Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 40:13
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counselor hath taught him?
13. From the power of Jehovah, the writer passes to expatiate on His perfect and self-sufficing wisdom.
Who hath directed ] The verb is the same as “meted out” in the previous verse, and the transition from the literal to the metaphorical use is somewhat uncertain. From the idea of “weighing out” according to a fixed scale we get the notion of “regulating” or “determining”; cf. Eze 18:25 (and pars.) “the way of Jehovah is not weighed out,” regulated, i.e. is arbitrary. Or, on the other hand, the meaning might be “rightly estimated,” “searched out” (as Pro 16:2; Pro 21:2). The first sense suits the context best; whether we render “direct” or “regulate” or “determine.” LXX. probably read a different word; its is verbally cited in 1Co 2:16.
the spirit of the Lord ] denotes here the organ of the Divine intelligence (see 1Co 2:11). This is more likely than that the spirit is personified and then endowed with intelligence. The idea, however, does not appear to be found elsewhere in the O.T. The Spirit of God is ordinarily mentioned as the life-giving principle emanating from Jehovah, which pervades and sustains the world, and endows select men with extraordinary powers and virtues.
or being him ] Better, perhaps: and was the man of His counsel who taught Him. “His” and “Him” refer of course to Jehovah, not the Spirit.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who hath directed – This passage is quoted by Paul in Rom 11:34, and referred to by him in 1Co 2:16. The word rendered directed here ( tiken) is the same which is used in the previous verse, and meted out heaven. The idea here is, Who has fitted, or disposed the mind or spirit of Yahweh? What superior being has ordered, instructed, or disposed his understanding? Who has qualified him for the exercise of his wisdom, or for the formation and execution of his plans? The sense is, God is supreme. No one has instructed or guided him, but his plans are his own, and have all been formed by himself alone. And as those plans are infinitely wise, and as he is not dependent on anyone for their formation or execution, his people may have confidence in him, and believe that he will be able to execute his purposes.
The Spirit – The word spirit is used in the Bible in a greater variety of senses than almost any other word (see the note at Isa 40:7). It seems here to be used in the sense of mind, and to refer to God himself. There is no evidence that it refers to the Holy Spirit particularly. The word spirit, he uses, says Calvin, for reason, judgment. He borrows the similitude from the nature of mankind, in order that he may more accommodate himself to them; nor, as it seems to me, does he here speak of the essential Spirit of God (Commentary in loc). The design of the prophet is not to refer to the distinction in the divine nature, or to illustrate the special characteristics of the different persons of the Godhead; but it is to set forth the wisdom of Yahweh himself, the one infinite God, as contradistinguished from idols, and as qualified to guide, govern, and deliver his people. The passage should not be used, therefore, as a proof-text in regard to the existence and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, but is suited to demonstrate only that God is untaught; and that he is independent and infinite in his wisdom.
Or being his counselor – Margin, as in Hebrew, Man of his counsel. He is not dependent for counsel on men or angels. He is supreme, independent, and infinite. None is qualified to instruct him; and all, therefore, should confide in his wisdom and knowledge.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Who did God either need or take to advise him in any of his works, either of creation or the government of the world? were they not all the effects of his own sole wisdom? Therefore though all the nations of the world contrive and conspire against him, and against this work of his, as indeed they will do, yet his own counsel shall confound all their devices, and carry on his work in spite of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. Quoted in Rom 11:34;1Co 2:16. The Hebrew herefor “directed” is the same as in Isa40:12 for “meted out”; thus the sense is, “Jehovahmeasures out heaven with His span”; but who can measure Him?that is, Who can search out His Spirit (mind) wherewithHe searches out and accurately adjusts all things? MAURERrightly takes the Hebrew in the same sense as in Isa40:12 (so Pro 16:2; Pro 21:2),”weigh,” “ponder.” “Direct,” as inEnglish Version, answers, however, better to “taught”in the parallel clause.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord,…. In the creation of all things, in garnishing the heavens, and moving upon the face of the waters? not anyone, angel or man; there were none with him, nor did he need any to guide and direct him what to do s:
or being his counsellor, hath taught him? or, “the man of his counsel t”; there was no other than the Wonderful Counsellor, the Angel of the great council, the essential Word of God, whose spirit is here spoken of.
s The Targum is, “who hath directed the Holy Spirit in the mouth of all the prophets? is it not the Lord?” which agrees with the accents; for so according to them the words should be rendered “who hath directed the Spirit? the Lord”; so Reinbeck, de Accent. Heb. p. 418. and who renders the next clause, and he hath made the man of his counsel (Moses) to know that.
