Isaiah 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.
KJV

Vox clamantis in deserto : Parate viam Domini, rectas facite in solitudine semitas Dei nostri.
Vulgate

Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν.
LXX

The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
ASV

ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּ/עֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵ/אלֹהֵֽי/נוּ
Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

10 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

דֶּ֣רֶךְ

drk

noun · 709×

יְהוָ֖ה

yhvh

proper_noun · 6455×

יָשַׁ֥ר

yshr

verb · 28×

יִּ֤פֶן

ypn

verb · 135×

יִּקְרָ֥א

yqr'

verb · 737×

ךָ

noun · 2564×

מְסִלָּ֖ה

mslh

noun · 27×

מִּדְבָּ֑ר

mdbr

noun · 270×

עַֽרְבֹ֣ת

'rbt

noun · 61×

ק֣וֹל

qvl

noun · 503×

Intertextual echoes

Quoted or echoed by 4 later passages.

Matt 3:3 · exact_quote

"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Isaiah's voice in the wilderness applied to John the Baptist
Mark 1:3 · exact_quote

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Isaiah's voice in the wilderness applied to John the Baptist
Luke 3:4 · exact_quote

"As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Isaiah's voice in the wilderness applied to John the Baptist
John 1:23 · exact_quote

"He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias."

John the Baptist identifies himself with Isaiah's voice

Themes

Prophecy

Typology

Return from Exile → Spiritual Restoration in Christ

Historic Christian voices

12 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

§719John the Baptist is "more than a prophet."94 In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah.95 He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the "voice" of the Consoler who is coming.96 As the Spirit of truth will also do, John "came to bear witness to the light."97 In John's sight, the …

Homilies on Matthew

2. Now that on this account Christ came to His baptism, is from this evident. But wherefore was this baptism devised for Him? For that not of himself did the son of Zacharias proceed to this, but of God who moved him — this Luke also declares, when he says, The word of the Lord came unto him, Luke 3:2 that is, His commandment. And he himself too says, He that sent me to baptize…

Homilies on the Gospel of John

1. A dreadful thing is envy, beloved, a dreadful thing and a pernicious, to the enviers, not to the envied. For it harms and wastes them first, like some mortal venom deeply seated in their souls; and if by chance it injure its objects, the harm it does is small and trifling, and such as brings greater gain than loss. Indeed not in the case of envy only, but in every other, it …

Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. This chapter begins the great consolatory section of Isaiah. The voice crying in the wilderness — prepare ye the way of the Lord — is identified in the Gospels with John the Baptist. All flesh is grass, but the word of our God shall stand forever. The incomparable majesty of God is displayed in his power over creation: he measur…

Commentary on the Gospel According to John

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Calvin expounds the eternal divinity of the Word with great care. The Word was not created in time but existed from all eternity with the Father. "The Word was God" — here is a clear declaration of the deity of Christ. The Word was made flesh — this is the mystery of the incarnation, the union of th…

Commentary on the Gospel of John · 3 passages

1 And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the preceding section, my revered brother Ambrosius, brother formed according to the Gospel, we have discussed, as far as is at present in our power, what the Gospel is, and what is the beginning in which the Word was, and what the Word is which was in the beginning. We now come to consider the next point in the work before …

[Three Leaves from the Beginning.] 1. He who distinguishes in himself voice and meaning and things for which the meaning stands, will not be offended at rudeness of language if, on enquiry, he finds the things spoken of to be sound. The more may this be so when we remember how the holy men acknowledge their speech and their preaching to be not in persuasion of the wisdom of wor…

1. The Work is Taken Up After a Violent Interruption, Which Has Driven the Writer from Alexandria. He Addresses Himself to It Again, with Thanks for His Deliverance, and Prayer for Guidance. When a house is being built which is to be made as strong as possible, the building takes place in fine weather and in calm, so that nothing may hinder the structure from acquiring the need…

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary

Cross-references

Deut 4:12 — And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
Heb 12:13 — And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Isa 11:15 — And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over drysho
Isa 11:16 — And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Isa 35:1 — The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isa 35:8 — And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err ther
Isa 35:8 — And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err ther
Isa 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:
Isa 43:19 — Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isa 43:19 — Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isa 49:11 — And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
Isa 57:14 — And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Isa 57:14 — And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Isa 62:10 — Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
Isa 62:10 — Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
Jer 31:9 — They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel,
John 1:6 — There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
John 1:23 — He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:23 — He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:31 — And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Luke 1:16 — And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:16 — And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:76 — And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Luke 1:76 — And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Luke 3:2 — Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
Luke 3:2 — Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
Luke 3:4 — As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mal 3:1 — Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,
Mal 3:1 — Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,
Mal 4:5 — Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:5 — Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mark 1:2 — As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mark 1:3 — The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mark 9:12 — And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
Matt 3:1 — In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Matt 3:1 — In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Matt 3:3 — For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Matt 11:10 — For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Ps 68:4 — Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Song 2:8 — The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.