God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 41:18
18I will make rivers flow on bare hilltops. I will make springs flow through valleys. I will turn deserts into lakes. I will turn dry land into springs.
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. The wind will carry them away. The windstorm will scatter them. But you will find joy in the Lord and praise the Holy One of Israel. 17“The poor and needy are looking for water, but there is none. Their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them. I will make rivers flow on bare hilltops. I will make springs flow through valleys. I will turn deserts into lakes. I will turn dry land into springs. 19I will plant cedar, acacia, myrtle, and wild olive trees in the desert. I will place cedar, fir, and cypress trees together in the wilderness. 20People will see and know. Together they will consider and understand that the Lord’s power has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Read all of Isaiah 41Isaiah 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 12:3With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation.
- Isaiah 30:25There will be brooks and streams on every lofty mountain and every high hill. When the day of the great slaughter comes, towers will fall.
- Isaiah 32:2Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind and a hiding place from the rain. They will be like streams on parched ground and the shade of a large rock in a weary land.
- Isaiah 35:6Then those who are lame will leap like deer, and those who cannot speak will shout for joy. Water will gush out into the desert, and streams will gush out into the wilderness.
- Isaiah 43:19I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.
- Isaiah 44:3I will pour water on thirsty ground and rain on dry land. I will pour my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants.
- Isaiah 48:21They weren’t thirsty when he led them through the deserts. He made water flow from a rock for them. He split a rock, and water gushed out.
- Isaiah 49:9You will say to the prisoners, “Come out,” and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” They will graze along every path, and they will find pastures on every bare hill.
- Isaiah 58:11The Lord will continually guide you and satisfy you even in sun-baked places. He will strengthen your bones. You will become like a watered garden and like a spring whose water does not stop flowing.
- Psalms 46:4There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives.
- Psalms 78:15He split rocks in the desert. He gave them plenty to drink, an ocean of water.
- Psalms 105:41He opened a rock, and water gushed and flowed like a river through the dry places.
- Psalms 107:35He changes deserts into lakes and dry ground into springs.
- Ezekiel 47:1Then the man took me back to the door of the temple. I saw water flowing from under the entrance of the temple toward the east. (The temple faced east.) The water was flowing under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.
- Joel 3:18On that day new wine will cover the mountains. Milk will flow on the hills. Water will flow in all the brooks of Judah. A spring will flow from the Lord’s temple. It will water the valley of Shittim.
- Zechariah 14:8On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it to the Dead Sea and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea. It will continue in summer and in winter.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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