Isaiah 11:15-16
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. And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights an amazing detail: God will not just part the waters but actually "strike" the river into seven smaller streams, ensuring a path so smooth that people can cross "in sandals." This isn't just about overcoming obstacles; it’s about God making the impossible easy, turning what was a mighty barrier into a series of gentle crossings, so that His people can return without even getting their footwear wet.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about a future Messianic age, following depictions of judgment and restoration for God's people. It echoes the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, where God parted the Red Sea and the Nile, assuring an easy passage for His returning exiles and even future converts. The imagery of drying up the "tongue" of the sea and striking a great river into seven channels signifies God's power to remove any obstacle preventing His people's journey home.
Imagine facing an impassable sea or a raging river. What if God didn't just part the waters, but destroyed the obstacles entirely, creating a permanent pathway? Isaiah 11:15 describes such a radical act.
This verse paints a picture of God's power to remove not just temporary hindrances but to fundamentally change the landscape of our challenges.
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While Isaiah uses vivid imagery of seas and rivers, these descriptions point to something much deeper than just geography. What kinds of 'rivers' and 'seas' does God promise to overcome for us today?
The power described in Isaiah 11:15 isn't limited to ancient miracles. The 'sea' and the 'river' are powerful metaphors for the barriers that prevent God's people from reaching their spiritual destination or fulfilling His purposes.
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.
mesillah · Hebrew Noun
A raised road or raised way intended to facilitate safe and direct travel. In a prophetic context, it often symbolizes God’s intervention to make the way of return or restoration possible for His people, removing obstacles in their path.
she'ar · Hebrew Noun
A small part or portion that remains after a larger part has been removed or destroyed. Biblically, it refers to the faithful minority whom God preserves through judgment to carry forward the covenant promises.
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
Those who belong to the covenant community established through the patriarch Jacob. It represents the people chosen by God to be a light to the nations and the recipients of His specific promises.
This prophecy vividly recalls the miraculous Exodus from Egypt, assuring God's people that just as He once made a way through impossible barriers for their ancestors, He will also remove all obstacles for their future return and restoration, particularly through the work of the Messiah.
c. 1440 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape Egyptian bondage. This event becomes a foundational miracle for Israel.
c. 6th-4th century BC
Hellenistic Period
Following the conquests of Alexander the Great, Greek culture and influence spread widely, impacting the regions of Egypt and Mesopotamia.
c. 2nd century BC
Ptolemaic Rule in Egypt
Egypt was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty, descendants of one of Alexander the Great's generals. This period saw significant interaction with Jewish communities and their surrounding cultures.
1st century BC - 1st century AD
Roman Expansion
The Roman Empire expanded its influence, eventually conquering Egypt and establishing it as a province. This era saw both Roman administration and cultural integration.
c. AD 1-30
Ministry of Jesus
Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, culminating in his death and resurrection, fulfills prophetic promises about a coming king and a new covenant.
c. AD 40-60
Apostolic Preaching
The apostles and early Christians spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire, including to regions bordering Egypt and Mesopotamia.
c. AD 60-70— this verse
Paul's Ministry and Writings
The Apostle Paul's extensive missionary journeys and epistles further explain the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in Christ and the church.
This passage directly parallels the imagery of God parting waters with a mighty wind to create a dry path, echoing the miraculous exodus from Egypt.
Joshua 3:15-17Similar to Isaiah's prophecy, this describes the Jordan River being stopped and its waters divided to allow passage, illustrating God's power to remove obstacles for His people.
Nehemiah 9:11This recounts God's parting of the Red Sea, reinforcing the historical event that serves as the primary backdrop for Isaiah's prophetic imagery of miraculous passage.
Zechariah 10:10-11This passage describes God bringing His people back from Egypt and Assyria, again using imagery of a 'sea' and 'river' being overcome, connecting to Isaiah's theme of restoration and safe passage.
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 highlights an amazing detail: God will not just part the waters but actually "strike" the river into seven smaller streams, ensuring a path so smooth that people can cross "in sandals." This isn't just about overcoming obstacles; it’s about God making the impossible easy, turning what was a mighty barrier into a series of gentle crossings, so that His people can return without even getting their footwear wet.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about a future Messianic age, following depictions of judgment and restoration for God's people. It echoes the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, where God parted the Red Sea and the Nile, assuring an easy passage for His returning exiles and even future converts. The imagery of drying up the "tongue" of the sea and striking a great river into seven channels signifies God's power to remove any obstacle preventing His people's journey home.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about a future Messianic age, following depictions of judgment and restoration for God's people. It echoes the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, where God parted the Red Sea and the Nile, assuring an easy passage for His returning exiles and even future converts. The imagery of drying up the "tongue" of the sea and striking a great river into seven channels signifies God's power to remove any obstacle preventing His people's journey home.
"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 highlights an amazing detail: God will not just part the waters but actually "strike" the river into seven smaller streams, ensuring a path so smooth that people can cross "in sandals." Thi…
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