Isaiah 48:21

Isaiah 48:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
• New International Version (NIV)They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.

Context of Isaiah 48:21

19Your descendants would be like sand. Your children would be like its grains. Their names would not be cut off or wiped out in my presence. 20Leave Babylon; flee from the Babylonians! Shout for joy as you tell it and announce it. Shout it out to the ends of the earth. Say that the Lord has reclaimed his servant Jacob. They 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. 22“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 48:21 word by word

וְלֹ֣א צָמְא֗וּ בָּחֳרָבוֹת֙ הֽוֹלִיכָ֔ם מַ֥יִם מִצּ֖וּר הִזִּ֣יל לָ֑מוֹ וַיִּ֨בְקַע־צ֔וּר וַיָּזֻ֖בוּ מָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they thirstedצָמֵאtsâmê' · to thirstH6770
• he ledיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• them through the desertsחׇרְבָּהchorbâh · desolationH2723
• he caused the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• to flowנָזַלnâzal · to flowH5140
• out of the rockצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
• for them: he claveבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
• gushed outזוּבzûb · to flow: flowingH2100

Cross-references for Isaiah 48:21

• 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 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 41:17“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.
• 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 49:10They will never be hungry or thirsty, nor will the sun or the burning, hot wind strike them. The one who has compassion on them will lead them and guide them to springs.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will cry as they return. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams on a level path where they will not stumble. I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be my firstborn.
• Exodus 17:6I’ll be standing in front of you there by a rock at Mount Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders of Israel watched him.
• Numbers 20:11Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out, and all the people and their animals drank.
• Nehemiah 9:15You gave them bread from heaven to satisfy their hunger and made water flow from a rock to quench their thirst. You told them to take possession of the land that you swore you would give them.
• 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.

Commentaries on Isaiah 48:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21They thirsted not - through the deserts - Kimchi has a surprising observation upon this place: "If the prophecy," says he, "relates to the return from the Babylonish captivity, as it seems to do, it is to be wondered how it comes to pass, that in the Book of Ezra, in which he gives an account of their return, no mention is made that such miracles were wrought for them; as, for instance, that God clave the rock for them in the desert." It is really much to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And they thirsted not - This is a part of that for which they would be called to celebrate his name. It was not merely that he had redeemed them, but that he had abundantly provided for their needs in the desert, and guided them safe through the pathless wilderness to their own land (see the notes at Isaiah 35:6-7; Isaiah 41:17-18). He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them - The allusion here is undoubtedly to the fact that God caused the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 The Holy Spirit qualifies for service; and those may speak boldly, whom God and his Spirit send. This is to be applied to Christ. He was sent, and he had the Spirit without measure. Whom God redeems, he teaches; he teaches to profit by affliction, and then makes them partakers of his holiness. Also, by his grace he leads them in the way of duty; and by his providence he leads in the way of deliverance. God did not afflict them willingly. If…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21not thirst … rock … water gushed out: These reminders of God’s provision in the exodus provide a fitting summary of what he would do to rescue Israel from captivity in Babylon (see Numbers 20:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Ezra, in describing the return, makes no mention of God cleaving the rock for them in the desert [Kimchi]. The circumstances, therefore, of the deliverance from Egypt (Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11; Psa 78:15; 105:41) and of that from Babylon, are blended together; the language, while more immediately referring to the latter deliverance, yet, as being blended with circumstances of the former not strictly applicable to the latter, cannot wholly refer to either…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 48:21

• Blessing

In the dictionaries

• Desert
• Flint
• Isaiah
• Love
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Saviour

Commentaries on Isaiah 48

• 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