Isaiah 35:6
then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights a powerful contrast: brokenness healed and silence transformed into song. This isn't just about physical restoration, but about the deep, personal joy that erupts when God's life-giving presence floods a barren, "wilderness" existence.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 41:18", "connection": "This passage directly parallels the imagery of God bringing water to barren places, transforming deserts into lush areas, which echoes the restoration described in Isaiah 35:6." }, { "reference": "Isaiah 43:19", "connection": "Similar to Isaiah 35:6, this verse speaks of God making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, emphasizing God's power to bring life and provision to desolate situations." }, { "reference": "Matthew 11:4-5", "connection": "Jesus directly quotes and applies Isaiah's prophecy to His own ministry, highlighting that the lame leap, the blind see, and the deaf hear as signs of the coming kingdom, just as Isaiah 35:6 foretells." }, { "reference": "John 7:37-38", "connection": "Jesus' invitation to drink from Him, from whom 'rivers of living water will flow,' connects the imagery of abundant water in a dry land (Isaiah 35:6) with the spiritual refreshment and life He offers." }, { "reference": "Revelation 21:4", "connection": "This future vision describes a new creation where there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, mirroring the complete restoration and absence of suffering promised through the transformation described in Isaiah 35:6." } ] }
Imagine a joy so profound it unbinds your very body and sets your voice free. This isn't just about physical healing; it's about a transformation that leaps and sings.
The verse paints a vivid picture of radical restoration. The lame man, unable to move freely, now leaps like a deer – a symbol of agility, wildness, and uninhibited joy. Likewise, the mute, silenced and unable to express themselves, now sing for joy.
This speaks to a joy that overcomes every limitation. It’s not just the absence of pain or sickness, but the presence of exuberant life and the freedom to express it. This transformation is so complete that it impacts the very core of one's being, allowing for a full expression of praise and life.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Isaiah 35:6 is available in the Sola app.
What happens when the most desolate, lifeless places burst forth with life-giving water? It’s a picture of God’s power to bring renewal where we least expect it.
The second part of the verse explains why such a radical transformation occurs: 'For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.' This imagery points to God's abundant grace poured out into barren places.
The Barren Landscape
The 'wilderness' and 'desert' represent a state of spiritual desolation, dryness, and lack of life – a world cut off from God’s sustaining presence. It’s a place of thirst and emptiness.
The Unexpected Springs
But God declares that He Himself will cause 'waters' and 'streams' to 'break forth.' This signifies a sudden, unexpected, and abundant outpouring of His presence, His truth, and His life-giving Spirit. It’s a divine intervention that transforms the utterly dry into a place of refreshment and flourishing. This isn't a slow trickle; it’s a powerful eruption of grace that revives and sustains.
Understand the original words
pisseach · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
The state of being physically impaired or unable to walk. In a prophetic context, it symbolizes the spiritual restoration and wholeness brought about by God's kingdom.
illem · Hebrew Adjective
One who is unable to speak. Metaphorically, it often refers to those who are unable to praise God or communicate spiritual truth until God touches their lives.
midbar · Hebrew Noun
A vast, uninhabited, or desolate region. In Scripture, it is often a place of testing, spiritual struggle, and a canvas for God’s miraculous provision and transformation.
This prophecy, given during a time of Assyrian threat and anticipating future exile, paints a picture of radical, transformative restoration. It finds its primary fulfillment in Jesus Christ's ministry, where physical healings and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit bring life and joy to a spiritually desolate world.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Prophecy of Isaiah Recorded
The prophet Isaiah delivers prophecies concerning judgment and future restoration for the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. This chapter (Isaiah 35) falls within a period of Assyrian dominance in the region.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and exile many of the population, leading to a period of desolation and despair for the people of Judah.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
c. 538 BC Onward
Return from Exile
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marks the beginning of a gradual restoration, though not yet a full realization of prophetic promises.
c. 30 BC - AD 10
Life and Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, calling people to repentance and baptizing them. His ministry, often seen as fulfilling aspects of Isaiah's prophecies, prepares the way for Jesus.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, and unstopping the ears of the deaf. These miracles are seen as direct fulfillments of Isaiah's words.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and the Early Church
Following Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit is poured out on believers at Pentecost. This event empowers the apostles and marks the beginning of the church's mission to spread the gospel, bringing spiritual life to a barren world.
