A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is the kind of voice crying out: it's not God speaking directly, but "a voice" that's announcing God's coming. This highlights the role of a messenger, and the entire passage invites us to see this voice not just as a literal herald in the desert, but as a precursor to God Himself, preparing the way for His grand entrance.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophetic declaration immediately follows God's announcement of comfort for His people, shifting from divine words to the sound of a herald's voice. The imagery evokes an ancient royal procession, where a harbinger is dispatched into a desolate region to clear obstacles and build a smooth road for the king's arrival. This sets the stage for God's own grand entrance to deliver His people, first from Babylonian exile and ultimately through the Messiah's coming.
Imagine ancient kings traveling through unpassable lands. What kind of preparations were needed? This verse paints a vivid picture of God's own procession.
The imagery here is of a grand royal procession. In the ancient world, when a king or conqueror traveled, especially through difficult or undeveloped territory, they sent ahead messengers and workers. These 'harbingers' and 'pioneers' would clear the path, fill in ditches, level hills, and build temporary bridges – essentially creating a highway where none existed.
Isaiah uses this familiar practice to describe God's upcoming return to His people. It's not just a gentle arrival; it's a powerful, purposeful movement of God Himself. The 'wilderness' and 'desert' represent a place that is rough, untamed, and difficult to traverse. Yet, God is going to make a way through it, leveling the obstacles for His people.
This powerful imagery serves a dual purpose:
Who is this crying out? And why is their message so urgent, echoing through an empty, desolate place?
The verse begins with 'A voice cries,' highlighting an immediate and authoritative announcement. This isn't a quiet suggestion; it's a proclamation demanding attention. The speaker is described as 'him that crieth in the wilderness.'
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Who is this voice?
The Message: The core message is clear: 'Prepare ye the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.' This call to action is directed at us. It means removing obstacles, both physical and spiritual, that would hinder God's presence and work among His people. It's a call to readiness, to clear the path for divine intervention and presence.
Understand the original words
midbar · Hebrew Noun
An uncultivated, desolate place; in Scripture, it is often a place of testing, transformation, and a setting where God manifests His presence away from the distractions of civilization.
This prophecy, spoken centuries before its fulfillment, vividly illustrates the immense journey and challenges faced by the exiled Jews returning from Babylon, while also pointing forward to a greater spiritual liberation through the Messiah.
c. 740 BC
Prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah delivers his prophecies during a time of significant political turmoil in the ancient Near East, including the rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and exile a significant portion of the Jewish population, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great unites the Persian tribes and begins his conquests, setting the stage for the eventual fall of Babylon.
539 BC
Conquest of Babylon by Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, leading to the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and creating an opportunity for the Jewish exiles to return home.
538 BC— this verse
Edict of Cyrus allowing Jewish return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, fulfilling part of Isaiah's prophecies.
c. AD 27-30
Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist begins his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, preaching repentance and baptizing, echoing the prophecy of Isaiah.
This passage directly quotes Isaiah 40:3, identifying John the Baptist as the 'voice crying in the wilderness' who prepares the way for Jesus, the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Luke 1:16-17This passage describes John the Baptist's ministry as preparing the way for the Lord, echoing the language of Isaiah and highlighting how he would 'turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God,' mirroring the highway preparation.
John 1:23John the Baptist explicitly states, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'' directly linking his mission to Isaiah's prophecy.
Isaiah 35:8-10This earlier passage in Isaiah describes a 'highway' and a 'way of holiness' that God will prepare for His redeemed people, providing the conceptual background for the 'highway' imagery in chapter 40.
Malachi 3:1This verse speaks of God sending 'his messenger' to prepare the way before Him, which foreshadows the concept of a forerunner preparing the way for the Lord's coming, as directly applied to John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3.
bensonIsaiah 40:3: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
Isaiah 40:3-4 . The voice of him that crieth — Or, as the Hebrew may be properly rendered, A voice crieth; an abrupt and imperfect speech, implying, “Methinks I hear a voice;” or, “A voice shall be heard;” in the wilderness — Which word signifies the place, either where the cry was made, or where the way was to be prepared, as it is expressed in the f…
clarkeIsaiah 40:3: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
The voice of him that crieth to the wilderness "A voice crieth, In the wilderness" - The idea is taken from the practice of eastern monarchs, who, whenever they entered upon an expedition or took a journey, especially through desert and unpractised countries, sent harbingers before them to prepare all things for their passage, and pioneers to open the…
What's easily missed here is the kind of voice crying out: it's not God speaking directly, but "a voice" that's announcing God's coming. This highlights the role of a messenger, and the entire passage invites us to see this voice not just as a literal herald in the desert, but as a precursor to God Himself, preparing the way for His grand entrance.
This prophetic declaration immediately follows God's announcement of comfort for His people, shifting from divine words to the sound of a herald's voice. The imagery evokes an ancient royal procession, where a harbinger is dispatched into a desolate region to clear obstacles and build a smooth road for the king's arrival. This sets the stage for God's own grand entrance to deliver His people, first from Babylonian exile and ultimately through the Messiah's coming.
This prophetic declaration immediately follows God's announcement of comfort for His people, shifting from divine words to the sound of a herald's voice. The imagery evokes an ancient royal procession, where a harbinger is dispatched into a desolate region to clear obstacles and build a smooth road for the king's arrival. This sets the stage for God's own grand entrance to deliver His people, first from Babylonian exile and ultimately through the Messiah's coming.
"A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." — What's easily missed here is the kind of voice crying out: it's not God speaking directly, but "a voice" that's announcing God's coming. This highlights the role of a messenger, and the entire pass…
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Last reviewed October 2026