What is the meaning of Isaiah 19:5?

The waters of the Nile

• The verse begins by spotlighting “the waters of the Nile,” Egypt’s lifeline for food, travel, commerce, and national pride (Genesis 41:1-3; Jeremiah 46:7-8).

• Scripture often ties Egypt’s confidence to this river (Ezekiel 29:3). By naming it first, God identifies the very source of the nation’s strength.

• When God touches the Nile, He is declaring that no earthly resource is beyond His reach (Exodus 7:17-21).

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will dry up

• The words are literal: God promises an actual drying of the river, a supernatural judgment that only He can bring about (Ezekiel 30:12; Zechariah 10:11).

• Drying a river that normally overflows sends a clear message—Egypt’s might evaporates the moment God withdraws His sustaining hand.

• This action also echoes earlier judgments, reminding every generation that the Lord remains the same, wielding absolute control over creation (Isaiah 44:27).

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and the riverbed

• Mentioning the riverbed shifts the picture from surface water to what lies beneath. Even the hidden channels will feel the impact.

• A cracked, empty channel exposes how hollow Egypt’s self-reliance really is, fulfilling Job 12:15: “If He withholds the rain, they dry up.”

• The detail shows that God judges thoroughly—nothing is left half-done when He acts.

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will be parched and empty

• “Parched and empty” underscores total desolation: no moisture, no life, no hope of quick recovery (Psalm 107:33; Isaiah 42:15).

• A parched riverbed also pictures future, end-time judgments when great rivers again run dry to pave the way for God’s purposes (Revelation 16:12).

• For the believer, the phrase warns against placing trust in any earthly supply, calling us instead to rely wholly on the Lord who “turns deserts into springs” (Isaiah 41:18).

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summary

Isaiah 19:5 delivers a literal prophecy of God’s judgment on Egypt: the once-mighty Nile will dry up from surface to streambed, leaving a scorched, empty channel. By targeting the river that defined Egypt’s economy and security, God proves He alone sustains nations, humbles pride, and holds absolute authority over His creation.