Isaiah 41:17

Amplified Bible

"The poor and needy are seeking water, but there is none; Their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself; I, the God of Israel, will not neglect them.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none;their tongues are parched with thirst.I will answer them.I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I will not abandon them.

Hebrew Names Version
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst; I, the LORD, will answer them, I, the God of Yisra'el, will not forsake them.

King James Version
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

English Standard Version
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

New American Standard Bible
"The poor and needy are seeking water, but there is none, And their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself; As the God of Israel I will not abandon them.

New Century Version
"The poor and needy people look for water, but they can't find any. Their tongues are dry with thirst. But I, the Lord , will answer their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not leave them to die.

World English Bible
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst; I, Yahweh, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
When the poore and the needy seeke water, & there is none (their tongue faileth for thirst: I the Lorde will heare them: I the God of Israel will not forsake them)

Legacy Standard Bible
"The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none,And their tongue is parched with thirst;I, Yahweh, will answer them Myself,As the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

Berean Standard Bible
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Contemporary English Version
When the poor and needy are dying of thirst and cannot find water, I, the Lord God of Israel, will come to their rescue. I won't forget them.

Complete Jewish Bible
"The poor and needy look for water in vain; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, Adonai , will answer them. I, the God of Isra'el, will not leave them.

Darby Translation
The afflicted and the needy seek water, and there is none; their tongue faileth for thirst: I, Jehovah, will answer them, [I], the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Easy-to-Read Version
"The poor and needy look for water, but they cannot find any. Their tongues are dry with thirst. I, the Lord , will answer their prayers. I, the God of Israel, will not leave them to die.

George Lamsa Translation
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is dried with thirst, I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Good News Translation
"When my people in their need look for water, when their throats are dry with thirst, then I, the Lord , will answer their prayer; I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

Lexham English Bible
The poor and the needy are seeking water and there is none; their tongue is dried up with thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Literal Translation
The poor and the needy seek water, and there is none; their tongue is parched for thirst. I, Jehovah will hear them; the God of Israel will not leave them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When the thurstie and poore seke water & fynde none, & when their tunge is drie of thurst: I geue it them, saieth the LORDE. I the God of Israel forsake them not.

American Standard Version
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I, Jehovah, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Bible in Basic English
The poor and crushed are looking for water where no water is, and their tongue is dry for need of it: I the Lord will give ear to their prayer, I the God of Israel will not give them up.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
The poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

King James Version (1611)
When the poore and needie seeke water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will heare them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
When the thirstie and poore seeke water and finde none, and when their tongue is drye of thirst, I geue it them saith the Lorde, I the God of Israel forsake them not.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the poor and the needy shall exult; for when they shall seek water, and there shall be none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord God, I the God of Israel will hear, and will not forsake them:

English Revised Version
The poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nedi men and pore seken watris, and tho ben not; the tunge of hem driede for thirst. Y the Lord schal here hem, I God of Israel schal not forsake hem.

Update Bible Version
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst; I, Yahweh, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Webster's Bible Translation
[When] the poor and needy seek water, and [there is] none, [and] their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, [I] the God of Israel will not forsake them.

New English Translation
The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the Lord , will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

New King James Version
"The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

New Living Translation
"When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord , will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

New Life Bible
"The suffering and those in need look for water, but there is none. Their tongue is dry with thirst. I the Lord will answer them. I the God of Israel will not leave them alone.

New Revised Standard
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As for the oppressed and the needy. Seeking water when there is none, Their tongue with thirst being parched I - Yahweh, will answer them, The God of Israel, I will not forsake them:

Douay-Rheims Bible
The needy and the poor seek for waters, and there are none: their tongue hath been dry with thirst. I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Revised Standard Version
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Young's Literal Translation
The poor and the needy are seeking water, And there is none, Their tongue with thirst hath failed, I, Jehovah do answer them, The God of Israel -- I forsake them not.

THE MESSAGE
"The poor and homeless are desperate for water, their tongues parched and no water to be found. But I'm there to be found, I'm there for them, and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty. I'll open up rivers for them on the barren hills, spout fountains in the valleys. I'll turn the baked-clay badlands into a cool pond, the waterless waste into splashing creeks. I'll plant the red cedar in that treeless wasteland, also acacia, myrtle, and olive. I'll place the cypress in the desert, with plenty of oaks and pines. Everyone will see this. No one can miss it— unavoidable, indisputable evidence That I, God , personally did this. It's created and signed by The Holy of Israel.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, And their tongue is parched with thirst; I, the LORD, will answer them Myself, As the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰'Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].' ¹¹"Indeed, all those who are angry with you will be put to shame and humiliated; Those who strive against you will be as nothing and will perish. ¹²"You shall search for those who quarrel with you, but will not find them; They who war against you will be as nothing, as nothing at all. ¹³"For I the LORD your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' ¹⁴"Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. ¹⁵"In fact, I have made of you a new, sharp threshing implement with sharp edges; You will thresh the mountains and crush them, And make the hills like chaff. ¹⁶"You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, And a high wind will scatter them; But you will rejoice in the LORD, You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. ¹⁷"The poor and needy are seeking water, but there is none; Their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself; I, the God of Israel, will not neglect them.¹⁸"I will open rivers on the barren heights And springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a reed-pool of water And the dry land springs of water. ¹⁹"I will put the cedar in the wilderness, The acacia, the myrtle and the olive tree; I will place the juniper in the desert Together with the box tree and the cypress,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the poor: Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 66:2, Psalms 68:9, Psalms 68:10, Psalms 72:12, Psalms 72:13, Psalms 102:16, Psalms 102:17, Matthew 5:3

