Bible Strands
Isaiah 57:14
And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet announces a communal imperative ("it will be said") that follows the dismissal of idolatry in v. 13 and precedes God's self-description as dweller with the lowly in v. 15. The speaker addresses the community of "My people" in a moment of restoration.
The words — סֹֽלּוּ (solu, "build up") is repeated for emphasis, and מִכְשׁ֖וֹל (mikh.shol, "obstacle, stumbling block") names the concrete thing to be removed.
The thread — Isaiah 62:10 uses nearly identical phrasing ("Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones") for the same preparation of the way. The motif recurs in the Isaiah 40:3–5 oracle quoted at Luke 3:5 and in Isaiah 35:8's "Way of Holiness."
Why it lands — The verse assigns the community a physical, laboring task: remove what blocks the path of God's people, not merely a symbolic or spiritual gesture.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 62:10 Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
- Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Isaiah 35:8 And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.
- Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
- Jeremiah 18:15 Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.
- Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- 1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
- Hebrews 12:13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
- 2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- 1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,