Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
Parallel translations
- WEB Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.
- KJV Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
- BSB Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.
- ESV Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
- NKJV Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;
- NASB “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the uneven ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Every valley is to be raised and every mountain made low to level the way for the Lord. Every obstacle to God's coming will be removed.
Overview
The imagery of leveling valleys and mountains pictures the removal of all that would hinder the Lord's approach. It promises that God's salvation will overcome every barrier. Quoted in Luke regarding John's ministry, the verse anticipates the way being cleared for the revealing of God's salvation in Christ to all flesh.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 3:5Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Ezek 21:26thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high.
- Luke 18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Isa 42:15–16I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
- Isa 45:2“I will go before you, and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of brass in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.
- Ezek 17:24All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”
- Job 40:11–13Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
- Ps 113:7–8He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
- Isa 2:12–15For there will be a day of Yahweh of Armies for all that is proud and haughty, and for all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low:
- Luke 1:52–53He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
- Isa 42:11Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!
- 1 Sam 2:8He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, To make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them.
- Prov 2:15who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 40:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.