Isaiah 40:16
 Isaiah 40:16 
New International Version (©2011)
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.

New Living Translation (©2007)
All the wood in Lebanon's forests and all Lebanon's animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Lebanon is not enough for fuel, or its animals enough for a burnt offering.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Lebanon would not provide enough fuel, nor are its animals enough for a burnt offering.

NET Bible (©2006)
Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
All the trees in Lebanon are not enough to burn an offering. Its wild animals are not enough for a single burnt offering.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.

American King James Version
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

American Standard Version
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Libanus shall not be enough to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

Darby Bible Translation
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

English Revised Version
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts of it sufficient for a burnt-offering.

World English Bible
Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.

Young's Literal Translation
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

40:12-17 All created beings shrink to nothing in comparison with the Creator. When the Lord, by his Spirit, made the world, none directed his Spirit, or gave advice what to do, or how to do it. The nations, in comparison of him, are as a drop which remains in the bucket, compared with the vast ocean; or as the small dust in the balance, which does not turn it, compared with all the earth. This magnifies God's love to the world, that, though it is of such small account and value with him, yet, for the redemption of it, he gave his only-begotten Son, Joh 3:16. The services of the church can make no addition to him. Our souls must have perished for ever, if the only Son of the Father had not given himself for us.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Lebanon is not sufficient to burn. Man may think that he must be of some account, since God has required of him sacrifice and burnt offering, from which he may suppose God to derive some satisfaction. But, the prophet says, even if man were to burn all Lebanon as firewood on God's altar, and offer there all the (clean) beasts of the entire tract, still God would be put under no obligation. Man would even then have paid less than his debt.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,.... The trees of it, as the Targum; these are not sufficient to burn a sacrifice with, suitable to the dignity and majesty of God, and as his justice can require for offences committed:

nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering, though it was a mountain and forest which abounded with trees, and especially cedars, and there was a great quantity of cattle in it, yet neither were sufficient to furnish out a proper burnt offering to the Lord; he only himself could provide a Lamb sufficient for a burnt offering, and he has done it, the only begotten Son of God; he has offered himself an offering and a sacrifice to God, of a sweet smelling savour, by which he has put away sin, and made full atonement for it, Jarchi thinks this is said to aggravate the sins of men, of the wicked, which were so great, that Lebanon with all its wood and cattle could not furnish out a sacrifice sufficient to expiate them.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. All Lebanon's forest would not supply fuel enough to burn sacrifices worthy of the glory of God (Isa 66:1; 1Ki 8:27; Ps 50:8-13).

beasts—which abounded in Lebanon.


Isaiah 40:16 Parallel Commentaries

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Here is Your God!
15Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he takes up the isles as a very little thing. 16And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. 17All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. …

Hebrews 10:5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;
Psalm 50:9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
Micah 6:6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?