Isaiah 19:7
Isaiah 19:7 in Multiple Translations
The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the fields sown along the Nile, will wither, blow away, and be no more.
The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more.
The grass-lands by the Nile, and everything planted by the Nile, will become dry, or taken away by the wind, and will come to an end.
The vegetation along the banks of the Nile, and all the plants in the cultivated land along the Nile, will dry up and be blown away. Everything will be gone.
The grasse in the riuer, and at the head of the riuers, and all that groweth by the riuer, shall wither, and be driuen away, and be no more.
Exposed things by the brook, by the edge of the brook, And every sown thing of the brook, hath withered, It hath been driven away, and is not.
The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.
The paper-reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more .
The channel of the river shall be laid bare from its fountain, and every thing sown by the water shall be dried up, it shall wither away, and shall be no more.
All the plants along the river and all the crops will dry up; then they will blow away and disappear.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 19:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 19:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עָר֥וֹת
עַל
יְא֖וֹר
עַל
פִּ֣י
יְא֑וֹר
וְ/כֹל֙
מִזְרַ֣ע
יְא֔וֹר
יִיבַ֥שׁ
נִדַּ֖ף
וְ/אֵינֶֽ/נּוּ
עָר֥וֹת
ʻârâh
H6169
bulrush
N-fp
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
יְא֖וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
stream
N-proper
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
פִּ֣י
peh
H6310
lip
N-ms
יְא֑וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
stream
N-proper
וְ/כֹל֙
kôl
H3605
all
Conj | N-ms
מִזְרַ֣ע
mizrâʻ
H4218
sowing
N-ms
יְא֔וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
stream
N-proper
יִיבַ֥שׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
to wither
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
נִדַּ֖ף
nâdaph
H5086
to drive
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
וְ/אֵינֶֽ/נּוּ
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Conj | Part | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 19:7
עָר֥וֹת
ʻârâh
H6169
"bulrush"
N-fp
The word for bulrush refers to a type of plant that grows in the water, and is also translated as 'paper reed'. It appears in Isaiah 58:5 and Job 8:11. This plant was often used for making paper or other products.
Definition: bare place
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: paper reed. See also: Isaiah 19:7.
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
יְא֖וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
"stream"
N-proper
A stream or river, like the Nile, is what this word refers to. It can also mean a canal, watercourse, or even a mining shaft, emphasizing the flow of water.
Definition: 1) river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal 1a) stream, river (Nile) 1b) Nile-arms, Nile-canals 1c) watercourses 1d) shafts (mining) 1e) river (in general)
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: brook, flood, river, stream. See also: Genesis 41:1; Psalms 78:44; Isaiah 7:18.
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
פִּ֣י
peh
H6310
"lip"
N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
יְא֑וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
"stream"
N-proper
A stream or river, like the Nile, is what this word refers to. It can also mean a canal, watercourse, or even a mining shaft, emphasizing the flow of water.
Definition: 1) river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal 1a) stream, river (Nile) 1b) Nile-arms, Nile-canals 1c) watercourses 1d) shafts (mining) 1e) river (in general)
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: brook, flood, river, stream. See also: Genesis 41:1; Psalms 78:44; Isaiah 7:18.
וְ/כֹל֙
kôl
H3605
"all"
Conj | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
מִזְרַ֣ע
mizrâʻ
H4218
"sowing"
N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to a field where seeds are planted, like a garden or farm. It appears in the Bible as a place of sowing and growth. In the KJV, it is translated as 'thing sown'.
Definition: seed-land, place of sowing
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: thing sown. See also: Isaiah 19:7.
יְא֔וֹר
yᵉʼôr
H2975
"stream"
N-proper
A stream or river, like the Nile, is what this word refers to. It can also mean a canal, watercourse, or even a mining shaft, emphasizing the flow of water.
Definition: 1) river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal 1a) stream, river (Nile) 1b) Nile-arms, Nile-canals 1c) watercourses 1d) shafts (mining) 1e) river (in general)
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: brook, flood, river, stream. See also: Genesis 41:1; Psalms 78:44; Isaiah 7:18.
יִיבַ֥שׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
"to wither"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to wither or dry up, like a plant without water. It can also mean to be ashamed or disappointed. The Bible uses it to describe things that have lost their freshness or vitality.
Definition: 1) to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be dry, be dried up, be without moisture 1a2) to be dried up 1b) (Piel) to make dry, dry up 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to dry up, make dry 1c1a) to dry up (water) 1c1b) to make dry, wither 1c1c) to exhibit dryness
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: be ashamed, clean, be confounded, (make) dry (up), (do) shame(-fully), [idiom] utterly, wither (away). See also: Genesis 8:7; Jeremiah 6:15; Psalms 22:16.
נִדַּ֖ף
nâdaph
H5086
"to drive"
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
To drive or disperse is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe people or animals being forced to move. It's like being pushed or shoved, as seen in some biblical events.
Definition: 1) to drive, drive away, drive asunder 1a) (Qal) to drive about 1b)(Niphal) to be driven, be driven about
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: drive (away, to and fro), thrust down, shaken, tossed to and fro. See also: Leviticus 26:36; Psalms 68:3; Psalms 1:4.
וְ/אֵינֶֽ/נּוּ
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Conj | Part | Suff
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
Study Notes — Isaiah 19:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 19:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 19:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 19:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 19:7
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 19:7
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
- Sermons on Isaiah 19:7
Context — The Burden against Egypt
5The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty.
