Isaiah 55:8–9
God's thoughts are higher than ours, as the heavens are higher than the earth
Study it word by word8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” declares YHWH.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are higher my ways than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In its context
6Seek YHWH while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7Let the wicked abandon his way, and the man of wickedness his thoughts; and let him return to YHWH, and he will have compassion on him; and to our Elohim, for he will abound in forgiving.”
…
10For as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return there, but water the earth and make it give birth and sprout, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so will be my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but it will do what pleases me, and it will prosper in that for which I sent it.
Its words in the original
- מַחְשְׁבוֹתַmachshvota· plan, thought; design
Thought, plan, what someone intends; also an artistic design.
- דַרְכֵיdarche· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- נְאֻםneum· declaration
Solemn declaration. "Declares YHWH" is the formula that marks words as spoken by God himself.
- 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.
- גָבְהוּgavhu· be high, be proud
To be high, to rise up; figuratively, to be exalted or to become proud.
- שָׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").