Isaiah 41:18

Isaiah 41:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
• New International Version (NIV)I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.

Context of Isaiah 41:18

16You will winnow them and a wind will carry them away, a whirlwind will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the Lord; you will boast in the Holy One of Israel. 17The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I will answer them. I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I will not abandon them. I will open rivers on the barren heights, and springs in the middle of the plains. I will turn the desert into a pool and dry land into springs. 19I will plant cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees in the wilderness. I will put juniper, elm, and cypress trees together in the desert, 20so that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Isaiah 41:18 word by word

אֶפְתַּ֤ח עַל־שְׁפָיִים֙ נְהָר֔וֹת וּבְת֥וֹךְ בְּקָע֖וֹת מַעְיָנ֑וֹת אָשִׂ֤ים מִדְבָּר֙ לַאֲגַם־מַ֔יִם וְאֶ֥רֶץ צִיָּ֖ה לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי מָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I will openפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
• in high placesשְׁפִיshephîy · barenessH8205
• and fountainsמַעְיָןma‛yân ma‛yenô ma‛yânâh · springH4599
• in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• of the valleysבִּקְעָהbiq‛âh · valleyH1237
• I will makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• a poolאֲגַם'ăgam · poolH98
• of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and the dryצִיָּהtsîyâh · drynessH6723
• landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• springsמוֹצָאmôtsâ' môtsâ' · exitH4161

Cross-references for Isaiah 41:18

• Isaiah 12:3You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation,
• Isaiah 30:25Streams flowing with water will be on every high mountain and every raised hill on the day of great slaughter when the towers fall.
• Isaiah 32:2Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the rain, like flowing streams in a dry land and the shade of a massive rock in an arid land.
• Isaiah 35:6Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy, for water will gush in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
• Isaiah 43:19Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring.
• Isaiah 48:21They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow from the rock for them; he split the rock, and water gushed out.
• Isaiah 49:9saying to the prisoners, “Come out,” and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.
• Isaiah 58:11The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry.
• Psalms 46:4There is a river — its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most High.
• Psalms 78:15He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.
• Psalms 105:41He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a stream in the desert.
• Psalms 107:35He turns a desert into a pool, dry land into springs.
• Ezekiel 47:1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
• Joel 3:18In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will flow with water, and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house, watering the Valley of Acacias.
• Zechariah 14:8On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike.

Commentaries on Isaiah 41:18

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18I will open rivers - That is, I will cause rivers to flow (see the note at Isaiah 35:7). The allusion here is doubtless to the miraculous supply of water in the desert when the Israelites had come out of Egypt. God then supplied their needs; and in a similar manner he would always meet his people, and would supply their needs as if rivers of pure water were made to flow from dry and barren hills. In high places - The word used here denotes properly…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 God speaks with tenderness; Fear thou not, for I am with thee: not only within call, but present with thee. Art thou weak? I will strengthen thee. Art thou in want of friends? I will help thee in the time of need. Art thou ready to fall? I will uphold thee with that right hand which is full of righteousness, dealing forth rewards and punishments. There are those that strive with God's people, that seek their ruin. Let not God's people render…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18rivers … fountains … a pool of water … springs: These pictures would have been very meaningful to people who lived by farming and raising animals. In an agrarian culture (a farming society), water meant life. Rivers, springs, and pools were signs of safety, blessing, and hope. These images also suggest that rescue from the exile in Babylon would be like a second exodus (compare Exodus 15:27; 17:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Alluding to the waters with which Israel was miraculously supplied in the desert after having come out of Egypt. high places--bare of trees, barren, and unwatered (Jr 4:11; 14:6). "High places ... valleys" spiritually express that in all circumstances, whether elevated or depressed, God's people will have refreshment for their souls, however little to be expected it might seem.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 41:18

• Blessing
• Church

In the dictionaries

• Produce
• Valley
• Desert
• God
• Gods
• Height; Heights
• Isaiah
• Philosophy
• Pool; Pond; Reservoir
• Well

Commentaries on Isaiah 41

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings