Isaiah 40:21

KJV

Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

KJV (with Strong's)

Have ye not known {H3045}? have ye not heard {H8085}? hath it not been told {H5046} you from the beginning {H7218}? have ye not understood {H995} from the foundations {H4146} of the earth {H776}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Don't you know? Don't you hear? Haven't you been told from the start? Don't you understand how the earth is set up?

Berean Standard Bible

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?

American Standard Version

Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 40:21 presents a series of profound rhetorical questions, challenging the audience to acknowledge the self-evident and ancient truths concerning God's incomparable nature, eternal wisdom, and sovereign power as the Creator. These questions serve as a powerful indictment against spiritual forgetfulness or willful ignorance, urging the people to recall what has been perpetually known, heard, and understood about the Lord since the very dawn of creation, thereby contrasting His enduring majesty with the fleeting nature of humanity and the futility of idols.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 40 marks a significant turning point in the book, transitioning from prophecies of judgment (Isaiah 1-39) to messages of comfort, hope, and restoration for Israel, often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66). The chapter opens with the tender command to "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people" [Isaiah 40:1](/isaiah/40-1 "Isaiah 40:1 - God's Comfort for His People"), setting a tone of divine compassion amidst the promise of return from Babylonian exile. Prior to verse 21, the prophet vividly contrasts the transient nature of human glory with the eternal Word of God [Isaiah 40:6-8](/isaiah/40-6 "Isaiah 40:6-8 - The Fading of Human Glory vs. The Enduring Word"). This is followed by a scathing critique of idolatry, highlighting the absurdity of fashioning gods from wood and gold [Isaiah 40:18-20](/isaiah/40-18 "Isaiah 40:18-20 - The Folly of Idolatry"). Verse 21, therefore, serves as a rhetorical crescendo, asserting that the true God's majesty and wisdom should be inherently obvious and universally recognized, having been proclaimed and demonstrated since the very inception of the world.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophecies in Isaiah 40-66 are primarily addressed to a people facing or enduring the Babylonian exile (c. 586-539 BC). This period was marked by profound national despair, theological questioning, and the temptation to assimilate into the dominant polytheistic culture of Babylon. The exiles were surrounded by magnificent temples dedicated to various deities like Marduk, Nebo, and Ishtar, whose power and presence seemed overwhelming. In this context, Isaiah's message aimed to re-establish the supremacy of Yahweh, the God of Israel, above all other gods and empires. The rhetorical questions in verse 21 directly confront the potential for doubt and the allure of idolatry by reminding the people of foundational truths about God that predate any human empire or false god, truths that were part of their ancient covenantal heritage and universally evident in creation.
* **Key Themes:** Isaiah 40:21 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the chapter and the broader book. Firstly, it underscores **God's Eternal Wisdom and Knowledge**, emphasizing that the understanding of His supremacy is not a new revelation but an ancient, foundational truth accessible to all. The repeated interrogatives challenge any notion of ignorance regarding God's enduring nature and power. Secondly, the verse highlights **The Creator's Sovereignty and Incomparability**. The phrase "from the foundations of the earth" [Isaiah 40:21](/isaiah/40-21 "Isaiah 40:21 - God's Wisdom from Creation") directly points to God's unparalleled role as the original architect and sustainer of the cosmos, contrasting sharply with any human-made deity or fleeting earthly power. This theme is further developed in subsequent verses, where God's unwearying strength and unsearchable understanding are proclaimed [Isaiah 40:28](/isaiah/40-28 "God's Unwearying Power"). Lastly, the rhetorical questions function as a **Call to Remembrance and Understanding**, serving as a divine indictment against spiritual forgetfulness or willful ignorance. It is an invitation for the people to reflect deeply on what they already know, or should know, about the God who created everything and who alone is worthy of trust and worship, echoing the universal revelation of God's attributes through creation as described in [Romans 1:20](/romans/1-20 "Romans 1:20 - God's Invisible Attributes Seen in Creation").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Known (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ_):** This primitive root signifies to know, properly to ascertain by seeing, but extends to a great variety of senses including observation, care, recognition, comprehension, and even instruction. In Isaiah 40:21, it implies a deep, experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual assent, suggesting that the truths about God's eternal nature should be profoundly ingrained and recognized by His people.
