He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock 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 the way of the people! Build up, build up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a banner for the peoples.
- Luke 3:5–6Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Isa 40:3The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
- Isa 35:8A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools will not go there.
- Jer 18:15For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;
- Rom 14:13Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
- Heb 12:13and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
- 2 Cor 6:3We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
- 1 Cor 1:23but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,
- 1 Cor 8:9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly 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.