Isaiah 40:6

The voice said, Cry Render (as before) Hark! one saying, Cry. "Cry" here evidently means "prophesy" as in Isaiah 40:2, ch. Isaiah 44:7; Isaiah 61:1 f.; Jeremiah 7:27. Hence the response, and one said (R.V.) will naturally come from a prophet, the call being from the same quarter as in Isaiah 40:3. There is no need to suppose that an ideal person is meant, the most probable interpretation is that it is the prophet himself who replies to the voice. It is better, therefore, to change the vowels and read with LXX. and Vulg. "and I said"; in spite of the fact that the author usually keeps his own personality in the background. The other reading does not sufficiently express the distinction between the call and the answer; hence A.V. seems to refer both to the same speaker.

all fleshis grass The answer to the question, "What shall I cry?" Cf. ch. Isaiah 37:27; Job 8:12; Job 14:2; Psalms 37:2; Psalms 103:15, and esp. Psalms 90:5 f. goodliness The Heb. word is nowhere else used in this sense. It signifies "lovingkindness" or "grace" (of God to men). The transition from the one meaning to the other is illustrated by the Greek χάρις, and there is no reason to suspect the text.