The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text emphasizes that the "breath of the LORD" is not a gentle breeze but a powerful, scorching wind akin to the hot east winds of the region. This divine wind, when it blows, doesn't just cause plants to fade, it utterly withers them, powerfully illustrating how completely human strength and glory vanish when God chooses to withdraw His sustaining power.
The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a powerful declaration that God’s word endures, this verse immediately contrasts the eternal truth of God with the fleeting nature of all humanity. It uses the vivid imagery of common vegetation withering under a harsh wind to underscore how quickly human strength and beauty fade. The ultimate point is to highlight the impermanence of all people, regardless of their status or perceived glory.
Imagine a scorching wind suddenly sweeping across a vibrant meadow, turning lush green to brittle brown in an instant. That's the image Isaiah uses, but who or what is it blowing on?
Isaiah uses the imagery of a harsh, natural force to describe God's power over the transient beauty of creation.
A Divine Wind
The "breath of the LORD" (or "spirit of the LORD" in some translations) here isn't about the Holy Spirit bringing life, but a destructive force. It's akin to the hot, dry winds common in the Middle East that can blight vegetation overnight. Think of it as God's sovereign power at work, bringing about an end.
The Scorch of Reality
This wind causes the grass to wither and the flower to fade. It’s a stark reminder that the beauty and vitality we see in the natural world – and in human life – are temporary. They are subject to forces beyond our control, ultimately orchestrated by God.
The verse powerfully declares, 'surely the people are grass.' What does this intense comparison really mean for us, and is that the whole story?
Isaiah's comparison of people to grass is deliberately shocking, designed to highlight our inherent frailty.
The Universal Fade
When Isaiah says, 'surely the people are grass,' he's speaking about all of humanity – not just enemies of God, but everyone. It echoes the previous verse where 'all flesh' is compared to grass. Our strength, our beauty, our accomplishments, our very lives are as temporary as a wildflower in a desert wind.
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Beyond the Fade
While the verse emphasizes our transience, it's crucial to remember the context of Isaiah 40. The prophet is speaking to a people in exile, feeling crushed and forgotten. He's setting the stage to contrast this fleeting human reality with the enduring nature of God's Word and His promises. Our fading doesn't mean God's plan fades. His word, unlike the grass, 'endures forever' (Isaiah 40:8).
This Psalm directly echoes the imagery of Isaiah, likening human life to grass that withers and flowers that fade, emphasizing our fleeting nature under God's gaze.
James 1:10This New Testament passage uses the same comparison, stating that the rich person will fade away like a wildflower, underscoring the universality of human frailty regardless of earthly status.
1 Peter 1:24This verse explicitly quotes Isaiah 40:6-7, reminding believers that 'all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the field,' contrasting it with the enduring Word of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:2While not using the grass imagery directly, this passage highlights the natural cycle of life and death ('a time to be born, and a time to die'), which aligns with the transient state of humanity described in Isaiah.
cambridgeIsaiah 40:7: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass."
7 . the spirit of the Lord ] Better as R.V. the breath of the LORD , i.e. the wind ( Psalm 103:16 ), specially the scorching east-wind ( Hosea 13:15 ) or Sirocco, which blows chiefly in the spring, blighting the fresh vegetation (see Smith, Hist. Geog. of Palestine , pp. 67 ff.). surely the people is grass ] “The people,” used absolutely, must apparently mean “human…
jfbIsaiah 40:7: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass."
- spirit of the Lord—rather, "wind of Jehovah" (Ps 103:16). The withering east wind of those countries sent by Jehovah (Jon 4:8).the people—rather, "this people" [Lowth], which may refer to the Babylonians [Rosenmuller]; but better, mankind in general, as in Isa 42:5, so Isa 40:6, "all flesh"; this whole race, that is, man.
The text emphasizes that the "breath of the LORD" is not a gentle breeze but a powerful, scorching wind akin to the hot east winds of the region. This divine wind, when it blows, doesn't just cause plants to fade, it utterly withers them, powerfully illustrating how completely human strength and glory vanish when God chooses to withdraw His sustaining power.
Following a powerful declaration that God’s word endures, this verse immediately contrasts the eternal truth of God with the fleeting nature of all humanity. It uses the vivid imagery of common vegetation withering under a harsh wind to underscore how quickly human strength and beauty fade. The ultimate point is to highlight the impermanence of all people, regardless of their status or perceived glory.
Following a powerful declaration that God’s word endures, this verse immediately contrasts the eternal truth of God with the fleeting nature of all humanity. It uses the vivid imagery of common vegetation withering under a harsh wind to underscore how quickly human strength and beauty fade. The ultimate point is to highlight the impermanence of all people, regardless of their status or perceived glory.
"The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass." — The text emphasizes that the "breath of the LORD" is not a gentle breeze but a powerful, scorching wind akin to the hot east winds of the region. This divine wind, when it blows, doesn't just cause p…
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Last reviewed October 2026