All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes the utter insignificance of all nations when compared to God, not just as "nothing" but as "less than nothing and emptiness" (tôhû). This specific Hebrew word, also used for the primeval chaos in Genesis, suggests a state of utter formlessness and void, conveying an even deeper level of non-existence than a simple "nothing."
All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage occurs within a larger prophetic message of comfort and restoration for the people of Israel, who are currently in exile in Babylon. The preceding verses (Isaiah 40:12-16) have already highlighted the incomparable power and majesty of God by contrasting His creative might with the utter insignificance of all earthly things, including nations and their grandest offerings. This verse continues that theme, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty by diminishing the power and importance of all the world's nations when compared to Him.
How do we grasp the sheer, mind-boggling scale of God's existence compared to us? Isaiah uses some powerful, almost shocking language here to make a point.
The prophet Isaiah, in this passage, is painting a vivid picture of God's absolute sovereignty and majesty. He contrasts the nations of the world with the Creator of all things.
Utterly Insignificant
Isaiah doesn't just say the nations are small; he uses the Hebrew word translated as "nothing" ( 'ephes ). This word signifies absolute non-existence, a complete void. He then intensifies this by saying they are "less than nothing" ( 'ephes mē'ephes ). This is an idiom that emphasizes utter worthlessness and insignificance. Think of it like this: if 'nothing' is zero, 'less than nothing' is going into the negative.
Compared to God's Majesty
The reason for this stark comparison is to highlight God’s unparalleled greatness. The nations, with all their power, armies, and achievements, are reduced to utter insignificance when measured against the infinite being of God. This isn't to say God dislikes the nations, but rather to establish His supreme position as the one true sovereign.
This perspective helps us to see our own struggles and the world's powers in their proper, finite context when placed beside the eternal God.
The Bible uses a specific Hebrew word to describe the formless, chaotic state before creation. Isaiah applies this word to the nations, revealing a deeper truth about their existence apart from God.
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Isaiah uses a potent word from the very beginning of creation to describe the nations in relation to God: "emptiness" or "chaos." This word, 'tohu' (תֹּהוּ), appears in Genesis 1:2, describing the earth as 'formless and void' before God's creative power.
God's Creative Power
In Genesis, 'tohu' represents a state of non-existence or utter disarray that God actively overcomes and brings order to. When Isaiah applies this to the nations, he's saying that in comparison to God's order and purpose, the nations, in their self-sufficient pride, are like that original chaos – ultimately without substance or true meaning.
Ultimate Dependence on God
This comparison is not a simple statement of size, but a theological one. It suggests that apart from God's sovereignty and purpose, all human endeavors, political structures, and national ambitions are ultimately 'tohu' – they lack the divine grounding that gives true existence and meaning. God is the one who brings 'form' and 'substance' to everything; without Him, all else is ultimately a chaotic void.
Understand the original words
goyim · Hebrew Noun
The plural form (goyim) refers to all peoples or ethnic groups outside the covenant community of Israel. In prophetic literature, they are often contrasted with God's sovereignty, highlighting their transience and insignificance compared to the Creator.
tohu · Hebrew Noun
A term signifying that which is formless, chaotic, empty, or futile. Biblically, it describes that which lacks substance or lasting value, often used to characterize the vanity of idols or anything set in opposition to God.
Isaiah 40:17, spoken during the Babylonian exile, contrasts the utter powerlessness of all nations with the supreme sovereignty of God. This message was delivered in a context where the Jewish people, forcibly removed from their homeland and stripped of their national identity, would have been keenly aware of the overwhelming power of empires like Babylon and Persia.
c. 740-701 BC
Reign of King Hezekiah
Isaiah delivered prophecies of comfort and judgment during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, a period marked by Assyrian threats and internal religious reforms.
c. 640-609 BC
Reign of King Josiah
Josiah enacted significant religious reforms, discovering the Book of the Law. However, his reforms were not enough to avert future judgment.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled workers.
598 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After Jehoiakim's rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, and significant temple treasures.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population. This event marks the end of the Davidic kingdom.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great begins his conquests, uniting the Medes and Persians and setting the stage for his eventual conquest of Babylon.
539 BC
Conquest of Babylon by Cyrus
Cyrus conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
This passage echoes the absolute sovereignty of God over all creation and His care for His creatures, similar to how Isaiah 40 emphasizes God's unmatched power and the insignificance of nations before Him.
Daniel 4:35This verse directly states that God 'does according to his will with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of earth,' reinforcing the idea that earthly powers are nothing compared to God's dominion, as Isaiah 40 proclaims.
Isaiah 41:21-24This passage challenges the idols to prove their power by predicting the future or doing good, directly paralleling Isaiah 40:17's assertion of God's uniqueness and the futility of other powers in comparison.
Psalm 62:9This Psalm contrasts the worthlessness of people (both high and low) when weighed on a scale with God, directly aligning with Isaiah 40:17's theme of human nations being less than nothing before God.
cambridgeIsaiah 40:17: "All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity."
17 . less than nothing ] Better: of nought ; “belonging to the category of nothingness” (Cheyne). vanity ] The Hebr. is tôhû , a word which means primarily “a waste,” and is applied in Genesis 1:2 to the primeval chaos (A.V. “without form”). See on ch. Isaiah 29:21 , Isaiah 34:11 . Here and in many other cases it is a synonym for nonentity.
jfbIsaiah 40:17: "All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity."
- (Ps 62:9; Da 4:35).less than nothing—Maurer translates, as in Isa 41:24, "of nothing" (partitively; or expressive of the nature of a thing), a mere nothing.vanity—emptiness.
The verse emphasizes the utter insignificance of all nations when compared to God, not just as "nothing" but as "less than nothing and emptiness" (tôhû). This specific Hebrew word, also used for the primeval chaos in Genesis, suggests a state of utter formlessness and void, conveying an even deeper level of non-existence than a simple "nothing."
This passage occurs within a larger prophetic message of comfort and restoration for the people of Israel, who are currently in exile in Babylon. The preceding verses (Isaiah 40:12-16) have already highlighted the incomparable power and majesty of God by contrasting His creative might with the utter insignificance of all earthly things, including nations and their grandest offerings. This verse continues that theme, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty by diminishing the power and importance of all the world's nations when compared to Him.
This passage occurs within a larger prophetic message of comfort and restoration for the people of Israel, who are currently in exile in Babylon. The preceding verses (Isaiah 40:12-16) have already highlighted the incomparable power and majesty of God by contrasting His creative might with the utter insignificance of all earthly things, including nations and their grandest offerings. This verse continues that theme, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty by diminishing the power and importance of all the world's nations when compared to Him.
"All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness." — The verse emphasizes the utter insignificance of all nations when compared to God, not just as "nothing" but as "less than nothing and emptiness" (tôhû). This specific Hebrew word, also used for the…
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Last reviewed October 2026