King James Version

What Does Isaiah 19:5 Mean?

Isaiah 19:5 in the King James Version says “And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 19 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.”

Isaiah 19:5 · KJV

Context

3

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. fail: Heb. be emptied destroy: Heb. swallow up

4

And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts. give: or, shut up

5

And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

6

And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.

7

The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. and be: Heb. and shall not be

Read Isaiah 19 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
'And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.' The Nile—Egypt's lifeblood—fails. Egypt's entire economy, agriculture, and civilization depended absolutely on the Nile's annual flood cycle. Without it, Egypt becomes uninhabitable desert. The 'sea' refers to the Nile Delta region and associated lakes. This judgment strikes Egypt's fundamental source of life and prosperity. God demonstrates sovereignty over nature itself—He who created the Nile can shut it off. This directly challenges Egyptian religion which deified the Nile (Hapi, the Nile god) and credited Egyptian gods with controlling floods. By announcing Yahweh's control over the Nile, Isaiah declares Israel's God superior to Egypt's entire pantheon. Historically, while the Nile never completely dried up, severe low floods caused devastating famines (Joseph's story, Genesis 41, references this pattern).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Egypt's absolute dependence on the Nile can't be overstated—Greek historian Herodotus called Egypt 'the gift of the Nile.' Annual floods deposited fertile silt, enabling agriculture in otherwise arid desert. Low flood years caused famine; excessive floods destroyed infrastructure. Egyptian records document varying flood levels and their consequences. While the Nile didn't literally dry up, periods of significantly reduced flooding occurred, causing severe economic and social crises. The prophecy uses hyperbolic language to emphasize God's control over Egypt's fundamental life source. Modern damming has altered Nile patterns, but ancient Egypt's civilization rose and fell with flood cycles, validating the river's absolute importance.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does God's control over the Nile teach about sovereignty over natural resources nations depend on?
  2. How does this judgment challenge Egyptian deification of the Nile and associated gods?
  3. Why does God often judge nations by removing their fundamental sources of prosperity?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 6 words
וְנִשְּׁתוּ1 of 6

“and dried up”

H3001

to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage)

מַ֖יִם2 of 6

“And the waters”

H4325

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen

מֵֽהַיָּ֑ם3 of 6

“from the sea”

H3220

a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the mediterranean sea; sometimes a large river, or an artif

וְנָהָ֖ר4 of 6

“and the river”

H5104

a stream (including the sea; expectation the nile, euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity

יֶחֱרַ֥ב5 of 6

“shall be wasted”

H2717

to parch (through drought) i.e., (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill

וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃6 of 6

“shall fail”

H5405

properly, to eliminate, i.e., (intransitively) to dry up

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 19:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 19:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 51:36Ezekiel 30:12Zechariah 10:11Zechariah 14:18

Places in This Verse

NileRiver · Modern: Nile River · 31.47°N, 30.37°E45 verses across 9 books
View all places in Isaiah 19 →

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