seek: Isaiah 55:1, Exodus 17:3, Exodus 17:6, Psalms 42:2, Psalms 63:1, Psalms 63:2, Amos 8:11-13, Matthew 5:6, John 4:10-15, John 7:37-39, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:17

their tongue: Psalms 22:15, Lamentations 4:4, Luke 16:24

I the Lord: Isaiah 30:19, Judges 15:18, Judges 15:19, Psalms 34:6, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 102:17, Psalms 107:5, Psalms 107:6, 2 Corinthians 12:9

I the God: Isaiah 42:16, Genesis 28:15, Psalms 94:14, Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 13:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:17 - water of Numbers 20:8 - bring forth Numbers 21:16 - Gather Judges 4:19 - Give me Judges 6:13 - forsaken us 1 Samuel 12:22 - the Lord 2 Samuel 23:15 - longed 1 Kings 8:26 - And now 1 Kings 17:8 - the word 2 Kings 3:17 - Ye shall not 2 Kings 19:15 - O Lord God 1 Chronicles 4:10 - the God 2 Chronicles 6:17 - O Lord Nehemiah 9:20 - gavest Esther 6:1 - that night Job 20:17 - the rivers Psalms 40:17 - I am poor Psalms 107:35 - turneth Psalms 137:6 - let my tongue Psalms 141:8 - leave not my soul destitute Isaiah 29:19 - the poor Isaiah 35:6 - for Isaiah 43:20 - to give Isaiah 44:3 - pour water Isaiah 48:21 - they thirsted Jeremiah 31:9 - I will Ezekiel 36:10 - I will Ezekiel 47:8 - and go down Joel 3:18 - and all Amos 4:8 - two Amos 8:13 - General Zechariah 10:6 - for I am Zechariah 14:8 - in summer Mark 15:34 - why Luke 11:24 - dry 1 Corinthians 12:13 - to drink Revelation 7:16 - hunger

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst,.... This is to be understood not literally, but spiritually; not of their outward circumstances, though the people of God are for the most part the poor of the world, and in need of the good things of it, hungry and thirsty, and naked; but of their spiritual estate: as in Christ they need nothing; but in themselves, and at different times, and in different frames, want many things; as larger discoveries of the love of God, fresh supplies of grace from Christ, more spiritual light and liveliness, fresh strength and comfort, fresh views of pardon and righteousness, fresh food for faith, and more grace of every sort to help them in their time of need; and which they seek for at the throne of grace, and in public ordinances, and sometimes they can find none, or it is a long time ere they obtain any: they thirst after doctrine, as the Targum, after the word and ordinances, and sometimes their circumstances are such, they cannot come at them; after communion with God, and spiritual comfort, and cannot enjoy it, being in a place where is no water; and after the blessings of grace, and can have no application of them; see Psalms 42:1, this may represent in a great measure the state of the church under the ten persecutions of the Heathen emperors, or when obliged to fly into the wilderness from the wrath of the dragon,

Revelation 12:6:

I the Lord will hear them; their cries and prayers, and answer them, and supply their wants, who is the Lord God Almighty, and can help them, the Lord that changes not, and therefore they shall not be consumed:

I the God of Israel will not forsake them; neither their persons, nor his work of grace upon them, but will support them, and provide for them, and carry on his work in them; of which they may be assured, because he is the God of Israel, their covenant God and Father.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When the poor and needy seek water - Water is often used in the Scriptures as an emblem of the provisions of divine mercy. Bursting fountains in a desert, and flowing streams unexpectedly met with in a dry and thirsty land, are often also employed to denote the comfort and refreshment which the gospel furnishes to sinful and suffering man in his journey through this world. The ‘poor and needy’ here, doubtless refer primarily to the afflicted captives in Babylon. But the expression of the prophet is general, and the description is as applicable to his people at all times in similar circumstances as it was to them. The image here is derived from their anticipated return from Babylon to Judea. The journey lay through a vast pathless desert (see the notes at Isaiah 40:3). In that journey when they were weary, faint and thirsty, God would meet and refresh them as if he should open fountains in their way, and plant trees with far-reaching boughs and thick foliage along the road to produce a grateful shade, and make the whole journey through a pleasant grove. As he met their fathers in their journey from Egypt to the land of Canaan, and had brought water from the flinty rock in the desert (Exodus 15:22 ff), so in their journey through the sands of Arabia Deserta, he would again meet them, and provide for all their want.