The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

ISAIAH 40:6KJV
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Isaiah 40:6 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 40:6 mean?

Isaiah 40:6 describes a voice commanding someone to proclaim a message, and the response is a question about what should be said. The message is that all people ("all flesh") are like grass, and all their beauty or goodness is as fleeting as the flowers in a field.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah hears a voice telling him to "cry" or call out, and he asks what the message should be. The answer highlights the temporary and fragile nature of human life and achievements, especially when compared to God's enduring word and power. This sets up a contrast in the chapter between human weakness and God's everlasting strength.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 40:6

  • The word for "voice" is קוֹל (qol), which often means a sound or proclamation. Here, it signals a divine or authoritative message that needs to be announced.
  • "Flesh" is בָּשָׂר (basar), commonly used for humanity or people in general, emphasizing the mortal and physical aspect of human beings.
  • "Grass" is חָצִיר (chatsir), a common image in Hebrew poetry for something that is short-lived and easily withered.
  • "Goodliness" is חֶסֶד (chesed), a word that often means steadfast love or kindness, but here it refers to the best qualities or beauty of people, suggesting even these are temporary.
  • "Flower" is צִיץ (tzitz), which refers to a blossom—something beautiful but quickly fading, reinforcing the idea of life's transience.

Why Isaiah 40:6 matters

  • Isaiah 40:6 clears up the idea that human strength, beauty, or goodness can last; it emphasizes that all human achievements are temporary.
  • The verse sets the stage for the larger message of Isaiah 40, which contrasts the fleeting nature of humanity with the eternal reliability of God's word and promises.
  • Understanding the imagery of grass and flowers helps the reader see the humility and realism in Isaiah's message, reminding people not to trust in their own strength but to look to something greater.

Where else these words appear

“flower” Hebrew H6731 · used in 15 verses

  • Exodus 28:36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
  • 1 Kings 6:18 And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
  • Psalms 103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

“grass” Hebrew H2682 · used in 20 verses

  • Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
  • Psalms 90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
  • Isaiah 15:6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.