Isaiah 42:15
Isaiah 42:15 in Multiple Translations
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
I will make waste mountains and hills, drying up all their plants; and I will make rivers dry, and pools dry land.
I will dry up the mountains and the hills, and make all their greenery wither. I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools.
I will make waste mountaines, and hilles, and drie vp all their herbes, and I will make the floods ylands, and I will drie vp the pooles.
I make waste mountains and hills, And all their herbs I dry up, And I have made rivers become isles, And ponds I dry up.
I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers to be islands, and I will dry up the pools.
I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and will make all their grass to wither: and I will turn rivers into islands, and will dry up the standing pools.
I will level off the hills and mountains, and I will cause all the plants and trees to dry up. I will cause the rivers to become small streams, and little islands will appear in them, and I will cause all the pools to become dry.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 42:15
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 42:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אַחֲרִ֤יב
הָרִים֙
וּ/גְבָע֔וֹת
וְ/כָל
עֶשְׂבָּ֖/ם
אוֹבִ֑ישׁ
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
נְהָרוֹת֙
לָֽ/אִיִּ֔ים
וַ/אֲגַמִּ֖ים
אוֹבִֽישׁ
אַחֲרִ֤יב
chârab
H2717
to dry
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
הָרִים֙
har
H2022
mountain
N-mp
וּ/גְבָע֔וֹת
gibʻâh
H1389
Gibeat
Conj | N-fp
וְ/כָל
kôl
H3605
all
Conj | N-ms
עֶשְׂבָּ֖/ם
ʻeseb
H6212
vegetation
N-ms | Suff
אוֹבִ֑ישׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
to wither
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
sûwm
H7760
to set
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
נְהָרוֹת֙
nâhâr
H5104
river
N-mp
לָֽ/אִיִּ֔ים
ʼîy
H339
coastland
Prep | N-mp
וַ/אֲגַמִּ֖ים
ʼăgam
H98
pool
Conj | N-mp
אוֹבִֽישׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
to wither
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 42:15
אַחֲרִ֤יב
chârab
H2717
"to dry"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
To slay or destroy is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to dry up or desolate something. It is used to describe fighting, attacking, or laying waste.
Definition: 1) to be dry, be dried up 1a) (Qal) to be dried, be dried up 1b) (Pual) to be dried 1c) (Hiphil) to dry up 1d) (Hophal) to be dried up
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, [idiom] surely, (lay, lie, make) waste. See also: Genesis 8:13; Isaiah 50:2; Psalms 106:9.
הָרִים֙
har
H2022
"mountain"
N-mp
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Definition: : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount
Usage: Occurs in 486 OT verses. KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. See also: Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:12; Judges 18:13.
וּ/גְבָע֔וֹת
gibʻâh
H1389
"Gibeat"
Conj | N-fp
Gibeat refers to a small hill, with the name meaning hill, and is another spelling of Gibeah. It appears in various KJV translations as hill or little hill.
Definition: This name means hill Another spelling of giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeah" H1390H)
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: hill, little hill. See also: Genesis 49:26; Isaiah 30:17; Psalms 65:13.
וְ/כָל
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.
עֶשְׂבָּ֖/ם
ʻeseb
H6212
"vegetation"
N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word means vegetation or grass, representing growth and new life. It is used in Genesis 1:11 to describe the creation of plants and in Psalm 23:2 to describe a peaceful landscape.
Definition: herb, herbage, grass, green plants Aramaic equivalent: a.sav (עֲשַׂב "grass" H6211B)
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: grass, herb. See also: Genesis 1:11; Psalms 72:16; Psalms 92:8.
אוֹבִ֑ישׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
"to wither"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
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.
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
sûwm
H7760
"to set"
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
נְהָרוֹת֙
nâhâr
H5104
"river"
N-mp
In the Bible, a river symbolizes prosperity, like the Nile or Euphrates, and is often used figuratively. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing the life-giving waters of the Promised Land. This word is also used to describe underground streams.
