Isaiah 44:27
New International Version
who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’

New Living Translation
When I speak to the rivers and say, ‘Dry up!’ they will be dry.

English Standard Version
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’;

Berean Standard Bible
who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’

King James Bible
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

New King James Version
Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers’;

New American Standard Bible
I am the One who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Dry up!’ And I will make your rivers dry up.

NASB 1995
“It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’ And I will make your rivers dry.

NASB 1977
It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’ And I will make your rivers dry.

Legacy Standard Bible
It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’ And I will make your rivers dry.

Amplified Bible
It is I who says to the deep, ‘Be dried up!’ And I will make your rivers dry.

Christian Standard Bible
who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,” and I will dry up your rivers;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,” and I will dry up your rivers;

American Standard Version
that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;

Contemporary English Version
I am the one who commands the sea and its streams to run dry.

English Revised Version
that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He says to the deep water, "Dry up." So I will dry up your rivers.

Good News Translation
With a word of command I dry up the ocean.

International Standard Version
who says to the watery deep, "Be dry— I will dry up your rivers;"

Majority Standard Bible
who says to the depths of the sea, ?Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,?

NET Bible
who says to the deep sea, 'Be dry! I will dry up your sea currents,'

New Heart English Bible
who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and 'I will dry up your rivers;'

Webster's Bible Translation
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

World English Bible
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Who is saying to the deep, "" Be dry, and your rivers I cause to dry up,

Young's Literal Translation
Who is saying to the deep, Be dry, and thy rivers I cause to dry up,

Smith's Literal Translation
Saying to the depth, Be thou dry, and I will dry up thy rivers.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who say to the deep: Be thou desolate, and I will dry up thy rivers.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I say to the depths, “Be desolate,” and, “I will dry up your rivers.”

New American Bible
I say to the deep, Be dry! I will dry up your rivers.

New Revised Standard Version
who says to the deep, “Be dry— I will dry up your rivers”;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Who said to the deep, Be dry, and who dried up the rivers;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Who said to the deep: “Be empty”, and your rivers, “Dry up"
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
That saith to the deep: 'Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers';

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who says to the deep, Thou shalt be dried up, and I will dry up the rivers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jerusalem to Be Restored
26who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’ 27who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’ 28who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’ ”…

Cross References
Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, / and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

Joshua 3:13-17
When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.” / So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them. / Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, ...

Psalm 106:9
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.

Psalm 114:3-5
The sea observed and fled; the Jordan turned back; / the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. / Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,

Jeremiah 50:38
A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols.

Jeremiah 51:36
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.

Jeremiah 51:42
The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered in turbulent waves.

Nahum 1:4
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

Zechariah 10:11
They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.

Revelation 16:12
And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

Matthew 8:26-27
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. / The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Mark 4:39-41
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. / “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” / Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Luke 8:24-25
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”

John 2:7-9
Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. / “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, / and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

John 6:19-21
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. / But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” / Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.


Treasury of Scripture

That said to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers:

be dry

Isaiah 11:15,16
And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod…

Isaiah 42:15
I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

Isaiah 43:16
Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

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Cause Deep Depth Dried Dry Rivers Sea Streams
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Cause Deep Depth Dried Dry Rivers Sea Streams
Isaiah 44
1. God comforts the church with his promises
7. The vanity of idols
9. And folly of idol makers
21. He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence














who says
This phrase emphasizes the authority and sovereignty of God. In the Hebrew text, the word used is "אָמַר" (amar), which means "to say" or "to declare." This is not a mere suggestion but a command from the Creator. It reflects the power of God's word, reminiscent of the creation narrative in Genesis where God speaks things into existence. The authority of God's word is a central theme throughout Scripture, underscoring His ability to bring about His will.

to the depths of the sea
The "depths of the sea" symbolize chaos and the unknown in ancient Near Eastern thought. The Hebrew word "תְּהוֹם" (tehom) is often used to describe the deep waters, which were seen as a place of mystery and danger. In the context of Isaiah, this phrase can be seen as a metaphor for the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that God can overcome. Historically, the sea was a formidable barrier, yet God demonstrates His power over it, as seen in the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus.

'Be dry,'
The command "Be dry" is a demonstration of God's miraculous intervention in the natural world. The Hebrew word "חָרֵב" (charev) means "to be dry" or "to be parched." This is a direct command that showcases God's ability to alter the natural order. It is reminiscent of the miracles performed during the Exodus, where God made a way for His people through the sea. This phrase reassures believers of God's power to make a way where there seems to be none.

and I will dry up
This phrase further emphasizes God's active role in the transformation of the natural world. The repetition of the concept of drying up reinforces the certainty and completeness of God's action. The Hebrew root "יָבֵשׁ" (yavesh) means "to dry up" or "to wither," indicating a thorough and decisive action. This is a promise of deliverance and a demonstration of God's control over creation.

your currents
The "currents" refer to the natural flow and movement of the sea, which in the Hebrew text is "נְהָרוֹת" (neharot), meaning "rivers" or "streams." This imagery conveys the idea of God halting the natural forces that seem unstoppable. In a broader sense, it symbolizes God's ability to stop the forces of chaos and opposition in the lives of His people. Historically, this could also allude to the drying up of the Euphrates River, facilitating the conquest of Babylon, as prophesied by Isaiah. This serves as a powerful reminder of God's providence and His ability to fulfill His promises against all odds.

(27) That saith to the deep--i.e., to the Euphrates. The words find a literal fulfilment in the strategical operation by which Cyrus turned the river from its usual bed into the Sepharvaim channel, and thus enabled his soldiers to cross on foot (Herod. i. 191). Symbolically the words may mean simply the destruction of the power of Babylon, of which its river was the emblem. (Comp. Revelation 16:12.)

Verse 27. - That saith to the deep, Be dry (comp. Isaiah 42:15). "The flood" here is probably the main stream of the Euphrates, while "the rivers" are the various side streams which branched off from it and again united themselves with it. Some commentators regard the drying of Euphrates as a mere metaphor for the exhaustion and ruin of Babylon (Kay); but (with Delitzsch) I should be inclined to understand a reference to the action of Cyrus in drawing off the water of the river (see the comment on Isaiah 42:15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
who says
הָאֹמֵ֥ר (hā·’ō·mêr)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to the depths of the sea,
לַצּוּלָ֖ה (laṣ·ṣū·lāh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6683: (ocean) deep

‘Be dry,
חֳרָ֑בִי (ḥo·rā·ḇî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 2717: To parch, to desolate, destroy, kill

and I will dry up
אוֹבִֽישׁ׃ (’ō·w·ḇîš)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither

your currents,’
וְנַהֲרֹתַ֖יִךְ (wə·na·hă·rō·ṯa·yiḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 44:27 Who says to the deep 'Be dry' (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 44:26
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