And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock 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.”
- BSB And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle 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 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.
- Luke 3:5–6Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
- Isa 40:3The 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.
- Isa 35:8And 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 therein.
- Jer 18:15Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
- Rom 14:13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
- 1 Cor 8:13Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
- Heb 12:13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
- 2 Cor 6:3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
- 1 Cor 1:23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
- 1 Cor 8:9But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
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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
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