Definition: 1) stream, river 1a) stream, river 1b) (underground) streams Aramaic equivalent: ne.har (נְהַר "river" H5103H)
Usage: Occurs in 108 OT verses. KJV: flood, river. See also: Genesis 2:10; Psalms 93:3; Psalms 24:2.
לָֽ/אִיִּ֔ים
ʼîy
H339
"coastland"
Prep | N-mp
This word refers to a habitable spot, such as a coast, island, or dry land. It is used to describe desirable places in the Bible, like a country or region.
Definition: coast, island, shore, region
Usage: Occurs in 35 OT verses. KJV: country, isle, island. See also: Genesis 10:5; Isaiah 51:5; Psalms 72:10.
וַ/אֲגַמִּ֖ים
ʼăgam
H98
"pool"
Conj | N-mp
A pool or marsh, often used to describe a body of calm or troubled water, like a pond or swamp, as seen in the Bible's descriptions of natural settings.
Definition: 1) pool, troubled pool 1a) troubled or muddy (gloomy) pools, marshes 1b) any pool, pond 1c) swamp reeds, reeds, rush(es)
Usage: Occurs in 9 OT verses. KJV: pond, pool, standing (water). See also: Exodus 7:19; Isaiah 14:23; Psalms 107:35.
אוֹבִֽישׁ
yâbêsh
H3001
"to wither"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
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.
Study Notes — Isaiah 42:15
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 42:15 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 42:15
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 42:15
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 42:15
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 42:15
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
- Sermons on Isaiah 42:15
Context — A New Song of Praise
13The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:
14“I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.
15I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
16I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them. 17But those who trust in idols and say to molten images, ‘You are our gods!’ will be turned back in utter shame.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 50:2 | Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst. |
| 2 | Nahum 1:4–6 | He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence— the world and all its dwellers. Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him. |
| 3 | Isaiah 44:27 | who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’ |
| 4 | Revelation 20:11 | Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. |
| 5 | Isaiah 2:12–16 | For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted— it will be humbled— against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan, against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills, against every high tower, against every fortified wall, against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel. |
| 6 | Haggai 2:6 | For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. |
| 7 | Revelation 11:13 | And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. |
| 8 | Habakkuk 3:6–10 | He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling. Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD? Was Your wrath against the streams? Did You rage against the sea when You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation? You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high. |
| 9 | Psalms 107:33–34 | He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers. |
| 10 | Psalms 18:7 | Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger. |
Isaiah 42:15 Summary
In Isaiah 42:15, God says He will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation. This means that God is all-powerful and can bring judgment or desolation when necessary, as seen in Psalm 46:6. But even in the midst of destruction, God promises to guide and care for those who trust in Him, as seen in Isaiah 42:16 (and also in Jeremiah 31:3, where He says He will love us with an everlasting love). God's power and control over nature are a reminder of His ability to bring life or desolation, and we can trust in His sovereignty and goodness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'lay waste the mountains and hills' in Isaiah 42:15?
This phrase is a metaphor for God's power and judgment, as seen in Isaiah 2:12-14, where He judges the proud and lofty, and in Psalm 46:6, where He makes the mountains tremble.
Why does God 'dry up all their vegetation' in this verse?
This action symbolizes God's control over nature and His ability to bring life or desolation, as seen in Deuteronomy 29:23, where God withholds rain and causes the land to become barren.
Is God's destruction of the natural world in Isaiah 42:15 contradictory to His role as Creator?
No, God's role as both Creator and Judge is seen throughout Scripture, such as in Genesis 1:1 and Isaiah 45:7, where He creates and sustains life, but also brings judgment and destruction when necessary.
How does this verse relate to God's promise to lead the blind in Isaiah 42:16?
The contrast between God's judgment in Isaiah 42:15 and His guidance in Isaiah 42:16 highlights His sovereignty and ability to both destroy and redeem, as seen in Isaiah 45:7, where He creates both light and darkness.