This passage directly quotes Isaiah's prophecy to describe the signs of Jesus' ministry, showing how the healing of the lame and mute were literal fulfillments of this prophetic vision.
John 7:37-38Jesus uses the imagery of 'rivers of living water' flowing from believers, echoing Isaiah's theme of water in the desert, to symbolize the spiritual life and abundance that His presence brings.
Romans 15:13Paul prays for believers to overflow with hope and joy through the Holy Spirit, reflecting the spiritual 'singing' and 'leaping' promised in Isaiah, a result of God's empowering presence.
Revelation 21:4This future vision of God dwelling with humanity describes a state where there is 'no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain,' a ultimate fulfillment of the sorrow fleeing away and the deep joy promised in Isaiah's prophecy.
barnesIsaiah 35:6: "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert."
Then shall the lame man leap - This was literally fulfilled after the coming of the Messiah Acts 14:10 ; Acts 3:8 . It is an emblem of the general joy which the coming of the Messiah would impart, and is an instance of the blessings which it would convey. As an hart - The word used here denotes the stag, or male deer. In Arabic it deno…
pooleIsaiah 35:6: "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert."
Then shall the lame man leap for joy, or go nimbly and readily. And this clause also, and that which follows, are to he understood both spiritually and literally, as in the former verse. In the wilderness small waters break out, and streams in the desert; the most dry and barren places shall be made moist and fruitful; which is princip…
The verse highlights a powerful contrast: brokenness healed and silence transformed into song. This isn't just about physical restoration, but about the deep, personal joy that erupts when God's life-giving presence floods a barren, "wilderness" existence.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 41:18", "connection": "This passage directly parallels the imagery of God bringing water to barren places, transforming deserts into lush areas, which echoes the restoration described in Isaiah 35:6." }, { "reference": "Isaiah 43:19", "connection": "Similar to Isaiah 35:6, this verse speaks of God making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, emphasizing God's power to bring life and provision to desolate situations." }, { "reference": "Matthew 11:4-5", "connection": "Jesus directly quotes and applies Isaiah's prophecy to His own ministry, highlighting that the lame leap, the blind see, and the deaf hear as signs of the coming kingdom, just as Isaiah 35:6 foretells." }, { "reference": "John 7:37-38", "connection": "Jesus' invitation to drink from Him, from whom 'rivers of living water will flow,' connects the imagery of abundant water in a dry land (Isaiah 35:6) with the spiritual refreshment and life He offers." }, { "reference": "Revelation 21:4", "connection": "This future vision describes a new creation where there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, mirroring the complete restoration and absence of suffering promised through the transformation described in Isaiah 35:6." } ] }
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 41:18", "connection": "This passage directly parallels the imagery of God bringing water to barren places, transforming deserts into lush areas, which echoes the restoration described in Isaiah 35:6." }, { "reference": "Isaiah 43:19", "connection": "Similar to Isaiah 35:6, this verse speaks of God making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, emphasizing God's power to bring life and provision to desolate situations." }, { "reference": "Matthew 11:4-5", "connection": "Jesus directly quotes and applies Isaiah's prophecy to His own ministry, highlighting that the lame leap, the blind see, and the deaf hear as signs of the coming kingdom, just as Isaiah 35:6 foretells." }, { "reference": "John 7:37-38", "connection": "Jesus' invitation to drink from Him, from whom 'rivers of living water will flow,' connects the imagery of abundant water in a dry land (Isaiah 35:6) with the spiritual refreshment and life He offers." }, { "reference": "Revelation 21:4", "connection": "This future vision describes a new creation where there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, mirroring the complete restoration and absence of suffering promised through the transformation described in Isaiah 35:6." } ] }
"then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;" — The verse highlights a powerful contrast: brokenness healed and silence transformed into song. This isn't just about physical restoration, but about the deep, personal joy that erupts when God's life…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
