Isaiah 21:14They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
The setting
Tema oasis, Arabian Peninsula, ~735 BC. Desert dwellers see exhausted refugees approaching and immediately bring water and bread. Modern-day Tayma, Saudi Arabia.
The emotion here: moved by unexpected human compassion amid judgment
The original word
tsame (צָמֵא) — desperately thirsty, parched to the point of death
Why it matters
Tema was a crucial oasis town on the incense trade route, known for hospitality to travelers
Read with care
What most readers miss in Isaiah 21:14
The Tema residents didn't wait to be asked — they 'brought' water and 'met' the fugitives
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about being nice to visitors, but these were enemy refugees from a nation under God's judgment. The Tema residents showed mercy to people their culture would consider threats.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Isaiah 21:14
Bible Genome reading
Isaiah 21:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Isaiah 21:14 comes from the book of Isaiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Isaiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include hospitality, compassion, refuge. Notable phrases: brought water; thirsty; met the fugitives with bread. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
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