Reflection Questions
- What are the 'mountains and hills' in my life that God may need to lay waste in order to bring about new life and growth?
- How can I trust in God's sovereignty and power when I see desolation and destruction around me?
- In what ways can I apply the principle of God's control over nature to my own life and circumstances?
- What are some areas where I may be trusting in 'idols' or false sources of comfort, and how can I turn to God instead?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 42:15
I will make waste mountains and hills,.... Kingdoms, greater and lesser; kings and governors, as Jarchi interprets it; and so Kimchi understands it of the kings of the nations; by them are meant the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 42:15
I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. I will make waste mountains - I will destroy all my proud and elated foes.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
I will make waste mountains and hills; not dry and barren ones, for these were waste already, but such as are clothed with grass and herbs, as the following words imply; which is to be understood metaphorically, of God’ s destroying his most lofty and flourishing enemies, who are oft compared in Scripture unto mountains and hills. I will dry up the pools; I will remove all impediments out of the way; which is expressed in the prophetical dialect, by drying up Euphrates, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared, . He seems to allude to that which God did in drying up first the Red Sea, and then Jordan, to give his people passage into Canaan. And this exposition is confirmed by the following verse.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
Isaiah 42:15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.Ver. 15. I will make waste mountains and hills.] I will rather invert the order of nature, and mingle heaven and earth together, than my Church shall want seasonable help. I will also remove all obstacles by sending fire upon the earth, and bring every high thought into a holy obedience.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
(15) I will make waste mountains . . .—The whole description is symbolic, and points to the subjugation of the heathen nations, the “rivers” and “pools” probably representing the kingdoms of the Tigris and Euphrates (Isaiah 8:7). All this seems a purely destructive work, but through it all mercy and truth are working, and a way is being opened for the return of Israel, in painting which, as elsewhere, the literal melts into the spiritual, as in a dissolving view. (See Note on Isaiah 40:4.) “These things” include the whole work of judgment and of mercy.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
Verse 15. I will make the rivers islands - "I will make the rivers dry deserts"] Instead of איים iyim, islands, read ציים tsiim; a very probable conjecture of Houbigant.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 42:15
15. Jehovah’s breath of anger will make the fairest and best watered regions an arid waste. Cf. ch. Isaiah 40:7; Isaiah 40:24, and note the contrasted image in Isaiah 41:18 f. For herbs, read herbage. The word islands is used in a peculiar sense, of dry land as opposed to water.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 42:15
I will make waste mountains - This verse denotes the utter desolation which God would bring upon his foes in his anger.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 42:15
15. Waste mountains and hills — Extreme execution of threats against sinners under figures of utter desolation wrought upon comely landscapes. Islands — Dry land as opposed to water. — Gesenius.
Sermons on Isaiah 42:15
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Reformation Within Protestantism): Preserve the Truth and Go With God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for reformation among Protestant churches. He speaks to a serious-minded and responsible adult audience, urging them to be deeply c |
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A Prophecy for Russia and America by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher expresses frustration and anger towards the wickedness in the world, particularly highlighting a case where a young man who had beaten up an elderly ma |
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Carry His Burden by Dennis Kinlaw | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a burden for the world that is without God. He encourages the audience to bear the burden and care for others, belie |
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God Is Willing to Save Wicked, Hardened Sinners! by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes God's unwavering willingness and power to save even the most hardened sinners, as seen in the plight of Judah who doubted His ability to redeem them from |
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John 12:34-41 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the deceitfulness of the Jews who questioned Christ's statement about being lifted up, revealing their lack of understanding and deliberate wrongdoin |
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Judgment Seat of Christ by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher begins by discussing the book of Revelation and its message that these events would come to pass shortly. He then shares a story about a preacher who c |
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Judgement Seat - Part 1 by Leonard Ravenhill | Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the gravity of the Judgment Seat of Christ, highlighting the finality of judgment for both the righteous and the unrighteous. He describes the book of |