Isaiah 40:17

40:17 All the nations are insignificant before him;

they are regarded as absolutely nothing. ¹ 

Isaiah 41:29

41:29 Look, all of them are nothing, ² 

their accomplishments are nonexistent;

their metal images lack any real substance. ³ 

[40:17]  ¹ tn Heb “[as derived] from nothing and unformed.”

[41:29]  ² tc The Hebrew text has אָוֶן (’aven, “deception,” i.e., “false”), but the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has אין (“nothing”), which forms a better parallel with אֶפֶס (’efes, “nothing”) in the next line. See also 40:17 and 41:12.

[41:29]  ³ tn Heb “their statues are wind and nothing”; NASB “wind and emptiness”; NIV “wind and confusion.”