Isaiah 37:25
ESV
I dug wells and drank waters, to dry up with the sole of my foot all the streams of Egypt.
NIV
I have dug wells in foreign lands and drunk the water there. With the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.’
NASB
I dug wells and drank waters, And with the sole of my feet I dried up All the canals of Egypt.’
CSB
I dug wells and drank water in foreign lands. I dried up all the streams of Egypt with the soles of my feet."
NLT
I have dug wells in many foreign lands and refreshed myself with their water. With the sole of my foot, I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!’
KJV
I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.
NKJV
I have dug and drunk water, And with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defense.’
What does Isaiah 37:25 mean?
Through Isaiah (Isaiah 37:22–23), the Lord is holding up a mirror to Sennacherib's bragging and arrogance. A common element of some modern-day music styles are exaggerated claims of greatness, invincibility, skill, or power. These are taken as poetic, not literal. But the Assyrian king honestly believes what he says of himself: that he is unstoppable and all-powerful (Isaiah 37:24).This extends to Sennacherib's sense of control over the natural world. Mountains and trees were no match for him, and neither are rivers or streams. Even the Nile—the famously large and powerful river of Egypt—is dismissed by Sennacherib's sense of power.
God takes great offense at human boasting, especially when it challenges God's ability to challenge one fragile human life (Psalm 10:4; 14:1; 94:7). No thing or person is more powerful than the Lord God of Israel (Revelation 1:8; Jeremiah 32:17). This is a truth Sennacherib will learn soon, and painfully (Isaiah 37:36–38).
