God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 55:1
1“Listen! Whoever is thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money can come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk. You don’t have to pay; it’s free!
Isaiah 55:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
- New International Version (NIV)“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
Context of Isaiah 55:1
“Listen! Whoever is thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money can come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk. You don’t have to pay; it’s free! 2Why do you spend money on what cannot nourish you and your wages on what does not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me: Eat what is good, and enjoy the best foods. 3Open your ears, and come to me! Listen so that you may live! I will make an everlasting promise to you— the blessings I promised to David.
Read all of Isaiah 55Isaiah 55:1 word by word
ה֤וֹי כָּל־צָמֵא֙ לְכ֣וּ לַמַּ֔יִם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֖וֹ כָּ֑סֶף לְכ֤וּ שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶֽאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Hoהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- every one that thirstethצָמֵאtsâmê' · thirstyH6771
- comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- ye to the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- and he that hath no moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- ye, buyשָׁבַרshâbar · to buy grainH7666
- and eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- and milkחָלָבchâlâb · milkH2461
- and without priceמְחִירmechîyr · priceH4242
Cross-references for Isaiah 55:1
- Hosea 4:1Listen to the Lord’s word, you Israelites. The Lord has brought these charges against those who live in the land: “There is no faith, no love, and no knowledge of God in the land.
- Proverbs 1:21At the corners of noisy streets she calls out. At the entrances to the city she speaks her words,
- Proverbs 8:4“I am calling to all of you, and my appeal is to all people.
- Zechariah 2:6“Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven.
- 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.
- Psalms 42:1As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
- Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
- Psalms 143:6I stretch out my hands to you in prayer. Like parched land, my soul thirsts for you. Selah
- John 4:10Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water.”
- John 7:37On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus was standing ⌞in the temple courtyard⌟. He said loudly, “Whoever is thirsty must come to me to drink.
- Revelation 21:6He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z, the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won’t cost anything.
- Revelation 22:1The angel showed me a river filled with the water of life, as clear as crystal. It was flowing from the throne of God and the lamb.
- Matthew 13:44“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man discovered it, he buried it again. He was so delighted with it that he went away, sold everything he had, and bought that field.
- Revelation 3:18I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.
- Zechariah 9:15The Lord of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and trample the stones used in slings. They will drink and shout as if they were drunk. They will be filled like a sacrificial bowl ⌞used for sprinkling⌟ the corners of the altar.
- Zechariah 10:7The people of Ephraim will be like mighty warriors. Their hearts will be glad as if they had some wine ⌞to drink⌟. Their sons will see it and be glad. Their hearts will find joy in the Lord.
Commentaries on Isaiah 55:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Ho, every one that thirsteth - "Water," says Zimchi, "is a metaphor for the law and wisdom: as the world cannot subsist without water, so it is impossible that it can subsist without wisdom. The law is also compared to wine and milk: to wine because wine rejoiceth the heart, as it is written: 'The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,' Psalm 19:8. It is compared also to milk, because milk is the subsistence of the child; so are the words of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Ho - (הוי hôy ). This word here is designed to call attention to the subject as one of importance. Every one that thirsteth - The word thirst‘ often indicates intense desire, and is thus applied to the sense of want which sinners often have, and to their anxious wishes for salvation. It is not improbable that the Savior had this passage in his eye when he pronounced the blessing on those who hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6. No needs are…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1An invitation to receive freely the blessings of the Saviour. (Is. 55:1-5) Gracious offers of pardon and peace. (Is. 55:6-13) Verses 1-5 All are welcome to the blessings of salvation, to whom those blessings are welcome. In Christ there is enough for all, and enough for each. Those satisfied with the world, that see no need of Christ, do not thirst. They are in no uneasiness about their souls: but where God gives grace, he gives a thirst after it; and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1thirsty … wine and milk: The invitation to eat and drink is like Wisdom’s call in Proverbs 9:5. This image promises to quench thirst not only with water but also with more expensive items like wine and milk. John applied a similar theme to Jesus Christ (John 4:14; 6:27, 35; 7:37; Revelation 21:6; 22:17). without cost: Reconciliation with God is for anyone and has no cost.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131. every one--After the special privileges of Israel (Is 54:1-17) there follow, as the consequence, the universal invitation to the Gentiles (Lu 24:47; Ro 11:12, 15). Ho--calls the most earnest attention. thirsteth--has a keen sense of need (Mt 5:6). waters ... wine and milk--a gradation. Not merely water, which is needed to maintain life at all, but wine and milk to strengthen, cheer, and nourish; the spiritual blessings of the Gospel are meant (Is 25:6…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 55:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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