And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.
And Lebanon is not enough to make a fire with, or all its cattle enough for a burned offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts of it sufficient for a burnt-offering.
Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient - The image is beautiful and uncommon. It has been imitated by an apocryphal writer, who however comes far short of the original: -
"For all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savor unto thee:
And all the fat is not sufficient for thy burnt-offering."
Judith 16:16.
Does not the prophet mean here that all the burnt-offerings and sacrifices that could be offered were insufficient to atone for sin? That the nations were as nothing before him, not merely because of his immensity, but because of their insufficiency to make any atonement by their oblations for the iniquities which they had committed? Therefore the Redeemer was to come to Zion, etc.
And Lebanon - The expression here refers to the trees or the cedars of Lebanon. Thus it is rendered by the Chaldee: 'And the trees of Lebanon.' For a description of Lebanon, see the note at Isaiah 10:34. It is probable that the word Lebanon here is not used in the limited sense in which it is sometimes employed, to denote a single mountain, or a single range of mountains, but includes the entire ranges lying north of Palestine, and which were comprehended under the general name of Libanus. The idea here is, that all these ranges of mountains, abounding in magnificent trees and forests, would not furnish fuel sufficient to burn the sacrifices which would be an appropriate offering to the majesty and glory of God.
To burn - To burn for the purpose of consuming the sacrifice.
Nor the beasts thereof for a burnt-offering - As the mountains of Lebanon were extensive forests, they would abound with wild animals. The idea is, that all those animals, if offered in sacrifice, would not be an appropriate expression of what was due to God. It may be remarked here, if all the vast forests of Lebanon on fire, and all its animals consumed as an offering to God, were not sufficient to show forth his glory, how little can our praises express the proper sense of his majesty and honor! How profound should be our reverence for God! With what awful veneration should we come before him! The image employed here by Isaiah is one of great poetic beauty; and nothing, perhaps, could give a deeper impression of the majesty and honor of the great Yahweh.
40:16 Lebanon - If men were to offer a sacrifice agreeable to his infinite excellency, the whole forest of Lebanon could not afford either a sufficient number of beasts to be sacrificed: or, a sufficient quantity of wood to consume the sacrifice.