Isaiah 21 · Verse 14

Isaiah 21:14

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
Isaiah 21:14, King James Version

Isaiah 21:14 in other translations

BSBBring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.
WEBThey brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
ASVUnto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
YLTTo meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.
DARBYBring ye water to meet the thirsty! The inhabitants of the land of Tema come forth with their bread for him that fleeth.
BBEGive water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
WebsterThe inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they met with their bread him that fled.

What does Isaiah 21:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Tema--a kindred tribe: an oasis in that region (Jr 25:23). The Temeans give water to the faint and thirsting Dedanites; the greatest act of hospitality in the burning lands of the East, where water is so scarce. prevented--that is, anticipated the wants of the fugitive Dedanites by supplying bread (Ge 14:18). their bread--rather, "his (the fugitive's) bread"; the bread due to him, necessary for his support; so "thy grave" (Is 14:19), [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 The land of Tema "The southern country" - Θαιμαν, Sept.; Austri, Vulg. They read תימן teiman, which seems to be right; for probably the inhabitants of Tema might be involved in the same calamity with their brethren and neighbors of Kedar, and not in a condition to give them assistance, and to relieve them, in their flight before the enemy, with bread and water. To bring forth bread and water is an instance of common humanity in such cases of distress; especially in those desert countries in which the common necessaries of life, more particularly water, are not easily to be met with or procured. Moses forbids the Ammonite and Moabite to be admitted into the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation. One reason which he gives for this reprobation is their omission of the common offices of humanity towards the Israelites; "because they met them not with bread and water in the way, when they came forth out of Egypt," Deu 23:4.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 21:13-17

The Arabians lived in tents, and kept cattle. A destroying army shall be brought upon them, and make them an easy prey. We know not what straits we may be brought into before we die. Those may know the want of necessary food who now eat bread to the full. Neither the skill of archers, nor the courage of mighty men, can protect from the judgments of God. That is poor glory, which will thus quickly come to nothing…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 21:13-17 →

Isaiah 21:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לִקְרַ֥אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
צָמֵ֖אtza.Me'[the] thirstyH6771
הֵתָ֣יוּhe.Ta.yubringH857
מָ֑יִםMa.yimwaterH4325
יֹשְׁבֵי֙yo.she.VeiO inhabitants ofH3427
אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
תֵּימָ֔אtei.Ma'TemaH8485
בְּלַחְמ֖וֹbe.lach.Mowith bread hisH3899
קִדְּמ֥וּki.de.Muthey metH6923
נֹדֵֽד\׃no.Dedfugitive[s]H5074

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 21:14

  • Job 6:19

    The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

  • Genesis 25:15

    Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

  • Romans 12:20

    Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

  • Proverbs 25:21

    If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

  • Judges 8:4-8

    And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. …

  • Isaiah 16:3-4

    Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

  • 1 Peter 4:9

    Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

  • 1 Chronicles 1:30

    Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Tema.
Ge 25:15; 1Ch 1:30; Job 6:19
brought. or, bring ye.
16:3,4; Jud 8:4-8; Pr 25:21; Ro 12:20; 1Pe 4:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 21:13

    The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

  • Isaiah 21:14

    The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

  • Isaiah 21:15

    For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

Read all of Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Salid á encontrar al sediento; llevadle aguas, moradores de tierra de Tema, socorred con su pan al que huye.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		À la rencontre de celui qui a soif apportez de l’eau! Les habitants du pays de Théma viennent avec leur pain au-devant de celui qui fuit;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Bringet dem Durstigen Wasser entgegen! Die Bewohner des Landes Tema kommen mit seinem Brote dem Flüchtling entgegen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Occurrentes sitienti ferte aquam, qui habitatis terram austri; cum panibus occurrite fugienti.