Isaías 40:4

A Biblia Sagrada

Todo o vale ser exaltado, e todo o monte e todo o outeiro ser abatido; e o que torcido se endireitar, e o que spero se aplainar.

Parallel Translations

Almeida Revista e Atualizada
Todo vale ser aterrado, e nivelados, todos os montes e outeiros; o que tortuoso ser retificado, e os lugares escabrosos, aplanados.

Almeida Revista e Corrigida
Todo vale ser exaltado, e todo monte e todo outeiro sero abatidos; e o que est torcido se endireitar, e o que spero se aplainar.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

valley: Isaiah 42:11, Isaiah 42:15, Isaiah 42:16, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 113:7, Psalms 113:8, Ezekiel 17:24, Ezekiel 21:26, Luke 1:52, Luke 1:53, Luke 3:5, Luke 18:14

every mountain: Isaiah 2:12-15, Job 40:11-13

and the: Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah 45:2, Proverbs 2:15

straight: or, a straight place

plain: or, a plain place

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:15 - crooked Song of Solomon 2:8 - the mountains Isaiah 2:14 - General Isaiah 11:16 - And there shall Isaiah 35:8 - an highway Isaiah 43:19 - I will even Isaiah 49:11 - General Jeremiah 31:9 - in a Zechariah 4:7 - O great Zechariah 14:10 - the land Hebrews 12:13 - make 1 Peter 5:6 - that

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,.... Which is not to be understood literally, but, as Kimchi says, parabolically and mystically: the meaning is, that in consequence of John's ministry, and our Lord's coming, such who were depressed and bowed down with the guilt of sin, and were low and humble in their own eyes, should be raised up and comforted; and that such who were elated with themselves, and their own righteousness, should be humbled; their pride and haughtiness should be brought down, and they treated with neglect and contempt, while great notice was taken of lowly minded ones; see Luke 14:11 and Luke 18:14:

and the crooked shall be straight and the rough places plain; what before was dark and intricate in prophecy should now become clear; and such doctrines as were not so well understood should now become plain and easy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every valley shall be exalted - That is, every valley, or low piece of ground, shall be filled up so as to make a level highway, as was done in order to facilitate the march of armies. This verse is evidently designed to explain what is intended in Isaiah 40:3, by preparing the way for Yahweh. Applied to the return of the Jews from Babylon, it means simply that the impassable valleys were to be filled up so as to make a level road for their journey. If applied to the work of John, the forerunner of the Messiah, it means that the nation was to be called on to put itself in a state of preparation for his coming, and for the success of his labors among them. Vitringa, and others, have endeavored to specify what particular moral qualities in the nation are meant by the ‘valley,’ by the ‘mountain and hill,’ and by the ‘crooked’ and ‘rough places.’ But the illustrations are such as cannot be demonstrated to be referred to by the prophet. The general sense is plain. The language, as we have seen, is taken from the march of a monarch at the head of his army. The general idea is, that all obstructions were to be removed, so that the march would be without embarrassment. As applicable to the work of John also, the language means in general, that whatever there was in the opinions, habits, conduct, in the pride, self-confidence, and irreligion of the nation that would prevent his cordial reception, was to be removed.

Every mountain and hill - They shall be dug down so as to make the journey easy. All obstructions were to be removed.

And the crooked - The word used here, (עקב ‛âqob) is usually rendered ‘crooked;’ but perhaps not by any good authority. The verb עקב ‛âqab usually denotes to be behind; to come from behind; or, as Gesenius supposes, to be elevated like a mound, arched like a hill or tumulus, and is hence applied to the heel from the figure (see Genesis 25:26; Hosea 12:4). According to this, the word would denote properly a hill, mound, or acclivity, which would put back those who attempted to ascend.

Shall be made straight - Margin, ‘A straight place.’ The Hebrew word (מישׁור mı̂yshôr) denotes properly “evenness,” a level region, a plain. The hilly places would be reduced to a level.

And the rough places - Those which are hard, bound up, stony, difficult to pass. Such as abounded with rocks and precipices, and which presented obstructions to a journey. Such places abounded in the region lying between Palestine and Babylon.

Plain - Margin, ‘A plain place.’ A smooth, level plain.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 40:4. Crooked — The word עקב akob is very generally rendered crooked: but this sense of the word seems not to be supported by any good authority. Ludolphus, Comment. ad Hist. AEthiop. p. 206, says "that in the Ethiopia language it signifies clivus, locus editus:" and so the Syriac Version renders it in this place, ערמא arama: Hebrew, ערמה aramah, tumulus, acervus. Thus the parallelism would be more perfect: "the hilly country shall be made level, and the precipices a smooth plain."