Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 43:19
An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.
Definition: interj 1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part 2) if Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)
Usage: Occurs in 311 OT verses. KJV: behold, if, lo, though. See also: Genesis 3:22; Job 2:6; Psalms 51:7.
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
The Hebrew word for new or fresh, used to describe something recently created or renewed, as seen in God's creation of a new heaven and earth. It emphasizes the idea of something being recent or modern.
Definition: new, new thing, fresh Aramaic equivalent: cha.dat (חֲדַ֑ת "new" H2323)
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: fresh, new thing. See also: Exodus 1:8; Psalms 40:4; Psalms 33:3.
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases
Usage: Occurs in 422 OT verses. KJV: henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas. See also: Genesis 3:22; Joshua 24:23; 2 Samuel 24:13.
To spring or grow is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can describe plants, hair, or even ideas. It's used to talk about new life or development, like a seed sprouting or a person's speech growing more fluent.
Definition: 1) to sprout, spring up, grow up 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to sprout, spring up 1a1a) of plants 1a1b) of hair 1a1c) of speech (fig.) 1b) (Piel) to grow abundantly or thickly 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to grow 1c2) to cause to sprout
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: bear, bring forth, (cause to, make to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause to) spring (forth, up). See also: Genesis 2:5; Psalms 104:14; Psalms 85:12.
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
The Hebrew word for 'also' or 'addition', used to connect ideas or show a relationship between them, as seen in Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean 'though' or 'yet', indicating a contrast. This word is often used to add emphasis or provide more information.
Definition: conj (denoting addition, esp of something greater) 1) also, yea, though, so much the more adv 2) furthermore, indeed Aramaic equivalent: aph (אַף "also" H0638)
Usage: Occurs in 123 OT verses. KJV: also, [phrase] although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, [phrase] how much less (more, rather than), moreover, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:1; Psalms 16:6; Psalms 16:7.
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Definition: 1) mouth 1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
Usage: Occurs in 257 OT verses. KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness. See also: Genesis 14:6; Joshua 5:4; Psalms 29:8.
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Definition: : road/route 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner 1a) road, way, path 1b) journey 1c) direction 1d) manner, habit, way 1e) of course of life (fig.) 1f) of moral character (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 626 OT verses. KJV: along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever). See also: Genesis 3:24; Deuteronomy 28:29; 1 Kings 15:34.
Jeshimon, or wilderness, refers to a desolate or empty place, often a desert. It is a place of solitude and emptiness, as described in the Bible.
Definition: waste, wilderness, desert, desolate place
Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: desert, Jeshimon, solitary, wilderness. See also: Numbers 21:20; 1 Samuel 26:3; Psalms 68:8.
In the Bible, a river symbolizes prosperity, like the Nile or Euphrates, and is often used figuratively. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing the life-giving waters of the Promised Land. This word is also used to describe underground streams.
Definition: 1) stream, river 1a) stream, river 1b) (underground) streams Aramaic equivalent: ne.har (נְהַר "river" H5103H)
Usage: Occurs in 108 OT verses. KJV: flood, river. See also: Genesis 2:10; Psalms 93:3; Psalms 24:2.
Context — A Way in the Wilderness
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) |
| 1 |
Isaiah 48:6 |
You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you. |
| 2 |
Isaiah 42:9 |
Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.” |
| 3 |
2 Corinthians 5:17 |
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! |
| 4 |
Revelation 21:5 |
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” |
| 5 |
Isaiah 41:18 |
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs. |
| 6 |
Luke 3:4–5 |
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. |
| 7 |
Isaiah 35:6–10 |
Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus. And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it. No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it. So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee. |
| 8 |
Jeremiah 31:22 |
How long will you wander, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the land— a woman will shelter a man.” |
| 9 |
Isaiah 40:3–4 |
A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. |
| 10 |
Psalms 78:16–20 |
He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers. But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness? When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?” |
Isaiah 43:19 Summary
[God is always doing something new and wants us to trust Him, even when we can't see what's happening, as He says in Isaiah 43:19. He promises to make a way for us, even in the toughest times, and to bring life and joy to those who follow Him, just like He did for the Israelites in the wilderness, as recorded in Exodus 13:18. This means we can have hope and confidence in God's goodness, as expressed in Romans 8:28, and look forward to seeing what He will do next. By trusting in God's plan and promises, we can experience the new life and vitality that He offers, as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:17.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean when God says He is about to do something new?
This means that God is always working and has new plans to bring about His will, as seen in Isaiah 43:19, and His ways are not limited by our past experiences or understanding, as mentioned in Isaiah 55:8-9.
How can we see what God is doing when it seems like nothing is happening?
According to Isaiah 43:19, God asks if we do not see what He is doing, implying that we need to have eyes of faith and trust in His goodness, as expressed in Romans 8:28, to perceive His work in our lives.
What does the promise of making a way in the wilderness mean for believers?
This promise, found in Isaiah 43:19, signifies that God will provide a path forward, even in the most challenging and desolate circumstances, just as He did for the Israelites in the wilderness, as recorded in Exodus 13:18 and Numbers 33:1-49.
