And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching breath, and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse describes God drying up waters to create a path for His people, but notice the vivid detail: they will cross "in sandals." This isn't just about being dry; it’s about having their footwear intact, implying a remarkably smooth and easy passage, not just a functional one. It highlights God's desire to remove not only major obstacles but also every minor inconvenience, ensuring His people's return is remarkably effortless.
And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching breath, and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage envisions a future restoration, drawing parallels to God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Isaiah describes God not only parting a sea and river for His people's return from exile but actively drying them up so they can cross easily, even in their sandals. This imagery signifies God removing all obstacles, no matter how immense, to bring His people home and establish His kingdom.
God doesn't just deal with problems; He obliterates them. This verse paints a picture of God's absolute power to clear obstacles for His people.
Isaiah 11:15 describes God taking action against both the "tongue of the Egyptian sea" and "the river" (likely the Nile or Euphrates). The language used – "utterly destroy," "smite it into seven streams," and "make men go over dryshod" – is incredibly powerful.
Supernatural Power:
This isn't about natural phenomena; it's about God's direct intervention. Just as He parted the Red Sea for Israel's exodus, He promises here to create an impassable path. This speaks to His ability to overcome any barrier, no matter how formidable.
Symbolism of Obstacles:
This imagery assures us that when God decides to act for His people, no geographical or political barrier is too great. He can literally create a highway where none existed.
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This isn't just about a physical crossing; it's about a spiritual pathway God prepares for His redeemed people.
The ultimate goal of God's miraculous intervention in Isaiah 11:15 is to create a "highway" for His people. This isn't merely about a safe passage out of exile, but a broader picture of God making a way for His redeemed to return to Him and to His purposes.
A Path for the Remnant:
This passage speaks of a "highway for the remnant of his people" returning from places like Assyria and Egypt. This connects to the future hope of Israel's restoration and the ingathering of Gentiles into God's kingdom under the Messiah.
The Messiah's Role:
The "highway" is ultimately paved by the Messiah, the "root of Jesse." His coming and work enable this path. As verses in the broader context (like Isaiah 11:1-10) point to Christ, so too does this act of making a way. It foreshadows the spiritual redemption and reconciliation that Christ accomplishes, allowing us to approach God freely.
Walking in God's Way:
The phrase "lead people across in sandals" (or "dry-shod") emphasizes not just the ease of passage but the purity of it. It's a way prepared by God that allows His people to walk in holiness, untainted by the dangers and obstacles that would normally impede them. This is the "highway of holiness" mentioned in Isaiah 35:8.
Understand the original words
charam · Hebrew Verb
To devote to destruction or dry up completely. Used of God, it signifies His absolute power to remove obstacles to His purposes.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
The life-giving or destructive power of God, often represented as wind or Spirit. Here it signifies God's divine energy or word that affects the natural world to clear a path for His people.
This prophecy vividly draws on the memory of the Exodus from Egypt, promising a future, even greater deliverance. The drying up of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan are recalled, but here, God will more dramatically prepare a 'highway' through Egypt's 'sea' and the great river (likely the Nile or Euphrates), symbolizing the complete removal of all obstacles for His returning people, whether from literal exile or from spiritual bondage.
c. 1440 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites escape slavery in Egypt, miraculously crossing the Red Sea. This foundational event shapes much of Israel's understanding of God's power and faithfulness.
c. 9th-8th Century BC
Assyrian Empire's Rise
The powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire begins its expansion, posing a significant threat to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and leading to the exile of the northern kingdom.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion
Assyrian King Sennacherib invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is not captured, the event highlights the vulnerability of Judah.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy the Temple, exiling a significant portion of the Judean population. This marks a period of deep national and spiritual crisis.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Following the Persian conquest of Babylon, Cyrus the Great allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks a partial restoration.
c. 1st Century AD
Roman Rule in Judea
Judea is under Roman occupation, with varying degrees of autonomy granted to local rulers. Tensions between Rome and Jewish populations are high, contributing to future conflict.
c. 1st Century AD— this verse
Messianic Expectations
There are widespread expectations among Jewish people for a divinely appointed deliverer who will restore Israel's glory and usher in an era of peace.
This passage mirrors the imagery of a powerful wind being used by the Lord to divide waters, directly paralleling the drying of the Red Sea for Israel's exodus, which Isaiah's vision evokes.
Joshua 3:15-17The crossing of the Jordan River, another miraculous event where waters were held back to allow passage, serves as a conceptual parallel to God making a way through seemingly impassable bodies of water.
Zechariah 10:10-11This prophecy describes God bringing His people back from Egypt and Assyria, miraculously opening paths and subduing waters, which strongly resonates with the theme of divine intervention for a safe return.
Isaiah 43:1-2God assures His people that when they pass through waters or rivers, they will not be swept away, echoing the promise of safe passage through divine protection that Isaiah 11:15 illustrates.
wesleyIsaiah 11:15: "And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod."
11:15 Destroy - Shall not only divide it, as of old, but dry it up, that it may be an high - way. The sea - The Red Sea, which may well be called the Egyptian sea, both because it borders upon Egypt, and because the Egyptians were drowned in it, which is called a tongue in the He…
barnesIsaiah 11:15: "And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod."
And the Lord - The prophet goes on with the description of the effect which shall follow the return of the scattered Jews to God. The language is figurative, and is here drawn from that which was the great storehouse of all the imagery of the Jews - the deliverance of their fathe…
The verse describes God drying up waters to create a path for His people, but notice the vivid detail: they will cross "in sandals." This isn't just about being dry; it’s about having their footwear intact, implying a remarkably smooth and easy passage, not just a functional one. It highlights God's desire to remove not only major obstacles but also every minor inconvenience, ensuring His people's return is remarkably effortless.
This passage envisions a future restoration, drawing parallels to God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Isaiah describes God not only parting a sea and river for His people's return from exile but actively drying them up so they can cross easily, even in their sandals. This imagery signifies God removing all obstacles, no matter how immense, to bring His people home and establish His kingdom.
This passage envisions a future restoration, drawing parallels to God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Isaiah describes God not only parting a sea and river for His people's return from exile but actively drying them up so they can cross easily, even in their sandals. This imagery signifies God removing all obstacles, no matter how immense, to bring His people home and establish His kingdom.
"And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching breath, and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals." — The verse describes God drying up waters to create a path for His people, but notice the vivid detail: they will cross "in sandals." This isn't just about being dry; it’s about having their footwear…
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Last reviewed October 2026