The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Even the wild creatures, the jackals and ostriches, will honor God because of the abundant, miraculous water He provides in the barren desert. This demonstrates how God's provision for His chosen people extends even to the natural world, showing His abundant goodness to all creation.
The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage appears in the middle of a larger section of Isaiah that describes God's faithfulness and power in bringing his people back from exile. Following a powerful declaration of God's unwavering love and commitment to Israel, this verse promises a miraculous provision of water in a barren land. This imagery of life-giving water anticipates the ongoing theme of God's restorative actions for His chosen people, even extending to the natural world.
Why would the Bible mention wild animals honoring God? It's a poetic way to show the immense scope of God's provision.
Isaiah 43:20 paints a picture of God's abundant provision flowing even into the most desolate and unlikely places. The verse mentions 'wild beasts,' 'jackals,' and 'ostriches' – creatures that typically inhabit harsh, dry environments. God's act of bringing water to the wilderness and rivers to the desert isn't just for His chosen people; it overflows to sustain all of creation.
This highlights God's comprehensive care. Even the creatures we might consider insignificant or dangerous are touched by His generosity. When God makes the wilderness bloom with water, it's a testament to His power and a declaration that His provision is not limited by circumstance or by the perceived worthiness of the recipient.
God's actions are purposeful. His provision for Israel wasn't just about survival; it was about demonstrating His character.
The verse clarifies why God brings water to the wilderness: 'to give drink to my chosen people.' This highlights a core biblical concept: Israel was chosen by God not for favoritism alone, but to be a vessel through which His glory and provision would be revealed.
When God miraculously provides for Israel in the desert, it serves a dual purpose. First, it directly sustains His chosen people, assuring them of His faithfulness and presence even in exile or hardship. Second, it acts as a testimony to the surrounding world, and even to the animal kingdom, of who God is – the powerful, life-giving Creator. The chosen people, by receiving and living in the overflow of God's provision, become witnesses to His nature.
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Understand the original words
bachir · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Individuals or a group set apart and sovereignly selected by God for Himself, for the purpose of relationship, service, and witnessing to His glory.
This verse speaks to the exiles in Babylon, assuring them that God's miraculous provision of water in the desert would be evident during their return journey. The imagery of wild animals honoring God highlights the universal impact of God's saving power, extending even to the natural world.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Isaiah prophesied Jerusalem's deliverance from the Assyrian siege, reinforcing the inviolability of Zion and God's protection over His people.
621 BC
Discovery of the Book of the Law
King Josiah's religious reforms, spurred by the discovery of the Book of the Law, briefly renewed the nation's commitment to God's covenant.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Victory at Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar's decisive victory established Babylonian dominance, setting the stage for Judah's eventual fall and exile.
598 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deported a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite, including King Jehoiachin, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, completing the exile and scattering of God's chosen people.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great's Rise to Power
Cyrus the Great began his conquests, leading to the Persian Empire's ascendancy and ultimately the liberation of the Jewish exiles.
c. 545-539 BC— this verse
Prophecies of Return from Exile
During the Babylonian exile, prophets like Isaiah (Second Isaiah) delivered messages of comfort and hope, foretelling a miraculous return and restoration orchestrated by God through Cyrus.
This passage speaks of a parched land becoming a pool and thirsty ground springs of water, mirroring the theme of God providing water in the wilderness to sustain His people.
Psalm 107:35This verse also describes God turning a wilderness into pools of water and dry land into springs, directly echoing the imagery and promise of Isaiah 43:20.
Jeremiah 2:6This verse contrasts the difficult journey through a land of deserts and pits with God's faithfulness, highlighting the struggle and God's sustenance in such barren places.
Ezekiel 47:8-9This prophetic vision depicts water flowing from the sanctuary, bringing life to the desert and making the waters of the Arabah sweet, illustrating God's life-giving power in desolate areas.
John 7:38Jesus' words about rivers of living water flowing from those who believe in Him connect to the theme of God providing abundant, life-sustaining spiritual water in a spiritual desert.
barnesIsaiah 43:20: "The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen."
The beast of the field shall honor me - The sense of this passage is plain, and the image is highly poetical and beautiful. God would pour such copious floods of waters through the waste sandy deserts to supply his people, that even the wild beasts would be sensible of his abundant goodness, and would break fo…
pulpitIsaiah 43:20: "The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen."
Verse 20. - The beast of the field shall honour me. The animal creation shall, participate in the benefits of the "new thing" introduced by the restoration of Israel, and in their dumb way shall show their gratitude. The dragons and the owls. The recent mention of the desert causes animals of the desert (Isai…
Even the wild creatures, the jackals and ostriches, will honor God because of the abundant, miraculous water He provides in the barren desert. This demonstrates how God's provision for His chosen people extends even to the natural world, showing His abundant goodness to all creation.
This passage appears in the middle of a larger section of Isaiah that describes God's faithfulness and power in bringing his people back from exile. Following a powerful declaration of God's unwavering love and commitment to Israel, this verse promises a miraculous provision of water in a barren land. This imagery of life-giving water anticipates the ongoing theme of God's restorative actions for His chosen people, even extending to the natural world.
This passage appears in the middle of a larger section of Isaiah that describes God's faithfulness and power in bringing his people back from exile. Following a powerful declaration of God's unwavering love and commitment to Israel, this verse promises a miraculous provision of water in a barren land. This imagery of life-giving water anticipates the ongoing theme of God's restorative actions for His chosen people, even extending to the natural world.
"The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people," — Even the wild creatures, the jackals and ostriches, will honor God because of the abundant, miraculous water He provides in the barren desert. This demonstrates how God's provision for His chosen peo…
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Last reviewed October 2026