Isaiah 18:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush,

NIV: Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush,

NASB: Woe, land of whirring wings Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,

CSB: Woe to the land of buzzing insect wings beyond the rivers of Cush,

NLT: Listen, Ethiopia — land of fluttering sails that lies at the headwaters of the Nile,

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

NKJV: Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,

The seven verses in this short chapter seem not to contain an oracle "against" another nation, as do others. This may simply be setting up the following chapter which contains a specific prediction against Egypt (Isaiah 19:1).

Commentators are not resolved on the meaning of "whirring wings" in this verse. Isaiah says "ah"—perhaps meaning something like "woe"—to the "land of whirring wings." Those wings might refer to the many insects in that region or it may be speaking of the sails of the swift-moving boats that travel the rivers there.

Scholars suggest that the area Isaiah describes as being "beyond the rivers of Cush" might have been located along the Nile River south of Egypt. This would have been in a region sometimes called Ethiopia, which is different from the modern nation of Ethiopia. During this time, Ethiopian kings were in the process of trying to unite all of Egypt under their rule.

Isaiah 18:1–7 begins with Isaiah's calls to a land beyond the rivers of Cush. This may refer to ancient Ethiopia—different from modern Ethiopia—south of Egypt. He calls for messengers to be sent to a faraway nation. Then he calls for all the people of the earth to look for the signal of the Lord. The Lord will prune away the Assyrian threat when the time is right, but not before then. When He does so, the bodies of Assyrian soldiers will feed wild animals for months. Then the nations will bring tribute to the Lord at Mount Zion.

This short chapter begins with a call from Isaiah to a people beyond the land of Cush. They send ambassadors to a nation of people quite different from those normally seen in Israel. All the people of the world are concerned about the threat of the Assyrian war machine. Isaiah calls for all to wait for the Lord's signal. He will prune away the Assyrians when the time is exactly right, ending their reign of terror on the earth. Then the nations of the earth will send tribute to the Lord at Mount Zion, where His name resides.

Prior passages were targeted messages in the form of predictions about certain nations. This passage is also an oracle, but one more about reassurance that the Lord is in control and prepared to act accordingly. Every nation is concerned about the cruel Assyrian conquerors who leave death and devastation in their wake. Isaiah calls the world to watch for the Lord's signal. He is waiting for just the right moment to prune the Assyrians away and end their time of terror. Following chapters return to the typical pattern of Isaiah.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 11/21/2024 3:38:57 PM