How does this verse relate to the idea of spiritual renewal and revival?
Isaiah 43:19 suggests that God is always working to bring about new life and vitality, which is a central theme in spiritual renewal and revival, as seen in Ezekiel 36:26 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, where God makes all things new.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to trust God to make a way, just as He does in the wilderness?
- How can I cultivate eyes of faith to see what God is doing, even when it seems like nothing is happening?
- What are some ways I can cooperate with God's plan to do something new in my life, and what might be holding me back?
- In what ways can I declare God's praise, as mentioned in Isaiah 43:21, and share with others what He has done for me?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing,.... A wonderful and unheard of thing, and therefore introduced with a "behold", as a note of admiration; the same with the new thing created in the earth, Jeremiah
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 43:19
A new thing; such a work as was never yet done in the world, even the redemption of the world by the Messiah. Now; shortly, although it was not to be done till after some hundreds of years. For so the Scripture oft speaketh of things at a great distance of time as if they were now at hand, as , and elsewhere; which it doth to correct our impatience, and to make us willing to wait till God’ s time come; and to assure us that the mercy shall come as soon as ever it is fit for us, and we for it; and to make us sensible of the inconsiderableness of time, and all temporal things, in comparison of God, and of the eternal things; upon which account it is said that a thousand years are in God’ s sight but as one day, . Shall ye not know it? certainly you Jews shall know it by experience, and shall find that I do not deceive you with vain hopes. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert; I will give you direction and provision in the wilderness, where there is commonly no path, and where all necessaries are wanting; which as it literally speaks of God’ s conducting them in the way from Babylon to Jerusalem, which lay through a great desert; so it is mystically meant of those spiritual blessings which God in and through Christ will confer upon all his people, not the Jews only, but also the Gentiles, who in prophetical language are oft compared to the wilderness, as , and elsewhere.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 43:19
Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.Ver. 19. Shall ye not know it?] Or, Do ye not perceive it? He speaketh of it as present and under view. And rivers in a desert.] As once when I set the flint abroach. By this way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, understand the doctrine of the gospel, and the comforts of the Spirit.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 43:19
(18, 19) Remember ye not . . .—All the wonders of the great historic past of Israel were to be as nothing compared with the new manifestation of the power of Jehovah, which Isaiah sees as already dawning in the future. Shall ye not know it?—Better, Will ye not give heed to it?I will even make a way in the wilderness . . .—The literal and the spiritual senses melt into each other. The very beasts of the field shall lose their ferocity in the presence of the saints of God. For “dragons and owls,” read jackals and ostriches.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 43:19
Verse 19. Behold, I will do a new thing] At Isaiah 43:16, the prophet had referred to the deliverance from Egypt and the passage through the Red Sea; here he promises that the same power shall be employed in their redemption and return from the Babylonish captivity. This was to be a new prodigy.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 43:19
19. The making of the way through the desert and water for the pilgrims to drink (See on ch. Isaiah 40:3 f., Isaiah 41:18 ff.) is considered to be a miracle transcending the passage of the Red Sea, and all the miracles which attended the first exodus. This is the new thing on which the prophet’s mind fastens as the symbol of Israel’s deliverance. now it shall &c.] Rather: even now it is springing forth; do ye not recognise it? In ch. Isaiah 42:9, the new things are spoken of as announced before they “spring forth,” while as yet there is no sign of their appearing; here to the lively imagination of the prophet they are already seen “germinating,” and he calls on the people to see them as the inevitable issue of the conquests of Cyrus. But while the above seems the most effective rendering of the question, that of the E.V. is quite possible:—“shall ye not experience it.” the desert] Heb. Jìshîmôn, an utterly barren and arid region (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalms 68:7; Psalms 78:40; Psalms 107:4 &c.) as distinguished from midbâr (“wilderness” or “steppe”), where flocks can find a scanty sustenance. It occurs as a proper name in Numbers 21:20 (1 Samuel 26:1).
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 43:19
I will do a new thing - Something that has not hitherto occurred, some unheard of and wonderful event, that shall far surpass all that he had formerly done (see the note at Isaiah 42:9).
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 43:19
19-21. A new thing — As the former event was common in invasions, sieges, etc., to the unfortunate conquered, the marvel now to be spoken of is the certainly approaching spiritual restoration, not on
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The Glory of the Last Days
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We Have Been Taught Not to Discern - Part 1
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Ichabod: The Glory Departed
by Bakht Singh
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In this sermon transcript, the preacher emphasizes that many preachers today are not delivering God's message but their own opinions and worldly philosophies to entertain people. T |
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The Real Roots of the Emergent Church Documentary
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This sermon discusses the concept of the emergent church, likening it to the emergent growth in forestry or agriculture, symbolizing a small beginning with potential for significan |
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Sunday #1 Introduction to Revival
by J. Edwin Orr
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In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of evangelism and its importance in spreading the word of God. He defines evangelism as presenting Jesus Christ in the power of th |