Commentary for Isaiah 41:18
אֶפְתַּ֤ח עַל־שְׁפָיִים֙ נְהָר֔וֹת וּבְת֥וֹךְ בְּקָע֖וֹת מַעְיָנ֑וֹת אָשִׂ֤ים מִדְבָּר֙ לַאֲגַם־מַ֔יִם וְאֶ֥רֶץ צִיָּ֖ה לְמוֹצָ֥אֵי מָֽיִם׃
I will open rivers on the high hills, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.
Rashi on Isaiah
rivers an understanding heart for Torah and prophecy.
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
שפים High places. It is the opposite of בקעות valleys. This also is wonderful, that rivers will be found on high places.
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Rashi on Isaiah
a desert A place where there was no Torah wisdom.
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
מדבר Wilderness. A plain that is not inhabited.24I. E. seems here to be of opinion, that מדבר means originally a plain, an oasis (lit. a place whither the flock is led to be fed, from דבר to lead); but is used also to signify the wilderness, the desert (usually a vast plain, containing oases ; comp. Ex. 3:1). Otherwise his remark would be superfluous.
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