New Living Translation
Isaiah 41:17
17“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
Isaiah 41:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
Context of Isaiah 41:17
15You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains. 16You will toss them into the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the Lord. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. “When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. 18I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. 19I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
Read all of Isaiah 41Isaiah 41:17 word by word
הָעֲנִיִּ֨ים וְהָאֶבְיוֹנִ֜ים מְבַקְשִׁ֥ים מַ֙יִם֙ וָאַ֔יִן לְשׁוֹנָ֖ם בַּצָּמָ֣א נָשָׁ֑תָּה אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֶעֱנֵ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֶעֶזְבֵֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
- and needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
- seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- their tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- failethנָשַׁתnâshath · be dryH5405
- for thirstצָמָאtsâmâ' · thirstH6772
- I the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- will hearעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- will not forsakeעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
Cross-references for Isaiah 41:17
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
- Isaiah 66:2My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
- Psalms 68:9You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.
- Psalms 72:12He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
- Psalms 102:16For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory.
- Matthew 5:3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
- Isaiah 55:1“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!
- Exodus 17:3But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
- Psalms 42:2I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
- Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
- Amos 8:11“The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord.
- Matthew 5:6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
- John 4:10Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
- John 7:37On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!
- Revelation 21:6And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.
- Revelation 22:17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
Commentaries on Isaiah 41:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17When the poor and needy seek water - Water is often used in the Scriptures as an emblem of the provisions of divine mercy. Bursting fountains in a desert, and flowing streams unexpectedly met with in a dry and thirsty land, are often also employed to denote the comfort and refreshment which the gospel furnishes to sinful and suffering man in his journey through this world. The poor and needy‘ here, doubtless refer primarily to the afflicted captives in…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
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. poor and needy--primarily, the exiles in Babylon. water--figuratively, refreshment, prosperity after their affliction. The language is so constructed as only very partially to apply to the local and temporary event of the restoration from Babylon; but fully to be realized in the waters of life and of the Spirit, under the Gospel (Is 30:25; 44:3; Joh 7:37-39; 4:14). God wrought no miracles that we read of, in any wilderness, during the return from…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 41:17
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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