32:2 Each of them 1 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.
33:21 Instead the Lord will rule there as our mighty king. 2
Rivers and wide streams will flow through it; 3
no war galley will enter; 4
no large ships will sail through. 5
41:18 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.
42:15 I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; 6
I will dry up all their vegetation.
I will turn streams into islands, 7
and dry up pools of water. 8
43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass 9 through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm 10 you.
43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,
the jackals and ostriches,
because I put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness,
to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
44:3 For I will pour water on the parched ground 11
and cause streams to flow 12 on the dry land.
I will pour my spirit on your offspring
and my blessing on your children.
1 tn Heb “a man,” but אִישׁ (’ish) probably refers here to “each” of the officials mentioned in the previous verse.
2 tn Heb “But there [as] a mighty one [will be] the Lord for us.”
3 tn Heb “a place of rivers, streams wide of hands [i.e., on both sides].”
4 tn Heb “a ship of rowing will not go into it.”
5 tn Heb “and a mighty ship will not pass through it.”
6 tn Heb “I will dry up the mountains and hills.” The “mountains and hills” stand by synecdoche for the trees that grow on them. Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonymic root and translate, “I will lay waste.”
7 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will turn streams into coastlands [or “islands”].” Scholars who believe that this reading makes little sense have proposed an emendation of אִיִּים (’iyyim, “islands”) to צִיּוֹת (tsiyyot, “dry places”; cf. NCV, NLT, TEV). However, since all the versions support the MT reading, there is insufficient grounds for an emendation here. Although the imagery of changing rivers into islands is somewhat strange, J. N. Oswalt describes this imagery against the backdrop of rivers of the Near East. The receding of these rivers at times occasioned the appearance of previously submerged islands (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:126).
8 sn The imagery of this verse, which depicts the Lord bringing a curse of infertility to the earth, metaphorically describes how the Lord will destroy his enemies.
9 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
10 tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.”
11 tn Heb “the thirsty.” Parallelism suggests that dry ground is in view (see “dry land” in the next line.)
12 tn Heb “and streams”; KJV “floods.” The verb “cause…to flow” is supplied in the second line for clarity and for stylistic reasons.