Isaiah 40:17
New International Version
Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.

New Living Translation
The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth.

English Standard Version
All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Berean Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

King James Bible
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

New King James Version
All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

New American Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

NASB 1995
All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

NASB 1977
All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

Legacy Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him; They are counted by Him as non-existent and utterly formless.

Amplified Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

Christian Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are considered by him as empty nothingness.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as nothingness and emptiness.

American Standard Version
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

Contemporary English Version
God thinks of the nations as far less than nothing.

English Revised Version
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All the nations amount to nothing in his presence. He considers them less than nothing and worthless.

Good News Translation
The nations are nothing at all to him.

International Standard Version
All the nations are as nothing before him— they are reckoned by him as nothing and chaos.

Majority Standard Bible
All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

NET Bible
All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.

New Heart English Bible
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

Webster's Bible Translation
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

World English Bible
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, "" Less than nothing and emptiness, "" They have been reckoned to Him.

Young's Literal Translation
All the nations are as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.

Smith's Literal Translation
All the nations as nothing before him; they were reckoned to him from nothing, and vanity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
All nations are before him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing, and vanity.

Catholic Public Domain Version
All the nations in his sight are as if they did not exist, and they are considered by him as if they were nothingness and emptiness.

New American Bible
Before him all the nations are as nought, as nothing and void he counts them.

New Revised Standard Version
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him for destruction and the sword.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the nations are considered as nothing to him. They are considered by him for destruction and for the sword
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
All the nations are as nothing before Him; They are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and all the nations are as nothing, and counted as nothing.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Here is Your God!
16Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering. 17All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness. 18To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?…

Cross References
Psalm 62:9
Lowborn men are but a vapor; the exalted are but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor.

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Philippians 3:8
More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Job 25:6
how much less man, who is but a maggot, and the son of man, who is but a worm!”

Romans 3:12
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

1 Corinthians 1:28-29
He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, / so that no one may boast in His presence.

Psalm 39:5
You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

Ecclesiastes 1:2
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

Jeremiah 10:10-15
But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation. / Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.” / The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. ...

1 Peter 1:24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Psalm 144:4
Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

Romans 8:20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope

2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Psalm 73:20
Like one waking from a dream, so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.


Treasury of Scripture

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

as nothing

Job 25:6
How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Psalm 62:9
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

Daniel 4:34,35
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: …

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Accounted Counted Emptiness Esteemed Less Meaningless Nations Nought Reckoned Regarded Value Vanity Worthless
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Accounted Counted Emptiness Esteemed Less Meaningless Nations Nought Reckoned Regarded Value Vanity Worthless
Isaiah 40
1. The promulgation of the Gospel
3. The preaching of John Baptist foretold
9. The preaching of the apostles foretold
12. The prophet, by the omnipotence of God
18. And his incomparableness
26. Comforts the people.














All the nations
This phrase emphasizes the collective entirety of the world's political and social entities. In the Hebrew text, the word for "nations" is "goyim," which often refers to Gentile nations or those outside of Israel. Historically, this reflects the geopolitical landscape of the ancient Near East, where numerous nations and empires, such as Assyria and Babylon, held significant power. From a conservative Christian perspective, this phrase underscores the sovereignty of God over all earthly powers, reminding believers that no nation, regardless of its might, can stand against the divine will.

are as nothing
The Hebrew word "ayin" is used here, meaning "nothing" or "non-existent." This stark declaration serves to humble the pride of nations and rulers, illustrating their insignificance in comparison to the majesty and authority of God. In the context of Isaiah, this is a powerful reminder to the Israelites that their trust should not be placed in human alliances or power structures but in God alone. For Christians, it reinforces the belief that earthly power is transient and ultimately subject to God's eternal plan.

before Him
This phrase indicates the presence and perspective of God. The Hebrew preposition "le" can be translated as "before" or "in the presence of," suggesting that all things are laid bare before God. It conveys the idea of divine omniscience and omnipresence, where nothing is hidden from God's sight. In a conservative Christian view, this serves as a reminder of God's intimate involvement in the world and His ultimate authority over creation.

He regards them as nothing
The repetition of the concept of "nothing" emphasizes the futility of human pride and power. The Hebrew verb "chashav" means "to regard" or "to consider," indicating a deliberate assessment by God. This phrase highlights the divine perspective that human achievements and power are insignificant when measured against God's eternal purposes. For believers, it is a call to humility and reliance on God's strength rather than human endeavors.

and empty
The word "tohu" in Hebrew, translated as "empty," is the same word used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the earth as "formless and void" before creation. This connection underscores the idea of chaos and lack of substance. In the context of Isaiah, it suggests that without God, nations are devoid of true purpose and stability. From a conservative Christian standpoint, this serves as a reminder that true meaning and order come only through alignment with God's will.

they are regarded by Him
This final phrase reiterates God's perspective on the nations. The verb "chashav" is used again, emphasizing God's active consideration and judgment. It serves as a conclusion to the verse, reinforcing the theme of divine sovereignty and the ultimate futility of human pride. For Christians, it is a call to trust in God's judgment and to seek His guidance in all things, recognizing that His ways are higher than human understanding.

(17) Less than nothing.--Literally, as things of nought.

Vanity.--Once more the tohu, or chaos, of Genesis 1:2--one of Isaiah's favourite phrases (Isaiah 24:10, Isa_29:21, Isa_34:11).

Verse 17. - All nations; rather, all the nations; i.e. all the nations of the earth put together. In ver. 15 single "nations" had been declared to be of no account; now the same is said of all the nations of the earth collectively. They are accounted of God as 'ephes, nothingness, and tohu, chaos or confusion.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
All
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the nations
הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (hag·gō·w·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

are as nothing
כְּאַ֣יִן (kə·’a·yin)
Preposition-k | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

before Him;
נֶגְדּ֑וֹ (neḡ·dōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before

He regards them
נֶחְשְׁבוּ־ (neḥ·šə·ḇū-)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2803: To think, account

as nothingness
מֵאֶ֥פֶס (mê·’e·p̄es)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 657: Cessation, an end, no further, the ankle, foot

and emptiness.
וָתֹ֖הוּ (wā·ṯō·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8414: A desolation, desert, a worthless thing, in vain


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 40:17 All the nations are like nothing before (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 40:16
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