King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And they shall turn the rivers far away; [and] the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The rivers will become foul, the canals of Egypt's Nile will dwindle and dry up, the reeds and rushes will wither.
Berean Standard Bible:
The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.
American Standard Version:
And the rivers shall become foul; the streams of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither away.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And they shall turn{H2186} the rivers{H5104} far away{H2186}; and the brooks{H2975} of defence{H4693} shall be emptied{H1809} and dried up{H2717}: the reeds{H7070} and flags{H5488} shall wither{H7060}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Isaiah 37:25
- I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.
Exodus 2:3
- And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river's brink.
Job 8:11
- Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
2 Kings 19:24
- I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
Exodus 7:18
- And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Isaiah 18:2
- That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, [saying], Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
Isaiah 15:6
- ¶ For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Isaiah 19:6
Isaiah 19:6 is part of a prophecy concerning Egypt, which is found in the larger context of Isaiah chapters 13-23, where oracles against various nations are presented. This particular verse vividly depicts the desolation that will befall Egypt as a result of God's judgment. The imagery of rivers being turned away, defensive brooks drying up, and reeds and flags withering speaks to a complete devastation of the land's water sources, which were vital to Egypt's agriculture and economy, as well as its military defense.
Historically, Egypt was known for its reliance on the Nile River and its network of canals for sustenance and protection. The verse's reference to turning rivers away and defensive brooks being emptied suggests a catastrophic event or series of events that would disrupt this life-giving system. This could be interpreted as a literal environmental disaster, such as a severe drought or the failure of the annual Nile flood, which was essential for agriculture. Alternatively, it could be understood metaphorically as the collapse of Egypt's economic and political stability.
Theologically, this verse reflects a common biblical theme where God uses natural phenomena to enact judgment on nations that have strayed from His laws or acted against His people. For the original audience, this prophecy would have been a sobering reminder of God's sovereignty over all nations and His commitment to justice. It also served as a warning to Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel, not to place their trust in alliances with foreign nations like Egypt, but rather in God Himself.
In summary, Isaiah 19:6 uses powerful imagery of environmental devastation to convey the theme of divine judgment on Egypt, underscoring the historical and theological message that God's power extends over all nations, and that He will ultimately hold all accountable according to His righteous standards.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H2186
There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָנַח
Transliteration: zânach
Pronunciation: zaw-nakh'
Description: a primitive root meaning to push aside, i.e.; reject, forsake, fail; cast away (off), remove far away (off). - Strong's Number: H5104
There are 109 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָהָר
Transliteration: nâhâr
Pronunciation: naw-hawr'
Description: from נָהַר; a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity; flood, river. - Strong's Number: H2975
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְאֹר
Transliteration: yᵉʼôr
Pronunciation: yeh-ore'
Description: of Egyptian origin; a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of Assyria; brook, flood, river, stream. - Strong's Number: H4693
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָצוֹר
Transliteration: mâtsôwr
Pronunciation: maw-tsore'
Description: the same as מָצוֹר in the sense of a limit; Egypt (as the border of Palestine); besieged places, defense, fortified. - Strong's Number: H1809
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּלַל
Transliteration: dâlal
Pronunciation: daw-lal'
Description: a primitive root (compare דָּלָה); to slacken or be feeble; figuratively, to be oppressed; bring low, dry up, be emptied, be not equal, fail, be impoverished, be made thin. - Strong's Number: H2717
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָרַב
Transliteration: chârab
Pronunciation: khaw-rab'
Description: or חֲרֵב; a primitive root; to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill; decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, [idiom] surely, (lay, lie, make) waste. - Strong's Number: H7070
There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָנֶה
Transliteration: qâneh
Pronunciation: kaw-neh'
Description: from קָנָה; a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod (especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of the arm), beam (of a steelyard); balance, bone, branch, calamus, cane, reed, [idiom] spearman, stalk. - Strong's Number: H5488
There are 28 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּף
Transliteration: çûwph
Pronunciation: soof
Description: probably of Egyptian origin; a reed, especially the papyrus; flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare סוּף. - Strong's Number: H7060
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָמַל
Transliteration: qâmal
Pronunciation: kaw-mal'
Description: a primitive root; to wither; hew down, wither.