Isaiah 18:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.

NIV: which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

NASB: Which sends messengers by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

CSB: which sends envoys by sea, in reed vessels over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

NLT: that sends ambassadors in swift boats down the river. Go, swift messengers! Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction, and whose land is divided by rivers.

KJV: 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!

NKJV: Which sends ambassadors by sea, Even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, To a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide.”

The exact meaning of this passage difficult to understand. The Hebrew phrasing is obscure, with little context to use for an anchor. But scholars have gathered an approximate idea of what Isaiah is writing about. The prophet has been speaking about the various nations in the region, one after another. He is warning Judah to not put its hope in alliances with other nations; those agreements will not save them from the threat of the Assyrians and other powers.

Isaiah now turns his attention south toward Egypt and the surrounding regions. He seems to be calling out to a region along the Nile south of Egypt. In the ancient world, this area was sometimes called "Ethiopia." This historic region of Ethiopia is not the same as the modern nation named "Ethiopia." We know that the Ethiopian kings of that era were trying to expand their rule to include all of Egypt during this time. With that in mind, scholars believe Isaiah is addressing the Ethiopians who were sending out ambassadors by the sea or possibly the rivers. They travelled in smaller sailboats made of papyrus that were able to quickly navigate the many waterways and tributaries of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Isaiah potentially hears someone else telling messengers to go to a nation made up of "tall and smooth" people who are feared for their strength. These people are also defined as those whose "land the rivers divide." Unlike the comparatively shorter, bearded men of Israel, Assyria, and the surrounding nations, the Ethiopians and Egyptians were taller and clean-shaven. Egypt was a powerful nation.

It's unclear from where the messengers are being sent. Perhaps they are going out from Cush, Ethiopia, to attempt to form alliances with the rest of Egypt. They were also under the threat from the powerful Assyrians. It is also unclear how Israel plays into any of this.

More clearly described here is a season in which all nations appear eager to make alliances with each other to combat the threat of the powerful Assyrian Empire. Some nations even try to join forces with the Assyrians seeking to save themselves, as King Ahaz of Judah did. That plan did not work out for Judah (2 Chronicles 28:16, 20).

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).