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Isaiah 40:3Comfort prologue
The voice of one who calls out, "Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God."
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Interpretation

Isaiah 40:3 shows a prepare way that is lived within solitude and community—see "voice" and "one". Give prepare way in generosity without notice—teach the body new reflexes.

Context

The setting is Isaiah—prophetic oracle, highlighting prepare way. Within ch. 40, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward prophetic hope & judgment. Watch the terms “voice” and “one”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Isaiah with Isaiah (son of Amoz). Critical study of Isaiah often concludes: Often read as a multi‑stage composition (Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. The setting is the Comfort prologue (prophetic oracle). Prophetic Hope & Judgment is especially relevant in this line. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). Exilic and post‑exilic horizons color sections of the book.

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
In the Masoretic tradition the Hebrew text is preserved, standardized between the 6th–10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-1956 discoveries) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not change the overall sense. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the best reflects the earliest recoverable text text.
Sources & witness notes
MT