Isaiah 43:20

20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls*:^[a] because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

Isaiah 43:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 43:20

The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons, and the
owls
Which is not to be understood literally of these creatures, who as they had honoured the Lord, when Israel passed through the wilderness, so would again in their way praise the Lord, when they came through the deserts from Babylon, for giving them water to drink in such dry and thirsty places, to which there may be an allusion; but spiritually of the Gentiles, compared to those creatures for the savageness, fierceness, and stupidity of them, and who were reckoned by the Jews no other than as the beasts of the field; who should honour and glorify God for the Gospel brought unto them, and for his grace and mercy bestowed on them: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert;
as before; (See Gill on Isaiah 43:19); because of the plenty of divine grace, and the means of it: to give drink to my people, my chosen;
to refresh and comfort the hearts of his people, whom he had chosen out from among the Gentiles, and now would call them by his grace, and set them a thirsting after Christ, and salvation by him.

Isaiah 43:20 In-Context

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

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.

20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

Footnotes

• [a]. owls: or, ostriches: Heb. daughters of the owl