Isaiah 40:30-31
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This verse isn't just about physical exhaustion; it highlights that even the most "chosen" and vigorous young men, those we'd expect to have boundless energy, are ultimately frail. The prophet emphasizes this human limitation to set up a powerful contrast: all our peak strength will eventually fail us, but God's strength never does.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after God's powerful declaration of His own strength, contrasting it with human weakness. Isaiah is setting up a comparison: even the most vibrant, strongest young people, full of life and potential, will eventually exhaust their own natural abilities. This sets the stage for the stunning promise in the next verse about those who wait for the Lord.
We often think that youth and vigor mean we can handle anything. But the Bible paints a different picture.
This verse highlights the absolute limits of human strength, even at its peak. Isaiah isn't just talking about a bad day; he's describing the inevitable exhaustion that comes from physical effort, competition, or life's demanding challenges.
Why start with such a stark image of human failure? It's all leading somewhere.
Isaiah 40:30 isn't an end in itself; it's the dramatic setup for the glorious truth that follows in verse 31. By showing the utter inadequacy of human strength, the prophet emphasizes the absolute necessity and sufficiency of God’s power.
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Understand the original words
kashal · Hebrew Verb
A complete state of physical or spiritual depletion; it signifies the end of human self-reliance and the point of utter incapacity.
qavah · Hebrew Verb
In this context, it implies a confident, expectant, and patient trust in God's promises. It is not passive inactivity, but an active, faithful reliance on God's timing and character while enduring circumstances.
Yahweh · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the covenant God of Israel, the self-existent One who is faithful to His people and fulfills His promises. He is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer.
koach · Hebrew Noun
Often used to describe physical or spiritual power and vitality. In the context of divine provision, it represents the vigor and capacity granted by God to endure or accomplish His purpose.
chalaph · Hebrew Verb
To grow or sprout anew; to exchange old for new. In Scripture, it signifies the supernatural restoration of vitality or ability that comes through communion with God.
alah · Hebrew Verb
To ascend or fly upward. In this context, it serves as a metaphor for spiritual elevation and being lifted above the trials and exhaustion of the world.
nesher · Hebrew Noun
In the biblical worldview, the eagle is associated with divine protection, swiftness, and strength. It represents a perspective that rises above earthly obstacles.
yaga · Hebrew Verb
A state of becoming exhausted, depleted, or drained of energy. Biblically, it refers to the loss of both physical endurance and spiritual resolve in the face of ongoing hardship.
ayef · Hebrew Verb
To grow weak, exhausted, or lose heart. It often carries the sense of failing to persist or giving up under the weight of trials.
This passage vividly describes the fleeting nature of human strength and life, comparing us to flowers that quickly wither, directly mirroring Isaiah's point about even the strongest youth failing.
1 Samuel 2:9This verse, spoken by Hannah, contrasts human frailty with God's unyielding strength, echoing the theme that natural human power is insufficient on its own.
Jeremiah 17:5This proverb warns against trusting in human strength or flesh, a concept amplified by Isaiah's depiction of even the most robust falling, highlighting the need for a different source of power.
Romans 8:5Paul contrasts those who live according to the flesh (easily weakened) with those who live by the Spirit, providing a New Testament parallel to the idea of human limitation versus divine enablement.
Matthew 26:41Jesus himself points out the weakness of the human spirit, even when the will is present ('the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak'), reinforcing the physical exhaustion described in Isaiah.
cambridgeIsaiah 40:30: "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:"
30 . Even the youths shall faint …] Better: And though youths faint and are weary and choice young men stumble (the protasis to Isaiah 40:31 ). Natural strength at its best is exhausted, but—
barnesIsaiah 40:30: "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:"
Even the youths shall faint - The most vigorous young men, those in whom we expect manly strength, and who are best suited to endure hardy toil. They become weary by labor. Their powers are soon exhausted. The design here is, to contrast the most vigorous of the human race with God, and to show that while all their powers fail, the power of God is unexhausted and inexhaustible. And the young men - Th…
This verse isn't just about physical exhaustion; it highlights that even the most "chosen" and vigorous young men, those we'd expect to have boundless energy, are ultimately frail. The prophet emphasizes this human limitation to set up a powerful contrast: all our peak strength will eventually fail us, but God's strength never does.
This verse comes right after God's powerful declaration of His own strength, contrasting it with human weakness. Isaiah is setting up a comparison: even the most vibrant, strongest young people, full of life and potential, will eventually exhaust their own natural abilities. This sets the stage for the stunning promise in the next verse about those who wait for the Lord.
This verse comes right after God's powerful declaration of His own strength, contrasting it with human weakness. Isaiah is setting up a comparison: even the most vibrant, strongest young people, full of life and potential, will eventually exhaust their own natural abilities. This sets the stage for the stunning promise in the next verse about those who wait for the Lord.
"Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; t…" — This verse isn't just about physical exhaustion; it highlights that even the most "chosen" and vigorous young men, those we'd expect to have boundless energy, are ultimately frail. The prophet emphas…
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Last reviewed October 2026
