Isaiah 41:18

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 a wind will carry them away, a storm-wind will scatter them. But you will rejoice in Adonai. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17“The poor and needy ask for water, but there is none, Their tongues are parched with thirst. I, Adonai, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare hills and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land into fountains of water. 19I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the olive tree. I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine together with the box tree— 20so they may see and know, consider and understand together, that the hand of Adonai has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

Isaiah 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 12:3With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
• Isaiah 30:25There will be, on every high mountain and on every lofty hill, streams running with water— on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
• Isaiah 32:2Each will be like a refuge from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a massive rock in a weary land.
• Isaiah 35:6Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing. For water will burst forth in the desert and streams in the wilderness.
• Isaiah 43:19Here I am, doing a new thing; Now it is springing up— do you not know about it? I will surely make a way in the desert, rivers in the wasteland.
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.
• Isaiah 48:21They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts. He caused the water to flow out of the rock for them. He split the rock also, and the waters gushed out.’”
• Isaiah 49:9saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out!’ to those in darkness, ‘Be shown!’ Along the roads they will graze— their pasture will be on all the barren heights.
• Isaiah 58:11Then Adonai will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.
• Psalms 46:4though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at their swelling. Selah
• Psalms 78:15He split apart rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.
• Psalms 105:41He opened a rock, and waters gushed out, flowed as a river in dry places.
• Psalms 107:35He turns a desert into a pool of water, a dry land into springs of water.
• Ezekiel 47:1Then he brought me back to the door of the House. Behold, water was flowing out from under the threshold of the House eastward—for the front of the House faced east. The water was flowing down from under the right side of the House, south of the altar.
• Zechariah 14:8Moreover, in that day living waters will flow from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea, both in the summer and in the 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

• Blessing
• Church

In the dictionaries

• Produce
• Valley
• Desert
• God
• Gods
• Height; Heights
• Isaiah
• Philosophy
• Pool; Pond; Reservoir
• Well

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