Isaiah 40:12
New International Version
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

New Living Translation
Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

English Standard Version
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

Berean Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?

King James Bible
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

New King James Version
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?

New American Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And measured the heavens with a span, And calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

NASB 1995
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

NASB 1977
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance, And the hills in a pair of scales?

Legacy Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And encompassed the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

Amplified Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens with a span [of the hand], And calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

Christian Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains on a balance and the hills on the scales?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales?

American Standard Version
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and he measured Heaven with a hand’s breadth and measured the dust of the Earth in the palm of his hand, and weighed the mountains in a scale and the hills in a balance

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who has measured the water in his hand, and the heaven with a span, and all the earth in a handful? Who has weighed the mountains in scales, and the forests in a balance?

Contemporary English Version
Did any of you measure the ocean by yourself or stretch out the sky with your own hands? Did you put the soil of the earth in a bucket or weigh the hills and mountains on balance scales?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighed the heavens with his palm? who hath poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

English Revised Version
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Who has measured the water of the sea with the palm of his hand or measured the sky with the length of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a bushel basket or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills on a balance?

Good News Translation
Can anyone measure the ocean by handfuls or measure the sky with his hands? Can anyone hold the soil of the earth in a cup or weigh the mountains and hills on scales?

International Standard Version
"Who has measured the waters of the sea in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens by the width of his hand? Who has enclosed the dust of the earth in a measuring bowl, or weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

JPS Tanakh 1917
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, And meted out heaven with the span, And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, And weighed the mountains in scales, And the hills in a balance?

Literal Standard Version
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, | And has meted out the heavens by a span, | And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, | And has weighed the mountains in scales, | And the hills in a balance?

Majority Standard Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?

New American Bible
Who has measured with his palm the waters, marked off the heavens with a span, held in his fingers the dust of the earth, weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

NET Bible
Who has measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales?

New Revised Standard Version
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

New Heart English Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Webster's Bible Translation
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and measured heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

World English Bible
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Young's Literal Translation
Who hath measured in the hollow of his hand the waters? And the heavens by a span hath meted out, And comprehended in a measure the dust of the earth, And hath weighed in scales the mountains, And the hills in a balance?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Here is Your God!
11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. 12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance? 13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?…

Cross References
Hebrews 1:10
And: "In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Job 38:5
Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?

Job 38:8
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

Psalm 102:25
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Psalm 102:26
They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.

Isaiah 48:13
Surely My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand up together.

Jeremiah 31:37
This is what the LORD says: "Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done," declares the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

measured

Isaiah 48:13
Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

Job 11:7-9
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? …

Job 38:4-11
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding…

measure.

Job 28:25
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

Jump to Previous
Able Balance Basket Breadth Calculated Comprehended Dust Earth Enclosed Fingers Grasped Hand Heaven Heavens Held Hills Hollow Marked Measure Measured Meted Mountains Pair Scales Sky Span Stretched-Out Waters Weighed
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Able Balance Basket Breadth Calculated Comprehended Dust Earth Enclosed Fingers Grasped Hand Heaven Heavens Held Hills Hollow Marked Measure Measured Meted Mountains Pair Scales Sky Span Stretched-Out Waters Weighed
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.














(12) Who hath measured . . .?--Another section opens, expanding the thought of the eternal majesty of Jehovah, as contrasted with the vanity of the idols, or "no-gods," of the heathen. The whole passage in form and thought supplies once more a parallelism with Job 38:4; Job 38:25; Job 38:37. The whole image is divinely anthropomorphic. The Creator is the great Work-master (Wisdom Of Solomon 13:1) of the universe, ordering all things, like a human artificer, by number and weight and measure. The mountains of the earth are as dust in the scales of the Infinite.

Verses 12-31. - THE MIGHT AND GREATNESS OF GOD CONTRASTED WITH THE WEAKNESS OF MAN AND THE FUTILITY OF IDOLS. If captive Israel is to be induced to turn' to God, and so hasten the time of its restoration to his favour and to its own land, it must be by rising to a worthy conception of the nature and attributes of the Almighty. The prophet, therefore, in the remainder of this chapter, paints in glorious language the power and greatness, and at the same time the mercy, of God, contrasting him with man (vers. 15-17, 23, 28-31), with idols (vers. 19, 20), and with the framework of material things (vers. 21, 22, 26), and showing his infinite superiority to each and all. In contrasting him with man, he takes occasion to bring into prominence his goodness and loving-kindness to man, to whom he imparts a portion of his own might and strength (vers. 29-31 ). Verse 12. - Who hath measured the waters? (comp. Proverbs 30:4 and Job 38:4-6). The might of God is especially shown in creation, which Isaiah assumes to be God's work. How infinitely above man must he be, who arranged in such perfection, "by measure and number and weight" (Wisd. 11:20), the earth, the waters, and the heavens, so proportioning each to each as to produce that admirable order and regularity which the intelligent observer cannot but note in the material universe as among its chief characteristics! In the hollow of his hand. The anthropomorphism is strong, no doubt, but softened by the preceding mention (in ver. 10) of God's "arm," and by the comparison of God to a shepherd (in ver. 11). Isaiah's exalted notion of God renders him fearless with regard to anthropomorphism. And meted out heaven with the span; rather, with a span (comp. Isaiah 48:13, "My right hand hath spanned the heavens"). And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure; literally, in a tierce (as in the margin). The measure intended is probably the seah, which was the third part of an ephah, and held about three gallons. The seah was "the ordinary measure for household purposes." In scales... in a balance. The peles, here translated "scales," is probably the steelyard, while the mozenaim is "the balance" or "pair of scales" ordinarily used for weighing. God metes out all things with measures, scales, and balances of his own, which are proportioned to his greatness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

has measured
מָדַ֨ד (mā·ḏaḏ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

the waters
מַ֗יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

in the hollow of his hand,
בְּשָׁעֳל֜וֹ (bə·šā·‘o·lōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8168: Hollow hand, handful

or marked off
תִּכֵּ֔ן (tik·kên)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8505: To balance, measure out, arrange, equalize, levelling

the heavens
וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙ (wə·šā·ma·yim)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

with the span of his hand?
בַּזֶּ֣רֶת (baz·ze·reṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2239: The spread of the fingers, a span

Who has held
וְכָ֥ל (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3557: To keep in, to measure, to maintain

the dust
עֲפַ֣ר (‘ă·p̄ar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud

of the earth
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

in a basket,
בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ (baš·šā·liš)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7991: A triple, a triangle, a three-fold measure, a general of the third rank

or weighed
וְשָׁקַ֤ל (wə·šā·qal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8254: To suspend, poise

the mountains
הָרִ֔ים (hā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

on a scale
בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙ (bap·pe·les)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6425: A balance, scale

and the hills
וּגְבָע֖וֹת (ū·ḡə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1389: A hillock

with a balance?
בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃ (bə·mō·zə·nā·yim)
Preposition-b | Noun - md
Strong's 3976: A pair of scales


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 40:12 Who has measured the waters (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 40:11
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