ישעיהו, פרק מ״ח, פסוק י״ח

God expresses a profound longing for what could have been, outlining the immense abundance and tranquility that would have been the people's reality had they chosen the right path [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון]. The condition for this ideal reality is true obedience. This requires more than just hearing God's voice, it demands actively performing His Commandments exactly as He taught them [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The outcome of following this path is illustrated through two powerful images of water. The first promises peace and success, comparing tranquility to a river. This peace represents a continuous, unstoppable flow of abundance. It brings absolute physical quiet and complete protection from enemies, flowing with the sheer power and volume of a mighty river like the Euphrates [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

The second image uses the ocean to describe a further result, though commentators explore different angles of what this righteousness represents. The primary approach among commentators views this as a reflection of God's actions toward the people. The kindness and success He would grant them would be massive and endless, arriving one after another just like the limitless, unceasing waves of the sea [רד״ק, שד״ל, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Conversely, another perspective suggests this imagery points inward, reflecting the spiritual state of the people themselves. In this view, while physical peace flows calmly like a river, spiritual joy and good deeds are like the restless, stormy waves of the ocean. These waves constantly push to break past their shores. They symbolize an immense, insatiable inner drive to reach higher, perform more Commandments, and continuously grow in the service of God [מלבי״ם].