Isaiah 51:15
I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of hosts is his name.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes God's power not just to divide the sea, but to stir it up and command its roaring waves, highlighting that His control extends even to its wildest fury, mirroring His authority over all chaotic forces. This isn't just a reminder of past miracles, but a declaration that the God who tamed the sea for His people’s rescue is the same one who holds ultimate power over all creation and conflict.
In this passage, God is reminding His people of His immense power and faithfulness. He's just described their suffering and the desolation of Zion, but now He shifts to reaffirm His role as their Creator and Deliverer. This verse serves as a powerful declaration of His might, immediately preceding His promise to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, ultimately establishing Zion as His people.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenant-keeping name of the God of Israel, revealing His holiness, eternal self-existence, and faithfulness to His people.
tsaba · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His supreme authority as the Commander of the vast celestial armies of angels and the entire created order.
In Isaiah 51:15, God reminds His people of His awesome power, specifically referencing His miraculous parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus. This powerful act, meant to instill awe and remembrance, is evoked during the vulnerable period of the Babylonian exile, serving as a potent reminder that the God who once delivered them from an insurmountable obstacle can do so again.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of slavery in Egypt, are dramatically led out by God. Moses, at God's command, stretches out his hand over the Red Sea, and it parts, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. The pursuing Egyptian army is then drowned when the waters return.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport a significant portion of the population to Babylon. This event marks a period of deep sorrow and national crisis for the Judean people.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, conquers the Babylonian Empire. This victory sets the stage for the return of exiled peoples, including the Jews, to their homelands.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
This passage directly recalls the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, which is the foundational event Isaiah is referencing here to demonstrate God's immense power and faithfulness.
Psalm 77:16-19This psalm vividly describes God's power over the sea and the storm during the Exodus, echoing the imagery of roaring waves and divine control that Isaiah invokes.
Jeremiah 31:35This verse shares a striking parallel, stating that the LORD who created the heavens and controls the sea gives ordinances for Israel, reinforcing the theme of God's cosmic authority and care for His people.
Nehemiah 9:11This passage recounts the history of Israel's deliverance, explicitly mentioning God dividing the sea and leading His people through the depths, serving as a historical testimony to the event Isaiah references.
pulpitIsaiah 51:15: "But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name."
Verse 15. - But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea; rather, for I, the Lord thy God, am he that divided the sea (comp. ver. 10). The reference is once more to the great miracle wrought at the Exodus, when the Red Sea was "divided" before the host of Israelites (Exodus 14:21; comp. Psalm 74:13). Whose waves roared (see Exodus 14:27; Exodus 15:10).
ellicottIsaiah 51:15: "But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name."
(15) But I am . . . —Better, Seeing that I am. The fact which follows is not contrasted with that which precedes, but given as its ground. The might of Jehovah is seen in the storm-waves of the sea. It is seen not less in the fall and rise of empires.
The verse emphasizes God's power not just to divide the sea, but to stir it up and command its roaring waves, highlighting that His control extends even to its wildest fury, mirroring His authority over all chaotic forces. This isn't just a reminder of past miracles, but a declaration that the God who tamed the sea for His people’s rescue is the same one who holds ultimate power over all creation and conflict.
In this passage, God is reminding His people of His immense power and faithfulness. He's just described their suffering and the desolation of Zion, but now He shifts to reaffirm His role as their Creator and Deliverer. This verse serves as a powerful declaration of His might, immediately preceding His promise to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, ultimately establishing Zion as His people.
In this passage, God is reminding His people of His immense power and faithfulness. He's just described their suffering and the desolation of Zion, but now He shifts to reaffirm His role as their Creator and Deliverer. This verse serves as a powerful declaration of His might, immediately preceding His promise to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, ultimately establishing Zion as His people.
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Cyrus issues a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the end of the Babylonian exile.
"I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of hosts is his name." — The verse emphasizes God's power not just to divide the sea, but to stir it up and command its roaring waves, highlighting that His control extends even to its wildest fury, mirroring His authority…
