things the LORD provides, the grain, the fresh wine, the olive oil, the young sheep and calves he has given to them. They will be like a well-watered garden and will not grow faint or weary any more. 13 The LORD says,“At that time young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old men will rejoice. I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow. 14 I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”
• Zech 9:9 : 9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey– on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.
• Isa 51:3 : 3 Certainly the LORD will console Zion; he will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her arid rift valley like the Garden of the LORD. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.
• Isa 49:13-16 : 13 Shout for joy, O sky! Rejoice, O earth! Let the mountains give a joyful shout! For the LORD consoles his people and shows compassion to the oppressed. 14 The Lord Remembers Zion“Zion said,‘The LORD has abandoned me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ 15 Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you! 16 Look, I have inscribed your name on my palms; your walls are constantly before me.
• Isa 66:10-14 : 10 Be happy for Jerusalem and rejoice with her, all you who love her! Share in her great joy, all you who have mourned over her! 11 For you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. 12 For this is what the LORD says:“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river, the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. You will nurse from her breast and be carried at her side; you will play on her knees. 13 As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.” 14 When you see this, you will be happy, and you will be revived. The LORD will reveal his power to his servants and his anger to his enemies.
• 1 Thess 4:18 : 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
• Zech 1:13 : 13 The LORD then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me.
• Isa 65:13-14 : 13 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:“Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry! Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty! Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated! 14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts! But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; you will wail because your spirits will be crushed.
• Isa 62:11-12 : 11 Look, the LORD announces to the entire earth:“Say to Daughter Zion,‘Look, your deliverer comes! Look, his reward is with him and his reward goes before him!’” 12 They will be called,“The Holy People, the Ones Protected by the LORD.” You will be called,“Sought After, City Not Abandoned.”
• Isa 52:9 : 9 In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem.
• Neh 8:10 : 10 He said to them,“Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
• Ps 85:8 : 8 I will listen to what God the LORD says. For he will make peace with his people, his faithful followers. Yet they must not return to their foolish ways.
• Isa 12:1 : 1 At that time you will say:“I praise you, O LORD, for even though you were angry with me, your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
• Isa 35:3-4 : 3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp, steady the knees that shake! 4 Tell those who panic,“Be strong! Do not fear! Look, your God comes to avenge! With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.”
• Isa 41:10-14 : 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you– yes, I help you– yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand! 11 Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated; your adversaries will be reduced to nothing and perish. 12 When you will look for your opponents, you will not find them; your enemies will be reduced to absolutely nothing. 13 For I am the LORD your God, the one who takes hold of your right hand, who says to you,‘Don’t be afraid, I am helping you.’ 14 Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, men of Israel. I am helping you,” says the LORD, your protector, the Holy One of Israel.
• Isa 41:27 : 27 I first decreed to Zion,‘Look, here’s what will happen!’ I sent a herald to Jerusalem.
• Isa 3:10 : 10 Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
• Isa 50:10 : 10 Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys his servant? Whoever walks in deep darkness, without light, should trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
• Isa 57:15-19 : 15 For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy:“I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged. 16 For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created. 17 I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. 18 I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them. I will lead them, and I will provide comfort to them and those who mourn with them. 19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the LORD,“and I will heal them.
• Isa 60:1-61:3 : 1 Zion’s Future Splendor“Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the LORD shines on you! 2 For, look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers the nations, but the LORD shines on you; his splendor appears over you. 3 Nations come to your light, kings to your bright light. 4 Look all around you! They all gather and come to you– your sons come from far away and your daughters are escorted by guardians. 5 Then you will look and smile, you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. For the riches of distant lands will belong to you and the wealth of nations will come to you. 6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the LORD. 7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple. 8 Who are these who float along like a cloud, who fly like doves to their shelters? 9 Indeed, the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you. 10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls; their kings will serve you. Even though I struck you down in my anger, I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 11 Your gates will remain open at all times; they will not be shut during the day or at night, so that the wealth of nations may be delivered, with their kings leading the way. 12 Indeed, nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish; such nations will definitely be destroyed. 13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you, its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together, to beautify my palace; I will bestow honor on my throne room. 14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you; all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet. They will call you,‘The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 15 You were once abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, but I will make you a permanent source of pride and joy to coming generations. 16 You will drink the milk of nations; you will nurse at the breasts of kings. Then you will recognize that I, the LORD, am your deliverer, your protector, the Powerful One of Jacob. 17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold, instead of iron, I will bring you silver, instead of wood, I will bring you bronze, instead of stones, I will bring you iron. I will make prosperity your overseer, and vindication your sovereign ruler. 18 Sounds of violence will no longer be heard in your land, or the sounds of destruction and devastation within your borders. You will name your walls,‘Deliverance,’ and your gates,‘Praise.’ 19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day, nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you; the LORD will be your permanent source of light– the splendor of your God will shine upon you. 20 Your sun will no longer set; your moon will not disappear; the LORD will be your permanent source of light; your time of sorrow will be over. 21 All of your people will be godly; they will possess the land permanently. I will plant them like a shoot; they will be the product of my labor, through whom I reveal my splendor. 22 The least of you will multiply into a thousand; the smallest of you will become a large nation. When the right time comes, I the LORD will quickly do this!” 1 The Lord Will Rejuvenate His People The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, because the LORD has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 2 to announce the year when the LORD will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, 3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the LORD to reveal his splendor.
• Heb 6:17-18 : 17 In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath, 18 so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie.