Isaiahchapter 18

1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:

2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

4 For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.

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Chapter summary

Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia lies the land of the rustling of wings, which sends ambassadors over the sea in vessels of papyrus.

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Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia lies the land of the rustling of wings, which sends ambassadors over the sea in vessels of papyrus. Swift messengers go to a nation tall and smooth, terrible from its beginning, whose land the rivers divide. All inhabitants of the world are told to watch for the ensign lifted on the mountains and listen for the trumpet. Jehovah himself declares his posture: he is still, beholding from his dwelling-place like clear heat in sunshine, like a dew-cloud in harvest heat. Before the harvest, when the blossom becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, leaving the branches to ravenous birds that summer on them and beasts that winter on them. The chapter ends with that same tall, smooth people bringing a present to Jehovah of hosts at Mount Zion.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — Isaiah overview

A. 1–3 The Land of Whirring Wings Beyond Ethiopia's Rivers
B. 4–7 Pruning Before Harvest, and a Present Brought to Zion

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Isaiah 262 verses
- Isaiah 26:11Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
- Isaiah 26:21For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
- Read Isaiah 26 →
Song of Solomon 22 verses
- Song of Solomon 2:13The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
- Song of Solomon 2:15Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
- Read Song of Solomon 2 →
Zephaniah 31 verse
- Zephaniah 3:10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
- Read Zephaniah 3 →
Isaiah 181 verse
- Isaiah 18:7In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.
- Read Isaiah 18 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

2 Kings 191 verse
- 2 Kings 19:9And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
- Read 2 Kings 19 →
Zephaniah 21 verse
- Zephaniah 2:12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
- Read Zephaniah 2 →
Genesis 101 verse
- Genesis 10:8And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
- Read Genesis 10 →
2 Chronicles 141 verse
- 2 Chronicles 14:9And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
- Read 2 Chronicles 14 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.