New English Translation
Isaiah 41:18
18I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid 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 and the wind will blow them away; the wind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the Lord; you will boast in the Holy One of Israel. 17The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them. I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid land into springs. 19I will make cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees grow in the wilderness; I will make evergreens, firs, and cypresses grow together in the desert. 20I will do this so people will observe and recognize, so they will pay attention and understand that the Lord’s power has accomplished this, and that the Holy One of Israel has brought it into being.”
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 12:3Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of deliverance.
- Isaiah 30:25On every high mountain and every high hill there will be streams flowing with water, at the time of great slaughter when the fortified towers collapse.
- Isaiah 32:2Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from a rainstorm; like streams of water in a dry region and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.
- Isaiah 35:6Then the lame will leap like a deer, the mute tongue will shout for joy; for water will flow in the desert, streams in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 43:19“Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 44:3For I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children.
- Isaiah 48:21They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions; he makes water flow out of a rock for them; he splits open a rock and water flows out.’
- Isaiah 49:9You will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those who are in dark dungeons, ‘Emerge.’ They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture.
- Isaiah 58:11The Lord will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.
- Psalms 46:4The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.
- Psalms 78:15He broke open rocks in the wilderness, and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea.
- Psalms 105:41He opened up a rock and water flowed out; a river ran through dry regions.
- Psalms 107:35As for his people, he turned a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water.
- Ezekiel 47:1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar.
- Joel 3:18On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the dry stream beds of Judah will flow with water. A spring will flow out from the temple of the Lord, watering the Valley of Acacia Trees.
- Zechariah 14:8Moreover, on that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it will happen both 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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