Isaiah 18:2-7

2 that sendeth messengers by the sea, and in vessels of papyrus on waters. Go, ye messengers, to the folk drawn up and rent; to a fearedful people, after which is none other; to the folk abiding and defouled, whose land the floods have ravished; to the hill of the name of the Lord of hosts, to the hill of Zion. (that sendeth messengers by the sea, and in papyrus vessels upon the waters. Go, ye messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned nation; to a people feared above all others; to a nation lying in wait, and defiled, whose land the rivers have made subject.)
3 All ye dwellers of the world, that dwell in the land, shall see when a sign shall be raised [up] in the hills, and ye shall hear the cry of a trump. (All ye inhabitants of the world, who live on the earth, shall see when a sign shall be raised up in the mountains, and ye shall hear the cry of the trumpet.)
4 For why the Lord saith these things to me, I shall rest, and I shall behold in my place, as the midday light is clear, and as a cloud of dew in the day of harvest. (For the Lord saith these things to me, I shall rest, and I shall look out from my place, like the clear midday light, and like a cloud of dew on the day of harvest.)
5 For why all flowered out before harvest, and unripe perfection burgeoned; and the little branches thereof shall be cut down with scythes, and those that be left, shall be cut away (shall be cut off, and cleared away).
6 They shall be shaken out, and shall be left together to the birds of (the) hills, and to the beasts of (the) earth; and birds shall be on him by a summer everlasting, and all the beasts of (the) earth shall dwell by winter on him. (They shall be left together for the birds of the hills, and for the beasts of the earth; and the birds shall be upon them all summer, and all the beasts of the earth shall live under them in the winter.)
7 In that time a gift shall be brought to the Lord of hosts, of the people drawn up and rent; of the people fearedful, after which was none other; of the folk abiding and defouled, whose land (the) floods ravished; the gift shall be brought to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, to the hill of Zion. (At that time, a gift shall be brought to the Lord of hosts, from the tall and smooth-skinned people; from the people feared above all others; from the nation lying in wait and defiled, whose land the rivers have made subject; the gift shall be brought to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, to Mount Zion.)

Isaiah 18:2-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 18

This chapter is a prophecy of the desolation of a land or country, described by the wings with which it was shaded, and by the rivers by which it was situated, Isa 18:1 by its messengers and message to another nation, which is also described, Isa 18:2 all the nations of the world are called upon to observe the judgment about to be inflicted on it, Isa 18:3 and a promise is made, that at the same time God will take up his rest and dwelling among his own people, and refresh and protect them, Isa 18:4 and the time, and manner, and nature of the destruction of the people before threatened, are metaphorically expressed, Isa 18:5,6 and the issue of all will be the glory of God, since these people will be brought, in after times, as a present to him in Mount Zion, Isa 18:7.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.