Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 18

Verse 1

Woe = Ho! The third of the seven burdens.

land. beyond: i.e. land. beyond Abyssinia.

shadowing with wings = of the rustling zalzal (from zalal, to tinkle, compare Deuteronomy 28:42 ).

Verse 2

the sea = the Nile. So called by the inhabitants of the Sudan to-day.

bulrushes = reeds. Not the papyrus, but its companion reed, the ambach, which reaches a height of fifteen feet and has yellow flowers.

scattered and peeled = "tall and smooth-faced".

terrible. They formed the armies of "So" or Sha-baka, and are the backbone of the Anglo-Egyptian army.

whose land the rivers have spoiled: i.e. the "sudd" or swamps (hence Sudan). The Dinka and Shilluk negroes live on the floating cakes of sudd.

Verse 3

He =. Jehovah. See Structure, above.

Verse 4

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

cloud of dew = summer night mist. Hebrew. 'ab. Not a raincloud, which latter is never seen in harvest. Eight times rendered "thick clouds".

Verse 6

left. See note on "forsaken" (Isaiah 1:4 ).

fowls. beasts. Note the Alternation.

Verse 7

present. Hebrew shai, because of being conveyed. Only here, and Psalms 68:29 ; Psalms 76:11 .

the LORD of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 .

the name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .