Isaiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The surprising part of this verse isn't just that all humanity fades like grass, but the prophet’s immediate question: "What shall I cry?" This isn't a question of if he should speak, but what message is worthy of being declared, revealing the prophet's deep awareness that the pronouncements of God are meant to be profound and distinct from the fleeting glories of the world.
The prophet Isaiah is receiving a divine message to comfort his people. After a call for a herald to prepare the way for God's return (verses 3-5), a new voice commands "Cry!" The prophet, represented here as asking "What shall I cry?", receives the answer that all human power and beauty is fleeting, like grass and field flowers. This stark contrast sets up the following verses, emphasizing that only God's word and promises are eternal, a truth crucial for the exiles awaiting their return.
A voice calls out, 'Cry!' but the prophet hesitates, asking, 'What should I say?' This exchange highlights a crucial dynamic between God's initiative and our response.
The Call to Speak
The verse opens with a powerful command: "Cry!" This isn't a gentle suggestion but a direct order. Scholars suggest this call is likely directed at the prophet himself, or even more broadly, to all God's messengers.
The Prophet's Question
Isaiah's response, "What shall I cry?" isn't one of doubt about God's ability, but a humble inquiry about the content of the message. He's waiting for divine direction, ready to speak what God puts on his heart. This reminds us that faithful ministry is not about our own ideas, but about proclaiming God's truth.
The Core Message
The answer that follows – "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field" – reveals the essence of the message. It's a stark contrast: the fleeting nature of humanity versus the enduring nature of God's word.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Isaiah 40:6-8 is available in the Sola app.
Why does the prophet compare all humanity to grass and flowers? This vivid imagery powerfully illustrates the temporary nature of everything we value.
Humanity's Fleeting Existence
"All flesh is grass" is a profound statement about human existence. Just as grass sprouts, grows, and quickly withers, so too do human lives, achievements, and even entire civilizations. It speaks to our mortality and inherent weakness.
Beauty That Fades
The comparison extends to "all its beauty." This refers not just to physical attractiveness but to all that humans consider glorious: power, wealth, wisdom, and accomplishments. Like a field flower, this glory is vibrant and impressive for a short time, but it's destined to fade and disappear. This imagery strips away any ultimate reliance on human strength or splendor.
A Contrast for Hope
This sobering truth about human transience isn't meant to lead to despair. Instead, it serves as a crucial backdrop, setting up a powerful contrast with the eternal nature of God and His promises. When we see how quickly everything human fades, we are better positioned to appreciate what truly lasts.
While humans and their glories are as fleeting as grass, there's something else Isaiah points to – something permanent that offers true hope.
The Foundation of Faith
The immediate implication of "all flesh is grass" is that human efforts, plans, and power are unreliable foundations for hope. They are temporary and will inevitably pass away.
God's Unwavering Promise
Although not explicitly stated in this specific verse, the broader context of Isaiah 40 (and its use in the New Testament) makes it clear that the contrast is with the eternal, unchanging Word of God. While human glory withers, God's promises stand firm.
A Gospel Anchor
This concept is powerfully applied in the New Testament, particularly by Peter. He uses this imagery to show that while all earthly glory fades, the "word of the Lord endures forever." This enduring word is the Gospel message, the good news of salvation through Christ, which offers eternal hope and security unlike anything this world can provide.
Understand the original words
bāśār · Hebrew Noun
Refers to humanity in its entirety, emphasizing its frailty, mortality, and dependence upon God. It contrasts the temporary nature of human life with the eternal nature of God.
dābār · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the revealed truth, command, or divine utterance of God. It represents God's active, unchanging power to bring His purposes to pass.
This passage emerges during the profound crisis of the Babylonian Exile, a period where the splendor and power of the Jewish people, like all human endeavors, were exposed as fragile and temporary compared to the eternal Word and promises of God.
c. 740 BC
Prophecies during Assyrian threat
Isaiah delivers prophecies during a time of rising Assyrian power, warning Judah about its reliance on foreign alliances and calling for trust in God.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem, but miraculously withdraws after a divine intervention, leaving Jerusalem intact.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians defeat the Egyptians and Assyrians, initiating the first wave of deportations from Judah to Babylon, including notable figures like Daniel.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
c. 550 BC
Rise of the Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great unites the Medes and Persians, establishing a vast empire that would soon conquer Babylon.
539 BC
Conquest of Babylon by Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues an edict allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian Exile.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's sentiment, describing human life as transient like grass and its glory as fleeting as a field flower, emphasizing the perishable nature of humanity compared to God's enduring faithfulness.
1 Peter 1:24Peter quotes this verse directly to highlight the temporary nature of human glory and life, contrasting it with the eternal, unchanging Word of God, which is the Gospel message.
James 1:10This verse presents a similar comparison, stating that the rich man's glory fades like a flower, reinforcing the theme of human transience and the vanity of earthly pride.
Isaiah 2:22Isaiah himself had previously warned against trusting in humans, likening them to breath, which further underscores his consistent message about human frailty and the need to rely on God alone.
cambridgeIsaiah 40:6: "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:"
6 . The voice said, Cry ] Render (as before) Hark! one saying, Cry . “Cry” here evidently means “prophesy” as in Isaiah 40:2 , ch. Isaiah 44:7 , Isaiah 61:1 f.; Jeremiah 7:27 . Hence the response, and one said (R.V.) will naturally come from a prophet, the call being from the same quarter as in Isaiah 40:3 . There is no need to suppose that an idea…
clarkeIsaiah 40:6: "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:"
The voice saint Cry "A voice saith Proclaim" - To understand rightly this passage is a matter of importance; for it seems designed to give us the true key to the remaining part of Isaiah's prophecies, the general subject of which is the restoration of the people and Church of God. The prophet opens the subject with great clearness and elegance: he…
The surprising part of this verse isn't just that all humanity fades like grass, but the prophet’s immediate question: "What shall I cry?" This isn't a question of if he should speak, but what message is worthy of being declared, revealing the prophet's deep awareness that the pronouncements of God are meant to be profound and distinct from the fleeting glories of the world.
The prophet Isaiah is receiving a divine message to comfort his people. After a call for a herald to prepare the way for God's return (verses 3-5), a new voice commands "Cry!" The prophet, represented here as asking "What shall I cry?", receives the answer that all human power and beauty is fleeting, like grass and field flowers. This stark contrast sets up the following verses, emphasizing that only God's word and promises are eternal, a truth crucial for the exiles awaiting their return.
The prophet Isaiah is receiving a divine message to comfort his people. After a call for a herald to prepare the way for God's return (verses 3-5), a new voice commands "Cry!" The prophet, represented here as asking "What shall I cry?", receives the answer that all human power and beauty is fleeting, like grass and field flowers. This stark contrast sets up the following verses, emphasizing that only God's word and promises are eternal, a truth crucial for the exiles awaiting their return.
"A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; s…" — The surprising part of this verse isn't just that all humanity fades like grass, but the prophet’s immediate question: "What shall I cry?" This isn't a question of if he should speak, but what me…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