6The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.
7The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the fields sown along the Nile, will wither, blow away, and be no more.
8Then the fishermen will mourn, all who cast a hook into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the waters will pine away. 9The workers in flax will be dismayed, and the weavers of fine linen will turn pale.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 32:20 | Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely. |
| 2 | Joel 1:17–18 | The seeds lie shriveled beneath the clods; the storehouses are in ruins; the granaries are broken down, for the grain has withered away. How the cattle groan! The herds wander in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering. |
| 3 | Isaiah 23:3 | On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 19:13 | Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 14:4 | The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads. |
Isaiah 19:7 Summary
Isaiah 19:7 describes how the Nile River and its surrounding fields will wither and disappear, much like the desolation described in Isaiah 19:5-6. This is a picture of what happens when God's judgment comes upon a nation that has rejected Him, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Just as the Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt, our spiritual lives can wither away if we do not stay connected to God, as warned in John 15:6. By trusting in God's power and provision, we can avoid spiritual barrenness and instead bear fruit, as promised in Galatians 5:22-23.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the bulrushes by the Nile in Isaiah 19:7?
The bulrushes represent the abundance and fertility of Egypt, which will wither away as a result of God's judgment, as seen in Isaiah 19:7, similar to the withering of the reeds and rushes in Isaiah 19:6.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the chapter?
Isaiah 19:7 is part of a larger prophecy against Egypt, where God declares that He will dry up the Nile River and all its sources of life, as stated in Isaiah 19:5, leading to the devastation of the land and its people.
What does it mean for the fields to 'wither, blow away, and be no more'?
This phrase indicates a complete and utter destruction of the agricultural land, leaving it barren and uninhabitable, much like the desolation described in Deuteronomy 29:23, where the land is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Is this verse still relevant today?
Yes, Isaiah 19:7 serves as a reminder of God's power and sovereignty over all nations, including Egypt, and His ability to bring judgment upon those who reject Him, as seen in Romans 11:22, where we are reminded of the kindness and severity of God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I have become too comfortable or complacent, and how can I apply the lesson of Isaiah 19:7 to those areas?
- How can I trust in God's sovereignty and provision, even when faced with uncertainty or hardship, as the Egyptians faced in this prophecy?
- What are some ways that I can 'sow' spiritual seeds in my life, and how can I nurture them to bear fruit, in contrast to the withered fields of Isaiah 19:7?
- In what ways can I be a witness to the power and glory of God, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, as Isaiah was in his prophecy against Egypt?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 19:7
The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks,.... Not at the fountain or origin of the Nile and its streams, but by the sides thereof; on the banks of which grew a reed or rush, called
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 19:7
The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
The paper reeds; which by a needle, or other fit instrument, were divided into thin and broad leaves, which being dried and fitted, were used at that time for writing, as our paper is; and consequently was a very good commodity. Sown by the brooks; and much more what was sown in more dry and unfruitful places.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
Isaiah 19:7 The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no [more].Ver. 7. The paper reeds by the brooks,] i.e., By the streams of Nile; for where this river arriveth not, is nothing but a whitish sand, bearing no grass but two little weeds called suhit and gazul, which, burnt to ashes, maketh the finest crystal glasses. And everything sown by the brooks.] As far as Nile overflows is a black mould, so fruitful as they do but throw in the seed and have four rich harvests in less than four months.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
(7) The paper reeds by the brooks.—Better, the meadows by the Nile. And so in the other clauses, the Hebrew word for “brooks” being used specifically for that river. For “shall wither and be driven away,” read, shall dry up and vanish. The valley of the Nile is to become as parched and barren as the desert on either side of it.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 19:7
7. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks] Usually rendered as in R.V., “The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile.” The word for “meadows,” which does not occur again, is supposed to mean literally “bare place,” hardly a suitable designation! A safer translation would be, Bare places are on the Nile, on the (very) brink of the Nile. The LXX. has an entirely different text, which might suggest: “Bare is all verdure on the brink of the Nile.” every thing sown] A unique term. Perhaps “seed-field,” but note the verb “driven away” which follows. “Seed-field of the Nile” might mean the alluvial deposit produced by the inundation, which is the source of Egypt’s fertility.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 19:7
The paper reeds - (ערות ‛ârôt). This is not the word which occurs in Isaiah 18:2, and which, it is supposed, means there the papyrus (see the note on that place).
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 19:7
6, 7. Shall turn the rivers — Many famines have occurred in Egypt owing to failure of the rains in the south. The river becomes low and stagnant and putrid.
Sermons on Isaiah 19:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Holy Spirit – Come Back to Your Church by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the false teachings of prosperity gospel and the devastation it has caused. He emphasizes that God does not desire material wealth for His fo |
|
A Steward of the Mysteries of God by George Kulp | George Kulp preaches about the powerful impact of a faithful priest who aligns with God's will, the blessings for those who sow seeds of faith, and the importance of pastors who fe |
|
(Joel) the Day of the Lord Brings Judah Low by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the prophecy of Joel and the judgment that had come upon Judah in the form of a plague of locusts. He addresses the common question of why Go |
|
Homily 3 on the Statues by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the departure of Flavian, Bishop of Antioch, on an embassy to the Emperor Theodosius, emphasizing the sacrifice and dedication of a true shepherd who |