New International Version
Isaiah 43:20
20The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
Isaiah 43:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
- New King James Version (NKJV)The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.
Context of Isaiah 43:20
18“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. 22“Yet you have not called on me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.
Read all of Isaiah 43Isaiah 43:20 word by word
תְּכַבְּדֵ֙נִי֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה תַּנִּ֖ים וּבְנ֣וֹת יַֽעֲנָ֑ה כִּֽי־נָתַ֨תִּי בַמִּדְבָּ֜ר מַ֗יִם נְהָרוֹת֙ בִּֽישִׁימֹ֔ן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת עַמִּ֥י בְחִירִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- shall honourכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
- me, the dragonsתַּןtannîyn tannîym · jackalH8577
- and the owlsיַעֲנָהya‛ănâh · ostrichH3284
- and the owlsבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- because I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- in the desertיְשִׁימוֹןyeshîymôn · wildernessH3452
- to give drinkשָׁקָהshâqâh · to water: drinkH8248
- to my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- my chosenבָּחִירbâchîyr · chosenH972
Cross-references for Isaiah 43:20
- Isaiah 11:6The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
- Psalms 104:21The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
- Psalms 148:10wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
- Isaiah 43:19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
- Isaiah 41:17“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 48:21They 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.
- Isaiah 49:10They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Isaiah 55:1“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.
- Jeremiah 31:9They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
- Joel 3:18“In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.
- John 4:10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
- John 7:37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
- Revelation 21:6He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
- Revelation 22:17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
- Isaiah 65:15You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name.
- 1 Chronicles 16:13you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
Commentaries on Isaiah 43:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The beast of the field shall honor me "The wild beast of the field shall glorify me" - The image is elegant and highly poetical. God will give such an abundant miraculous supply of water to his people traversing the dry desert in their return to their country, that even the wild beasts, the serpents, the ostriches, and other animals that haunt those arid regions, shall be sensible of the blessing, and shall break forth into thanksgiving and praises to him…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The beast of the field shall honor me - The sense of this passage is plain, and the image is highly poetical and beautiful. God would pour such copious floods of waters through the waste sandy deserts to supply his people, that even the wild beasts would be sensible of his abundant goodness, and would break forth into thanksgiving and praise for the unusual supply. The dragons - (See the note at Isaiah 13:22). The Septuagint renders the word used here…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21The Lord promised Israel that it would be freed from Babylon. This redemption would be similar to Israel's past freedom from Egypt but even greater in some ways (Isaiah 43:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. beast--image of idolaters, defiled with blood and pollutions, dwelling like dragons, &c., in the wastes of Gentile ignorance: even they shall be converted. Or else, literally, such copious floods of water shall be given by God in the desert, that the very beasts shall (in poetic language) praise the Lord (Psa 148:10) [Jerome]. dragons--"serpents," or else jackals (see on Is 13:22). owls--rather, "ostriches."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 43:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 43
- 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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