The passage below contains some of Isaiah’s most well known words, but reading and re-reading Isaiah 40 this weekend has led me to a couple new thoughts. I’ll try to communicate them clearly: First, a translation, and then two comments.

Isaiah 40:6–8

6 A voice is saying, “Cry out!”

And someone said, “What should I cry out?”

All flesh is grass, and all their loyalty is like a flower of the field.

7 The grass has dried up; the flower fell when a wind of Yahweh blew on it.

Truly, the people are grass.

8 The grass has dried up; flower has fallen, but the word of our God will stand forever.

People’s Loyalty Falls

In the last line of verse 6, notice the word “loyalty.” The ESV translates it “beauty.” The Hebrew word is hesed (חֶסֶד), which occurs nearly 250 times in the Old Testament, and the ESV almost always translates it “steadfast love.” This is the only place where the ESV renders hesed “beauty.” They seem to be following the Septuagint’s lead, which renders it δόξα, “beauty, glory.” I’m not saying the translation “beauty” is wrong per se, but I think it makes Isaiah’s point much less clear. Isaiah’s point isn’t that people’s external beauty falls away, but external beauty is inevitably what a modern reader thinks about when they encounter that word.

Isaiah’s point is that people’s character and intentions fail. Isaiah is comparing people to vegetation that comes and goes quickly.

Translating hesed as “loyalty” (above) or “faithfulness” (NIV) makes a big difference. This sets up the comfort of verse 8 so much better.

The Word Stands

In contrast to people, Isaiah says that God’s word stands forever (v. 8). The wind doesn’t blow away God’s word. The sun doesn’t dry it up. God’s word is the ultimate ground of trust. This is a major theme in Isaiah.

But there is also good news here for dried grass. Read in the light of all Scripture, these words point to the deep, supernatural hope found in the Messiah. The Gospel of John says, “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us” (John 1:14). Bringing John and Isaiah together: The eternal Word became grass, and as we say so frequently in the creed, he did this “for us and for our salvation.”

Conclusion

People are not ultimately separated from the word of God that stands forever. Isaiah’s contrast (people vs. God’s word) is true, but the good news of both Testaments is that those who trust Yahweh’s word can find firm footing (Isaiah 7:7–9). Even for “dried grass” like us, withering and falling to the dust is not the end. “The earth will give birth to the dead” (Isaiah 26:19) because the Word became grass, withered, and fell for us.