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Grow With Me

Isaiah 40:6–8

The grass withers, but the word of our God stands forever

6A voice says, “Call out.” And he said, “What shall I call out?” “All flesh is grass, and all its loyal love is like the flower of the field.

7The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of YHWH blows on it; surely the people is grass.

8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Elohim will stand forever.”

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In its context

4Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be made low; and the crooked will become a plain, and the rough places a broad valley.

5And the glory of YHWH will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, for the mouth of YHWH has spoken.”

…

9On a high mountain go up, Zion, you who bring good news; lift up with strength your voice, Jerusalem, you who bring good news; lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Look, your Elohim!”

10Look, Adonai YHWH comes with might, and his arm rules for him; look, his reward is with him, and his wages before him.

Read all of Isaiah 40

Its words in the original

  • קוֹלkol· voice, sound

    Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).

  • אֹמֵרomer· say

    Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".

  • קְרָאkera· call, proclaim

    Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.

  • בָּשָׂרbasar· flesh

    Flesh: the body, and the person as weak and mortal. "One flesh" is the union of husband and wife; "my flesh" can mean "my family". "All flesh" is every living being. In the Old Testament it does not mean something bad in itself.

  • חָצִירchatsir· grass; leek

    Green grass, pasture. In Numbers 11:5, leeks.

  • חַסְדּchasd· loyal love

    "Chesed": love that stays faithful to a commitment. It is kindness that does not remain a feeling: it acts in favor of the other and does not abandon him. The Bible says it above all of God's love for his people.

  • צִיץtsits· plate, flower

    Flower. Also the shining plate of gold that the high priest wore on his forehead.

  • שָּׂדֶהsade· field

    Field: open country, cultivated or not.

  • יָבֵשׁyavesh· dry up, wither

    Dry up, become dry; wither.

  • נָבֵלnavel· wither; act foolishly

    Wither like a leaf; from there wear out, fail. In other passages, act foolishly or treat with contempt (Deuteronomy 32:15).

  • רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath

    The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.

  • יְהוָהyehva· YHWH

    The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

  • נָשְׁבָהnashva· drive away; blow

    Drive away, scare off; also blow.

  • אָכֵןachen· surely; but

    Surely, truly; but.

  • עָםam· people

    People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.

  • דְבַרdevar· word, matter, thing

    Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.

  • אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods

    The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

  • יָקוּםyakum· rise, stand, establish

    Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.

  • עוֹלָםolam· forever, eternal

    A very long time whose end cannot be seen: looking forward, "forever"; looking back, "of old", "ancient".

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