The Meaning of Isaiah 40:21 Explained

Isaiah 40:21

KJV: Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

YLT: Do ye not know -- do ye not hear? Hath it not been declared from the first to you? Have ye not understood From the foundations of the earth?

Darby: do ye not know? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood the foundation of the earth?

ASV: Have ye not known? have yet not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Have ye not known?  have ye not heard?  hath it not been told  you from the beginning?  have ye not understood  from the foundations  of the earth? 

What does Isaiah 40:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

There are lessons that people should draw from the uniqueness of God as Creator that He has revealed. God has given both the objective revelation of Himself and the ability to understand its implications to human beings. The Israelites possessed this knowledge of God because He revealed it to them. Special revelation is in view here rather than natural revelation.
"According to this verse there are two reasons why men who practice idolatry are without excuse. On the one hand, the very foundation of the earth is a testimony that God is the Creator. On the other, from the beginning the truth has been taught by word of mouth, so that those who have not been willing to hear it are without excuse [1]." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 40:18-31 - The Everlasting God The Giver Of Strength
Day changes to night, and as the twilight deepens, the stars come out in their myriads, Isaiah 40:26. To the poetic eye of the watcher, they appear as a vast flock following the shepherd, who calls each by its name. Not one falls out of its place, or is lacking. Will Jehovah do so much for stars and nought for men? Will He not have a name for each? Will He not guard and guide each? If He has sustained the orbs of light in their mighty rounds, will He fail the poor soul that clings to His feet?
They that wait on God change their strength. In their earliest days they rely on the energy and vigor of youth, on their blameless, unstained character, in the consciousness of their glorious manhood; but as years pass, they come to count all these as refuse in comparison with Jesus Christ the Lord, Philippians 3:8. Notice the order in Isaiah 40:31! At first sight we should have expected that it would advance from walking to running, and so to flying. But that order is reversed. It is more difficult to walk than to mount! Every cyclist will tell you that the hardest task is to keep your cycle at walking pace. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Isaiah 40:21 mean?

Have not you known you heard Has not it been told you from the beginning to have not you understood from the foundations of the earth
הֲל֤וֹא ؟ תֵֽדְעוּ֙ ؟ תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ הֲל֛וֹא הֻגַּ֥ד ؟ מֵרֹ֖אשׁ לָכֶ֑ם הֲלוֹא֙ הֲבִ֣ינֹתֶ֔ם מוֹסְד֖וֹת ؟ הָאָֽרֶץ

הֲל֤וֹא  Have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
؟ תֵֽדְעוּ֙  you  known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
؟ תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ  you  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
הֲל֛וֹא  Has  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֻגַּ֥ד  it  been  told  you 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
؟ מֵרֹ֖אשׁ  from  the  beginning 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הֲלוֹא֙  have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֲבִ֣ינֹתֶ֔ם  you  understood 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
מוֹסְד֖וֹת  from  the  foundations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֹוסָדָה  
Sense: foundation.
؟ הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.