Isaiah 43:20-21
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, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse paints a picture where even the wild creatures of the desert—jackals and ostriches—will "honor" God. This isn't about conscious worship, but rather an unconscious acknowledgment of God's provision; their survival and sustenance in the arid wilderness is a testament to the same divine act that provides for His chosen people.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about God's faithfulness and power in delivering His people, Israel. In the preceding verses, God speaks of His unique ability to bring about a new salvation, reminding them of His past mighty acts like parting the Red Sea. This verse continues that theme by emphasizing the abundant provision God will make for His people, even extending to the wild creatures of the desert, as they journey through a land of scarcity.
Imagine the most unlikely creatures, dwelling in the harshest environments, suddenly acknowledging God's goodness. What does this reveal about God's care?
Isaiah 43:20 paints a vivid picture: 'The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches...' This isn't about these animals suddenly understanding theology! Instead, it's a poetic way of saying that God's provision in the wilderness is so abundant and miraculous that even the creatures accustomed to scarcity will benefit and, in their own way, 'honor' the source of this life-giving water.
Think about it: these are animals known for surviving in desolate, dry places. When God brings water to such a landscape, it's a profound act of provision. Their very existence, sustained by this 'new thing' God is doing, becomes an unconscious testament to His power and faithfulness.
When you're in a 'desert' season of life, where does true, lasting refreshment come from?
The core of this verse is God's direct action: 'because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.' This is God's answer to the barrenness and thirst experienced by His people.
This isn't just about physical water for a physical journey. In the context of Isaiah, the 'wilderness' and 'desert' often symbolize spiritual barrenness, times of exile, hardship, or a state of being far from God. God promises to break through that dryness, not with a trickle, but with 'rivers' – an abundant, transformative supply.
This highlights a crucial truth: true, life-sustaining refreshment doesn't come from the barren circumstances themselves, nor from our own efforts to find water in a dry land. It comes directly from God, who actively creates sources of life where none existed. He is the source, the provider, and the sustainer.
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.
yatsar · Hebrew Verb
In a biblical context, 'formed' (yatsar) refers to the act of God creating or shaping, often using the imagery of a potter, emphasizing His intentional design and sovereignty over His people.
tehillah · Hebrew Noun
Praise refers to the act of expressing gratitude, honor, and adoration to God, acknowledging His greatness, attributes, and works. It is the fitting response of creatures to their Creator.
This prophecy of God providing for His people in the wilderness, even for the wild animals, speaks during the Babylonian Exile. It contrasts the barrenness of exile with God's life-giving power, reminding the exiles that just as He sustained Israel in the past desert journeys, He will provide for them even in their foreign land and ultimately bring them back to their homeland, where life will flourish again.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Hezekiah trusts in Isaiah's prophecy that Jerusalem will be delivered from the Assyrian siege, a trust that is vindicated by a miraculous event.
621 BC
Discovery of the Book of the Law
The Book of the Law is found and read, leading to King Josiah's religious reforms, but this revival is short-lived.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Following Nebuchadnezzar's victory at Carchemish, a portion of the Jewish elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, are taken captive to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Jerusalem is captured again, and King Jehoiachin and more of the nation's leaders are exiled to Babylon.
This Psalm speaks of the provision of water for all living creatures, highlighting how God's care extends even to the wild beasts of the field, echoing the sentiment in Isaiah that even they will honor God due to His provision.
Isaiah 35:6-7This passage describes a similar miraculous transformation of the desert into a place of abundance, with water in the wilderness and rivers in the desolate land, directly paralleling the imagery and promise of blessing in Isaiah 43:20.
Jeremiah 50:39-40This prophetic passage describes the desolation of Babylon, contrasting it with its future state of being uninhabited by humans but inhabited by desert creatures, which indirectly supports the idea of wild animals finding sustenance in once-desolate places.
Job 38:41This verse reflects God's provision for the raven, questioning who feeds them when they cry out, suggesting a divine care for all creatures, including wild animals, which aligns with the idea that God's provision in the wilderness will be recognized by them.
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…
The verse paints a picture where even the wild creatures of the desert—jackals and ostriches—will "honor" God. This isn't about conscious worship, but rather an unconscious acknowledgment of God's provision; their survival and sustenance in the arid wilderness is a testament to the same divine act that provides for His chosen people.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about God's faithfulness and power in delivering His people, Israel. In the preceding verses, God speaks of His unique ability to bring about a new salvation, reminding them of His past mighty acts like parting the Red Sea. This verse continues that theme by emphasizing the abundant provision God will make for His people, even extending to the wild creatures of the desert, as they journey through a land of scarcity.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy about God's faithfulness and power in delivering His people, Israel. In the preceding verses, God speaks of His unique ability to bring about a new salvation, reminding them of His past mighty acts like parting the Red Sea. This verse continues that theme by emphasizing the abundant provision God will make for His people, even extending to the wild creatures of the desert, as they journey through a land of scarcity.
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587 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
After a prolonged siege and the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the majority of the remaining population are exiled to Babylon.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great Rises to Power
Cyrus begins his conquests, uniting the Medes and Persians and setting the stage for the eventual overthrow of Babylon.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
"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, the people whom I formed for myself that they might decl…" — The verse paints a picture where even the wild creatures of the desert—jackals and ostriches—will "honor" God. This isn't about conscious worship, but rather an unconscious acknowledgment of God's pr…
