And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
- KJV And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
- NKJV And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
- NASB ¶And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle from the way of My people.”
- NLT God says, “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.”
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
God commands that the way be prepared and every stumbling-block removed for His people's return. He clears the path so His people can come to Him.
Overview
A voice calls to build up a highway and remove obstacles for God's people, echoing the comfort theme of Isaiah 40. The Lord Himself takes responsibility to open the way of restoration. This anticipates the gospel call to prepare the way of the Lord, ultimately fulfilled in Christ who removes the obstacles of sin and reconciles a people to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Isa 62:10Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
- Luke 3:5–6Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Isa 40:3A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
- Isa 35:8And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.
- Jer 18:15Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.
- Rom 14:13Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
- Heb 12:13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
- 2 Cor 6:3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- 1 Cor 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
- 1 Cor 8:9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
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 57:14 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.