* **Heard (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ_):** This root means to hear intelligently, often with the implication of attention, obedience, or perception. Here, it refers to the oral tradition and prophetic declarations that have consistently communicated God's truth throughout generations. The question "have ye not heard?" challenges any claim of ignorance due to lack of proclamation.
* **Foundations (Hebrew, _môwçâdâh_):** This feminine noun, derived from a root meaning "to found," refers to a foundation or basis. In the context of "foundations of the earth," it powerfully evokes the very act of creation, indicating the primordial establishment of the world. It signifies that God's character and power have been evident and proclaimed through His works since the world's inception, making His truth as ancient and fundamental as existence itself.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Have ye not known?"**: This initial rhetorical question challenges the audience's fundamental understanding. It implies that the truth about God's supremacy and eternal nature is not new or obscure but should be deeply familiar and recognized within their collective consciousness and historical memory.
* **"have ye not heard?"**: Following "known," this question emphasizes the auditory reception of truth. It refers to the continuous transmission of divine revelation through oral tradition, prophetic teaching, and the recounting of God's mighty acts throughout Israel's history. It suggests that the knowledge of God has been consistently proclaimed and is therefore accessible.
* **"hath it not been told you from the beginning?"**: This clause expands on the previous two, stressing the antiquity and unbroken continuity of this divine communication. "From the beginning" (Hebrew: *rôʼsh*) points to the earliest times, implying that God's self-revelation is as old as humanity itself, a truth handed down through generations from the very dawn of time.
* **"have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?"**: This culminating question grounds the previous inquiries in the ultimate act of creation. "From the foundations of the earth" (Hebrew: *miyyisoday ha'arets*) refers to the moment the world was established. It asserts that God's power, wisdom, and eternal nature are not merely subjects of ancient teaching but are visibly and undeniably manifest in the created order itself, providing a universal and perpetual testimony to His existence and attributes.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 40:21 is rich with literary devices that amplify its rhetorical power. The most prominent is the use of **Rhetorical Questions**. The prophet poses four successive questions, not seeking information, but rather to provoke thought, challenge assumptions, and underscore the self-evident nature of God's truth. These questions create a sense of indictment, implying that the audience's failure to acknowledge God's greatness is due to willful ignorance rather than genuine lack of information. This is further enhanced by **Repetition** of the interrogative phrase "Have ye not," which reinforces the insistence on the accessibility and long-standing nature of this knowledge. The verse also employs **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, where each question reiterates and builds upon the same core idea—the enduring and accessible knowledge of God. The progression from "known" to "heard" to "told from the beginning" and finally to "understood from the foundations of the earth" demonstrates a widening scope, moving from personal cognition to communal tradition and culminating in the universal testimony of creation. An implied **Merism** can also be observed in "from the beginning" and "from the foundations of the earth," which together encompass the entirety of time and existence, suggesting that God's truth has been present and evident throughout all history and in all of creation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 40:21 stands as a powerful declaration of God's transcendence, eternality, and His self-revelation through both word and creation. Theologically, it asserts that knowledge of God is not an esoteric mystery but a foundational truth that has been consistently revealed and is inherently discernible. It challenges anthropocentric views by contrasting humanity's fleeting nature with God's enduring power, wisdom, and sovereignty as the uncreated Creator. This verse underscores the theme of general revelation, where God's invisible attributes are clearly seen in the things that are made, leaving humanity without excuse. It calls for a profound awe and worship of the God who laid the earth's foundations, whose understanding is unsearchable, and who alone is worthy of trust and devotion, particularly in times of doubt or idolatrous temptation.

