Isaiah 41:18

41:18 I will make streams flow down the slopes

and produce springs in the middle of the valleys.

I will turn the desert into a pool of water

and the arid land into springs.

Isaiah 43:19-20

43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new.

Now it begins to happen! ¹  Do you not recognize ²  it?

Yes, I will make a road in the desert

and paths ³  in the wilderness.

43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,

the jackals and ostriches,

because I put water in the desert

and streams in the wilderness,

to quench the thirst of my chosen people,

Isaiah 50:2

50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?

Why does no one respond when I call? ⁴ 

Is my hand too weak ⁵  to deliver ⁶  you?

Do I lack the power to rescue you?

Look, with a mere shout ⁷  I can dry up the sea;

I can turn streams into a desert,

so the fish rot away and die

from lack of water. ⁸ 

[43:19]  ¹ tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.”

[43:19]  ² tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.”

[43:19]  ³ tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has נתיבות (“paths”).

[50:2]  ¹ sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

[50:2]  ² tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ³ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

[50:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”