Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 18

Introduction

Overview

Isaiah 18:1, God, in care of his people, will destroy the Ethiopians; Isaiah 18:7, An accession thereby shall be made to the church.

Verse 1

am cir, 3290, bc cir, 714

Woe: Bp. Lowth renders, after Bochart, "Ho! to the land of the winged cymbal;" which he thinks is a periphrasis for the Egyptian sistrum; and consequently, that Egypt, "which borders on the rivers of Cush," is the country to which the prophecy is addressed. If we translate "shadowing with wings," it may allude to the multitude of its vessels, whose sails may be represented under the notion of wings.

the land: Isaiah 20:3-6, Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:3, Isaiah 31:1

shadowing: Ruth 2:12, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 57:1, Psalms 61:4, Psalms 63:7, Psalms 91:4, Matthew 23:37

which: 2 Kings 19:9, Ezekiel 30:4, Ezekiel 30:5, Zephaniah 2:12, Zephaniah 3:10

Reciprocal: Esther 1:1 - from India Ezekiel 29:2 - against all Ezekiel 30:9 - messengers

Verse 2

sendeth: Isaiah 30:2-4, Ezekiel 30:9

vessels: It is well known that the Egyptians commonly used on the Nile a light sort of ships or boats made of the papyrus. See note on Exodus 2:3.

to a nation: Isaiah 18:7

scattered and peeled: or, outspread and polished, Or, as Bp. Lowth renders, "stretched out in length and smoothed." Egypt, which is situated between 24 degrees and 32 degrees n lat. and 30 degrees and 33 degrees e long., being bounded on the south by Ethiopia, on the north by the Mediterranean, on the east by the mountains of Arabia, and on the west by those of Lybia, is one long vale, 750 miles in length - through the middle of which runs the Nile in breadth from one to two or three day's journey, and even at the widest part of the Delta, from Pelusium to Alexandria, not above 250 miles broad.

to a people: Genesis 10:8, Genesis 10:9, 2 Chronicles 12:2-4, 2 Chronicles 14:9, 2 Chronicles 16:8, Heb

Meted out and trodden down: or, that meteth out and treadeth down, Heb. of line, line, and treading under foot, This is an allusion to the frequent necessity of having recourse to mensuration in Egypt, in order to determine their boundaries, after the inundation of the Nile had smoothed their land and effaced their landmarks; and to their method of throwing seed upon the mud, when the waters had subsided, and treading it in by turning their cattle into the fields.

have spoiled: or, despise, Isaiah 19:5-7

Reciprocal: Isaiah 19:6 - the reeds Isaiah 42:22 - a people Jeremiah 49:14 - an ambassador Obadiah 1:1 - and an

Verse 3

All ye: Isaiah 1:2, Psalms 49:1, Psalms 49:2, Psalms 50:1, Jeremiah 22:29, Micah 6:2

see ye: Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 7:18, Isaiah 13:2, Isaiah 13:4, Isaiah 26:11, Amos 3:6-8, Micah 6:9, Zechariah 9:14, Matthew 13:9, Matthew 13:16

Reciprocal: Numbers 2:2 - the ensign Numbers 10:9 - then ye shall Isaiah 11:12 - set up Isaiah 27:13 - the great Isaiah 31:9 - he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear Isaiah 33:13 - Hear Isaiah 34:1 - Come Isaiah 62:10 - go through Isaiah 66:19 - I will set Jeremiah 49:14 - an ambassador Jeremiah 51:27 - ye up Hosea 8:1 - the trumpet Obadiah 1:1 - and an Zechariah 6:8 - quieted 1 Corinthians 15:52 - last

Verse 4

I will: Isaiah 26:21, Psalms 132:13, Psalms 132:14, Hosea 5:15

consider in my dwelling place: or, regard my set dwelling, Isaiah 18:7, Isaiah 12:6, Isaiah 14:32, Isaiah 31:9, Isaiah 46:13, Joel 3:17

like a clear: 2 Samuel 23:4, Psalms 72:6

upon herbs: or, after rain

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 33:13 - the dew Job 37:11 - he scattereth Isaiah 25:5 - as the heat Isaiah 25:10 - in this Isaiah 30:18 - wait Hosea 14:5 - as the dew Zephaniah 3:17 - he will Zechariah 6:8 - quieted

Verse 5

Isaiah 17:11, Song of Solomon 2:13, Song of Solomon 2:15, Ezekiel 17:6-10

Reciprocal: Psalms 80:12 - broken Song of Solomon 7:12 - the tender Jeremiah 51:33 - the time Hosea 11:6 - consume

Verse 6

Isaiah 14:19, Isaiah 34:1-7, Jeremiah 7:33, Jeremiah 15:3, Ezekiel 32:4-6, Ezekiel 39:17-20, Revelation 19:17, Revelation 19:18

Reciprocal: Psalms 80:12 - broken Isaiah 17:11 - the harvest Jeremiah 16:4 - meat Ezekiel 31:13 - General

Verse 7

shall the: Isaiah 16:1, Isaiah 23:17, Isaiah 23:18, Isaiah 45:14, 2 Chronicles 32:23, Psalms 68:29-31, Psalms 72:9-15, Zephaniah 3:10, Malachi 1:11, Matthew 2:11, Acts 8:27, Acts 8:28

scattered and peeled: or, outspread and polished, Isaiah 18:2

to the: Isaiah 18:4, Isaiah 60:6-9, Micah 4:13, Zechariah 14:16, Zechariah 14:17

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:28 - levy Isaiah 14:2 - and the house Isaiah 43:6 - bring Isaiah 66:19 - I will set Jeremiah 48:47 - Yet will I bring