* [Psalm 19:1-4](/psalms/19-1 "The Heavens Declare God's Glory")
* [Romans 1:19-20](/romans/1-19 "God's Attributes Revealed in Creation")
* [Job 38:4-7](/job/38-4 "God's Questions to Job about Creation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 40:21 serves as a timeless call to remember and re-engage with the foundational truths of our faith. In a world saturated with information and competing narratives, it challenges us to pause and reflect on what we truly "know" and "understand" about God. Are we living as if God's wisdom is ancient and unshakeable, or are we swayed by the fleeting ideologies and anxieties of the present moment? This verse urges us to cultivate a deep awareness of God's continuous self-revelation, not only through Scripture but also through the magnificent testimony of His creation. It invites us to trust in His infinite understanding, especially when our own paths seem unclear or when the world's problems appear insurmountable. By returning to these foundational truths, we are empowered to reject the idols of our age—whether they be wealth, power, self-reliance, or humanistic philosophies—and to live in profound awe and worship of the God who has always been, who has always spoken, and whose truth remains firm from the foundations of the earth to eternity.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What foundational truths about God have I "known" and "heard" throughout my life, and how deeply have I "understood" them?**
* **In what ways might I be forgetting or neglecting the self-evident truths of God's power and wisdom, evident from creation?**
* **How does reflecting on God as the Creator "from the foundations of the earth" impact my trust in Him during times of uncertainty or fear?**
* **What "idols" or false sources of security in my life might be challenged by the incomparable majesty of the God described in this verse?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40:21?**

Answer: The rhetorical questions ("Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?") are not posed to elicit new information, but rather to challenge the audience's spiritual amnesia and underscore the self-evident nature of God's truth. They serve as a divine indictment, implying that the people's failure to acknowledge God's incomparable power and wisdom is due to willful ignorance or forgetfulness, rather than a lack of revelation. The questions compel reflection on what has always been known and understood about the Creator.

**How does "from the foundations of the earth" relate to God's revelation?**

Answer: The phrase "from the foundations of the earth" emphasizes that God's power, wisdom, and eternal nature are not merely subjects of ancient teaching but are visibly and undeniably manifest in the created order itself. This points to the concept of general revelation, where God's attributes are clearly seen and understood through the design and existence of the cosmos [Romans 1:20](/romans/1-20 "God's Invisible Attributes Seen in Creation"). It signifies that creation itself has always borne witness to its Maker, providing a universal and perpetual testimony to His existence and attributes from the very beginning of time.

**What is the "beginning" referred to in this verse?**

Answer: The "beginning" (Hebrew: *rôʼsh*) refers to the earliest times, implying the dawn of human history and the initial stages of God's interaction and revelation to humanity. It suggests that the truths about God's nature and His covenantal relationship with His people have been communicated and passed down through generations from the very outset. This includes the foundational narratives of creation, the patriarchs, and the giving of the Law, all of which established the unique identity and power of Yahweh [Genesis 1:1](/genesis/1-1 "The Beginning of Creation").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 40:21, with its profound questions about God's eternal knowledge and wisdom evident from creation, finds its ultimate fulfillment and clearest answer in Jesus Christ. He is the very **Word of God** through whom all things were made [John 1:3](/john/1-3 "All Things Made Through Him"), the one who was "from the beginning" with God [John 1:1](/john/1-1 "The Word Was God"). The wisdom that was "told... from the beginning" and "understood from the foundations of the earth" is perfectly embodied in Christ, who is the **wisdom of God** personified [1 Corinthians 1:24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "Christ the Power and Wisdom of God"). In Him, the invisible God is made visible [Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Christ, the Image of the Invisible God"), and the profound truths about the Creator, which humanity was always meant to know and understand, are fully revealed. Jesus is not merely a messenger of this ancient wisdom but its very source and embodiment. Therefore, to truly "know," "hear," and "understand" the God of creation is to know, hear, and understand Jesus, for "in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" [Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Treasures of Wisdom in Christ"). He is the ultimate answer to Isaiah's rhetorical questions, the definitive revelation of the God who laid the earth's foundations.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Acts 14:17

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Psalms 50:6

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God [is] judge himself. Selah.

Isaiah 46:8

Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring [it] again to mind, O ye transgressors.

Isaiah 48:13

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: [when] I call unto them, they stand up together.

Romans 1:28

And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Psalms 115:8

They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.

Romans 1:19

¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.