Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

ISAIAH 40:24KJV
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Isaiah 40:24 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 40:24 mean?

Isaiah 40:24 uses the image of plants that never take root to show how quickly and easily God can remove powerful rulers or nations, no matter how firmly they seem established. The verse says that God only needs to "blow upon them," and they wither and are swept away like dry stubble in a storm.

In this part of Isaiah, the prophet is speaking to people who may feel overwhelmed by the strength of earthly leaders or empires. Isaiah is reminding them that, from God's perspective, even the mightiest rulers are fragile and temporary. The language paints a vivid picture of how little effort it takes for God to undo what seems strong and lasting to humans.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 40:24

  • "Planted" (נָטַע, nata‘) and "sown" (זָרַע, zara‘) both refer to the process of establishing something in the ground, like a tree or crop. Isaiah uses these words to emphasize that these rulers or nations never truly become secure or permanent.
  • "Stock" (גֶּזַע, geza‘) means the stem or trunk of a plant, suggesting the main support or foundation. The verse says their "stock" does not take root (שָׁרַשׁ, sharash), showing that their strength is shallow and cannot last.
  • "Blow" (נָשַׁף, nashaf) describes a gentle breath or wind. The image is that God only needs to breathe on these rulers, and they wither (יָבֵשׁ, yavesh), showing how little effort it takes for God to bring them down.
  • "Whirlwind" (סוּפָה, suphah) and "stubble" (קַשׁ, qash) add to the picture of something light and worthless being swept away, reinforcing the idea of complete removal and insignificance.

Why Isaiah 40:24 matters

  • Isaiah 40:24 clears up the idea that earthly power is permanent or unshakable; it shows that God alone determines what lasts.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme in Isaiah 40 of God's greatness compared to human rulers, offering comfort to people who feel small or threatened.
  • The vivid plant imagery helps readers see how quickly things can change when God acts, making the message memorable and clear.

Where else these words appear

“blow” Hebrew H5398 · used in 2 verses

  • Exodus 15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

“stock” Hebrew H1503 · used in 3 verses

  • Job 14:8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
  • Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

“root” Hebrew H8327 · used in 8 verses

  • Job 5:3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
  • Job 31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
  • Psalms 80:9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

“stubble” Hebrew H7179 · used in 16 verses

  • Exodus 5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
  • Psalms 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
  • Jeremiah 13:24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.