English Standard Version
Isaiah 43:20
20The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
Isaiah 43:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
- New International Version (NIV)The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
- New King James Version (NKJV)The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.
Context of Isaiah 43:20
18"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. 22"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
Read all of Isaiah 43Isaiah 43:20 word by word
תְּכַבְּדֵ֙נִי֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה תַּנִּ֖ים וּבְנ֣וֹת יַֽעֲנָ֑ה כִּֽי־נָתַ֨תִּי בַמִּדְבָּ֜ר מַ֗יִם נְהָרוֹת֙ בִּֽישִׁימֹ֔ן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת עַמִּ֥י בְחִירִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- shall honourכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
- me, the dragonsתַּןtannîyn tannîym · jackalH8577
- and the owlsיַעֲנָהya‛ănâh · ostrichH3284
- and the owlsבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- because I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- in the desertיְשִׁימוֹןyeshîymôn · wildernessH3452
- to give drinkשָׁקָהshâqâh · to water: drinkH8248
- to my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- my chosenבָּחִירbâchîyr · chosenH972
Cross-references for Isaiah 43:20
- Isaiah 11:6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
- Psalms 104:21The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
- Psalms 148:10Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!
- Isaiah 43:19Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
- Isaiah 41:17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 48:21They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and the water gushed out.
- Isaiah 49:10they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.
- Isaiah 55:1"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
- Jeremiah 31:9With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
- Joel 3:18"And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim.
- John 4:10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."
- John 7:37On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
- Revelation 21:6And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
- Revelation 22:17The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
- Isaiah 65:15You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name,
- 1 Chronicles 16:13O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
Commentaries on Isaiah 43:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The beast of the field shall honor me "The wild beast of the field shall glorify me" - The image is elegant and highly poetical. God will give such an abundant miraculous supply of water to his people traversing the dry desert in their return to their country, that even the wild beasts, the serpents, the ostriches, and other animals that haunt those arid regions, shall be sensible of the blessing, and shall break forth into thanksgiving and praises to him…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The beast of the field shall honor me - The sense of this passage is plain, and the image is highly poetical and beautiful. God would pour such copious floods of waters through the waste sandy deserts to supply his people, that even the wild beasts would be sensible of his abundant goodness, and would break forth into thanksgiving and praise for the unusual supply. The dragons - (See the note at Isaiah 13:22). The Septuagint renders the word used here…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21The Lord promised Israel that it would be freed from Babylon. This redemption would be similar to Israel's past freedom from Egypt but even greater in some ways (Isaiah 43:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. beast--image of idolaters, defiled with blood and pollutions, dwelling like dragons, &c., in the wastes of Gentile ignorance: even they shall be converted. Or else, literally, such copious floods of water shall be given by God in the desert, that the very beasts shall (in poetic language) praise the Lord (Psa 148:10) [Jerome]. dragons--"serpents," or else jackals (see on Is 13:22). owls--rather, "ostriches."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 43:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 43
- 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
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