God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 42:15
15I will lay waste to mountains and hills. I will dry up all their vegetation. I will turn rivers into islands. I will dry up ponds.
Isaiah 42:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
- New International Version (NIV)I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I will lay waste the mountains and hills, And dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, And I will dry up the pools.
Context of Isaiah 42:15
13The Lord marches out like a warrior. He prepares himself for battle like a soldier. He shouts, gives the battle cry, and overpowers his enemies. 14I have been silent for a long time. I kept quiet and held myself back. But like a woman in childbirth I will cry out. I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste to mountains and hills. I will dry up all their vegetation. I will turn rivers into islands. I will dry up ponds. 16I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them. 17Then those who trust idols and those who say to statues, “You are our gods” will be turned away and put to shame.
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 42:15 word by word
אַחֲרִ֤יב הָרִים֙ וּגְבָע֔וֹת וְכָל־עֶשְׂבָּ֖ם אוֹבִ֑ישׁ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י נְהָרוֹת֙ לָֽאִיִּ֔ים וַאֲגַמִּ֖ים אוֹבִֽישׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I will make wasteחָרֵבchârab chârêb · to destroyH2717
- mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- and hillsגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
- and dry upיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
- all their herbsעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
- and I will makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- the riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- islandsאִי'îy · coastlandH339
- the poolsאֲגַם'ăgam · poolH98
Cross-references for Isaiah 42:15
- Isaiah 2:12The Lord of Armies will have his day against all who are arrogant and conceited and all who are proud of themselves (they will be humbled),
- Isaiah 11:15The Lord will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian Sea. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates River with his scorching wind and divide it into seven streams so that people can walk over it in their sandals.
- Isaiah 44:27He says to the deep water, “Dry up.” So I will dry up your rivers.
- Isaiah 49:11I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be restored.
- Isaiah 50:2Why was no one here when I came? Why was no one here to answer when I called? Am I too weak to reclaim you? Don’t I have the power to rescue you? I dry up the sea with my command, and I turn rivers into deserts. Their fish stink because there is no water, and people die of thirst.
- Psalms 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry.
- Psalms 107:33He changes rivers into a desert, springs into thirsty ground,
- Psalms 114:3The Red Sea looked at this and ran away. The Jordan River turned back.
- Jeremiah 4:24I see the mountains. They are shaking, and the hills are swaying.
- Nahum 1:4He yells at the sea and makes it dry. He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither. The flowers of Lebanon wither.
- Habakkuk 3:6He stands and shakes the earth. He casts a glance and startles the nations. The oldest mountains break apart. The ancient hills sink. The ancient paths belong to him.
- Haggai 2:6“This is what the Lord of Armies says: Once again, in a little while, I am going to shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
- Zechariah 10:11The Lord will pass through a sea of distress, strike the waves in the sea, and dry up all the deep places of the Nile River. The pride of Assyria will be humiliated, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.
- Revelation 6:12I watched as the lamb opened the sixth seal. A powerful earthquake struck. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair. The full moon turned as red as blood.
- Revelation 8:7When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire were mixed with blood, and were thrown on the earth. One-third of the earth was burned up, one-third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
- Revelation 11:13At that moment a powerful earthquake struck. One-tenth of the city collapsed, 7,000 people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest were terrified. They gave glory to the God of heaven.
Commentaries on Isaiah 42:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15I wilt make the rivers islands "I will make the rivers dry deserts" - Instead of איים iyim, islands, read ציים tsiim ; a very probable conjecture of Houbigant.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15I will make waste mountains - This verse denotes the utter desolation which God would bring upon his foes in his anger. The meaning of this part of the verse is, that he would spread desolation over the hills and mountains that were well watered and laid out in gardens and orchards. It was common to plant vineyards on the sides of hills and mountains; and indeed most of the mountains of Palestine and adjacent regions were cultivated nearly to the top…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 The Lord will appear in his power and glory. He shall cry, in the preaching of his word. He shall cry aloud in the gospel woes, which must be preached with gospel blessings, to awaken a sleeping world. He shall conquer by the power of his Spirit. And those that contradict and blaspheme his gospel, he shall put to silence and shame; and that which hinders its progress shall be taken out of the way. To those who by nature were blind, God will…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1613-16. Jehovah will no longer restrain His wrath: He will go forth as a mighty warrior (Ex 15:3) to destroy His people's and His enemies, and to deliver Israel (compare Psa 45:3). stir up jealousy--rouse His indignation. roar--image from the battle cry of a warrior.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 42
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries