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)
The promise of a "highway" isn't just about easy travel; it recalls God's miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. This imagery highlights that the future restoration, like the Exodus, will be a powerful, divinely orchestrated act, removing every obstacle for His people.
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)
This verse is part of a larger vision of future restoration and peace under the reign of the Messiah. Just before this, God promises to regather the scattered people of Israel from all corners of the earth, removing all obstacles to their return. This highway imagery directly follows that promise, illustrating the ease and divine provision that will characterize their homecoming.
Imagine being exiled, far from home. What if God promised not just a way back, but a 'highway' – smooth, unobstructed, and divinely prepared?
Isaiah 11:16 paints a picture of restoration. The 'highway' signifies that God will remove all barriers for His people, whether they are scattered in Assyria or elsewhere. This isn't just about physical travel; it's a metaphor for complete freedom and ease in returning to God's favor and presence. Just as God cleared the path from Egypt in the Exodus, He will do the same for the exiles, ensuring their journey back is miraculous and unimpeded. This speaks to God's power to overcome any obstacle for those He calls His own.
The promise of a highway is specifically for the 'remnant.' Who are they, and why does God focus His restorative power on them?
The verse highlights that the highway is for 'the remnant that remains.' This emphasizes that even after judgment and exile, God preserves a faithful portion of His people. This 'remnant' isn't defined by their strength or numbers, but by God's sovereign choice and preserving grace. Their return is a testament to God's faithfulness, showing that His plans are not thwarted by human sin or scattering. It points to a future where God actively gathers and restores those who have been dispersed, a theme that echoes throughout Scripture.
Why does Isaiah connect this future highway from Assyria to the ancient exodus from Egypt? What enduring truth is God highlighting?
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By comparing the future restoration to the Exodus from Egypt, Isaiah draws a powerful parallel. The Exodus was a foundational act of God's deliverance, showcasing His power over enemies and His provision for His people. This comparison assures the exiles that God's power to save and restore is not diminished. The 'highway' implies the same miraculous intervention, the same divine protection, and the same complete victory over obstacles that marked Israel's first great escape. It's a promise that God's character and His commitment to His people remain constant, ensuring a restoration just as significant and divinely orchestrated as their liberation from Egypt.
Understand the original words
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 verse speaks of a future, miraculous return from exile, drawing a powerful parallel between the Exodus from Egypt and the eventual restoration of God's people from lands like Assyria. The highway symbolizes God removing all obstacles for His 'remnant,' just as He parted the Red Sea for Israel. It points to a time when God's power will make a way for His scattered people to return to Him and His dwelling place.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Israel
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under Tiglath-Pileser III, conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many inhabitants and scattering them throughout the empire. This marks a significant crisis for the ten northern tribes.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital city of Samaria falls to the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Shalmaneser V, leading to the final dissolution of the Northern Kingdom and further exile of its people.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins deporting Judean elites and skilled workers to Babylon. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile for the Southern Kingdom.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, destroy Jerusalem and its First Temple. The majority of the remaining Judean population is exiled to Babylon.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia overthrows the Babylonian Empire, allowing the exiled Judeans to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.
c. 538 BC
First Return of Exiles to Jerusalem
Under Cyrus's decree, a significant number of Judeans, led by Zerubbabel, return from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and their city.
c. 740-701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Conquest of Southern Judah
While the Northern Kingdom fell earlier, the Southern Kingdom of Judah faced repeated invasions and threats from Assyria, culminating in Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC, though the city itself was miraculously spared.
This passage describes the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, which Isaiah directly compares to the future 'highway' God will provide for His people, highlighting God's power to remove impossible obstacles for His people's deliverance.
Isaiah 35:8This verse also speaks of a 'highway' and a 'way' prepared for the redeemed to return, reinforcing the theme of God miraculously clearing a path for His people, not just physically but also spiritually.
Zechariah 10:10-11Similar to Isaiah's prophecy, Zechariah foretells God bringing His people back from exile, using imagery of a 'highway' and subjugating oppressive lands, showing this theme of divine provision for return spans multiple prophets.
Matthew 11:28Jesus' invitation to 'come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden' speaks to a spiritual 'highway' of rest and relief, connecting the physical restoration in Isaiah to the ultimate spiritual redemption found in Christ.
barnesIsaiah 11:16: "And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt."
And there shall be an highway - All obstructions shall be removed, and they shall be permitted to return without hinderance (compare the note at Isaiah 35:8 ). For the remnant of his people from Assyria - See note at Isaiah 11:11. Like as it was to Israel... - That is, God will remove all obstructions as he…
wesleyIsaiah 11:16: "And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt."
11:16 As it was - As there was another high - way from Egypt. All impediments shall be removed, and a way made for the return of God's Israel from all parts of the world. He mentions Assyria, because thither the ten tribes were carried, whose case seemed to be most desperate.
The promise of a "highway" isn't just about easy travel; it recalls God's miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. This imagery highlights that the future restoration, like the Exodus, will be a powerful, divinely orchestrated act, removing every obstacle for His people.
This verse is part of a larger vision of future restoration and peace under the reign of the Messiah. Just before this, God promises to regather the scattered people of Israel from all corners of the earth, removing all obstacles to their return. This highway imagery directly follows that promise, illustrating the ease and divine provision that will characterize their homecoming.
This verse is part of a larger vision of future restoration and peace under the reign of the Messiah. Just before this, God promises to regather the scattered people of Israel from all corners of the earth, removing all obstacles to their return. This highway imagery directly follows that promise, illustrating the ease and divine provision that will characterize their homecoming.
"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." — The promise of a "highway" isn't just about easy travel; it recalls God's miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. This imagery highlights that the future restoration, like the Exodus, will be a powerf…
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Last reviewed October 2026