The imagery of drying up rivers and dead fish isn't just about God's power over nature; it vividly shows the devastating consequences of rejecting Him. When God withdraws His life-giving presence, it leaves a barren, stinking wasteland, highlighting that disobedience leads not just to punishment, but to a loss of all vitality.
Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes right after God addresses the people, asking them to prove their mother's divorce from Him wasn't His fault but theirs. Now, God interrogates why, when He "came" to them with His message of deliverance and repentance, no one responded or answered His call. He then rhetorically asks if His power to save has diminished, illustrating His immense power over nature by recalling His drying of the Red Sea and rivers, emphasizing His capability to act if only they had responded.
Ever feel like you're shouting into the void? This verse wrestles with that very frustration, but from God's perspective.
The Pain of Unanswered Cries
God is speaking here, and it’s not just a casual observation. He's asking, "Why wasn't anyone there? Why didn't anyone answer when I called?"
When God’s power is questioned, He doesn't just defend Himself; He demonstrates it in awe-inspiring ways.
Demonstrating Divine Might
Following the questions about His people's silence, God immediately shifts to assert His immense power. He anticipates the for their silence might be doubt about His ability to save or deliver.
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Understand the original words
padah · Hebrew Verb
The act of buying back or setting free from bondage, bondage, or debt; in a theological context, it is the act of God reclaiming His people from slavery or judgment through the payment of a price.
gearah · Hebrew Noun
A forceful expression of disapproval or correction, often associated with God’s authority over creation, used to restrain evil or exercise divine sovereignty.
This passage speaks from the perspective of God, lamenting the lack of response from His people when He 'came' to them, particularly in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. It highlights their unfaithfulness as the reason for their suffering, contrasting it with His past mighty acts of deliverance and His unwavering power.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and besieges Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem is spared, many other cities are captured, and Judah is forced into tribute, a harsh reminder of Assyria's power.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and a large number of the Judean elite to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians. The city and the Temple are destroyed, and most of the remaining population is exiled to Babylon, devastating the nation.
c. 550-539 BC
Persian Empire Rises
Cyrus the Great rises to power, conquering the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This shift in geopolitical power sets the stage for the eventual return of the exiles.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Captures Babylon
Cyrus conquers Babylon, ending the Babylonian exile and paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. A significant portion of the people make the journey back.
This passage describes God parting the Red Sea, a powerful demonstration of His might that directly parallels Isaiah's claim to dry up the sea with His rebuke.
Joshua 3:15-17The Jordan River stopping its flow mirrors Isaiah's imagery of making rivers a desert, illustrating God's absolute control over natural elements.
Psalm 106:9This psalm recounts God's deliverance at the Red Sea using the phrase 'at Your rebuke You dried up the sea,' showing a clear verbal link and shared theme of divine power.
Matthew 8:26Jesus rebuking the wind and waves echoes Isaiah's language, presenting a New Testament fulfillment and continuation of God's authority over creation.
Isaiah 59:1This verse directly asks if God's 'hand is shortened,' directly addressing the same question of divine power and ability to save that Isaiah 50:2 poses and answers.
wesleyIsaiah 50:2: "Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst."
50:2 Wherefore - The general accusation delivered in the last words he now proves by particular instances. When - When I, first by my prophets, came to call them to repentance.…
clarkeIsaiah 50:2: "Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst."
Their fish stinketh "Their fish is dried up" - For תבאש tibaosh, stinketh, read תיבש tibash, is dried up; so it stands in the Bodl. MS., and it is confirmed by the Septuagint,…
The imagery of drying up rivers and dead fish isn't just about God's power over nature; it vividly shows the devastating consequences of rejecting Him. When God withdraws His life-giving presence, it leaves a barren, stinking wasteland, highlighting that disobedience leads not just to punishment, but to a loss of all vitality.
This passage comes right after God addresses the people, asking them to prove their mother's divorce from Him wasn't His fault but theirs. Now, God interrogates why, when He "came" to them with His message of deliverance and repentance, no one responded or answered His call. He then rhetorically asks if His power to save has diminished, illustrating His immense power over nature by recalling His drying of the Red Sea and rivers, emphasizing His capability to act if only they had responded.
This passage comes right after God addresses the people, asking them to prove their mother's divorce from Him wasn't His fault but theirs. Now, God interrogates why, when He "came" to them with His message of deliverance and repentance, no one responded or answered His call. He then rhetorically asks if His power to save has diminished, illustrating His immense power over nature by recalling His drying of the Red Sea and rivers, emphasizing His capability to act if only they had responded.
"Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make t…" — The imagery of drying up rivers and dead fish isn't just about God's power over nature; it vividly shows the devastating consequences of rejecting Him. When God withdraws His life-giving presence, it…
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Last reviewed October 2026
