Isaiah 35:8

"The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay."

Key Reflection

In Isaiah 35:8, the prophet envisions a dramatic transformation of a desolate and arid landscape into a fertile, lush environment teeming with life. For the original audience, this imagery would have carried significant hope amidst their current hardships—highlighting God’s promise to restore a devastated land not just to its former state but to an even greater prosperity far beyond what was known before. The specific mention of jackals, which are creatures typically associated with desolation and abandonment, being displaced by grass, reeds, and rushes symbolizes the reversal of judgment and the fulfillment of divine restoration promised throughout Isaiah's prophecies.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

And an highway shall be there -(see the note atIsaiah 11:16). This is language which is derived from the return of the Jews from captivity. The idea is, that there would be easy and uninterrupted access to their own land. The more remote, though main idea in the mind of the prophet seems to have been, that the way of access to the blessings of the Messiah’s reign would be open and free to all (compareIsaiah 40:3-4). And a way -It is not easy to mark the difference between the word “way” (דרךderek) and “a highway” (מסלוּלmaselûl).

More from Isaiah 35

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