t “vir a consiliis”, Junius & Tremellius Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A second question follows in Isa 40:13, Isa 40:14. “Who regulated the Spirit of Jehovah, and ( who) instructed Him as His counsellor? With whom took He counsel, and who would have explained to Him and instructed Him concerning the path of right, and taught Him knowledge, and made known to Him a prudent course?” The first question called to mind the omnipotence of Jehovah; this recalls His omniscience, which has all fulness in itself, and therefore precludes all instruction from without. “The Spirit of Jehovah” is the Spirit which moved upon the waters at the creation, and by which chaos was reduced to order. “Who,” inquires this prophet – “who furnished this Spirit with the standard, according to which all this was to be done?” as in Isa 40:12, to bring into conformity with rule, and so to fit for regulated working. Instead of m ercha tifchah athnach, which suggests the Targum rendering, “ quis direxit spiritum? Jehova ” (vid., Pro 16:2), it would be more correct to adopt the accentuation tifchah m unach athnach (cf., Exo 21:24; Exo 23:9), and there are certain codices in which we find this (see Dachselt). In Isa 40:13 we might follow the Septuagint translation, (Rom 11:34; 1Co 2:16, ) , but in this case we miss the verb . The rendering we have given above is not so harsh, and the accentuation is indifferent here, since silluk is never written without tifchah if only a single word precedes it. In Isa 40:14 the reciprocal is connected with = . The futt. cons. retain their literal meaning: with whom did He consult, so that he supplied Him with understanding in consequence ( hebhn , generally to understand, here in a causative sense). The verbs of instruction are sometimes construed with of the lesson taught, sometimes with a double accusative. In reply to the questions in Isa 40:13, Isa 40:14, which are essentially one, Israel must acknowledge that its God is the possessor of absolute might, and also of absolute wisdom.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
13. Who instructed the Spirit of Jehovah? What the Prophet had formerly taught concerning the Lord’s goodness and power he now adds concerning his wisdom. And we ought to observe the connection; for, us carnal sense wickedly limits the power of God to human means, so it improperly subjects his inscrutable counsel to human reasonings. Till God be exalted above all creatures, many difficulties present themselves to interrupt the course of his works; and, therefore, if we form a judgment according to our own opinion, various scruples will immediately arise. Thus, whenever we do not see how God will do this or that, we doubt if it will take place; because what surpasses our reason appears to be impossible. Consequently, as we ought to contrast, the power of God with our weakness, so our insolence ought to be repressed by his incomparable, wisdom.
By inquiring, who guided or directed the Spirit of God, he means that God had no need of a teacher, to go before and inform him about things unknown. Spirit here denotes reason, judgment, or understanding; for he borrows a comparison from the nature of men, that he may more fully accommodate himself to them; and I do not think that this ought to be understood as denoting the essential Spirit of God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord?The term, which had been used in a lower sense in Isa. 40:7, is here clothed as with a Divine personality, answering, as it were, to the wisdom of Pro. 8:22-30, with which the whole passage has a striking resemblance. Eastern cosmogonies might represent Bel or Ormuzd, as calling inferior deities into counsel (Cheyne). The prophet finds no other counsellor than One who is essentially one with the Eternal.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counsellor hath taught him?
Ver. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord? ] Who was then of his council when he made the universe? None but his own essential wisdom. Pro 8:30 See Rom 11:34-35 . See Trapp on “ Rom 11:34 “ See Trapp on “ Rom 11:34 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
(Isa 40:12-14) Who. . . . Who. . . With whom. . . ? Isa 40:12-14 are introductory: while the Figure of speech Erotesis emphasizes the importance of Him Who speaks.
His counseller = the man (Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.) of His counsel. Note the Figure of speech Ellipsis = “[who being] His counseller hath”, &c?
taught Him = made Him know. Hebrew. ydda’.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
hath directed: Job 21:22, Job 36:22, Job 36:23, Luk 10:22, Joh 1:13, Rom 11:34, 1Co 2:16, Eph 1:11
his counsellor: Heb. man of his counsel
Reciprocal: Lev 22:12 – a stranger 2Ch 32:3 – took counsel Job 12:13 – counsel Job 34:13 – Who hath given Isa 19:12 – let them Jer 23:18 – who Jer 32:19 – Great Act 4:28 – and Rev 5:3 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] {s} his counsellor hath taught him?
(s) He shows God’s infinite wisdom for the same.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The questions in these verses call for the same response. God was not only alone in the work of creation, but He is alone in the wisdom needed to execute it (cf. Job 38:2 to Job 39:30).
"He who has measured the creation cannot be measured by the creation." [Note: Young, 3:44.]
"In Babylonian mythology, the creator god Marduk could not proceed with creation without consulting ’Ea, the all-wise’, but the Lord works with unaided wisdom. In both Babylonian and Canaanite creation stories the creator must overcome opposing forces before the way opens for the work of creation." [Note: Motyer, p. 303.]
The Spirit of the Lord was the executive of God in creation (cf. Gen 1:2). It is very difficult to tell how much of the triune nature of the Godhead the ancient Israelites understood. In Jesus’ day (and in ours) Jews resisted the idea that God exists in three persons, as do Moslems today. It is the New Testament that clarifies the relationships of the persons within the Trinity. In Old Testament times, monotheism as opposed to polytheism was the distinctive belief of the Jews and the emphasis of the prophets. The issue for them was not how many persons compose the Godhead. So when they read references to "the spirit of the Lord," they did not think of a Person in the Godhead who was distinct from the Father and the Son, but of an aspect of God in a more general sense. Moslems also reject Trinitarianism.
We could interpret "Spirit" as the mind of the Lord (cf. Rom 11:34; 1Co 2:16). This is how the Septuagint translators rendered ruah here and in 1Ch 28:12 and Eze 20:32. It may refer to the volitional, effective, and cognitive aspects of God’s intelligence, in other words, His inner workings. God alone saw to the heart of things in creation and made the correct decisions at the proper time. No one advised Him in His creation or in His administration of the world. Now His omniscience is in view.