40:26 Look up at the sky! 1
Who created all these heavenly lights? 2
He is the one who leads out their ranks; 3
he calls them all by name.
Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is missing.
45:12 I made the earth,
I created the people who live 4 on it.
It was me – my hands 5 stretched out the sky, 6
I give orders to all the heavenly lights. 7
1 tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”
2 tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.
3 tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)
4 tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5 tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.
6 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
7 tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.