Isaiah 7:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

NIV: In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.

NASB: On that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the canals of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

CSB: On that day the Lord will whistle to flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to bees in the land of Assyria.

NLT: In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees.

KJV: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

NKJV: And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will whistle for the fly That is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, And for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

The prophet Isaiah has just revealed to King Ahaz of Judah about the terrible days to come (Isaiah 7:17). While it's true that the king of Assyria will put an end to the threat from the kings of Israel and Syria, he will also bring destruction and terror on Judah.

Isaiah begins a list of all the bad things that will happen to Judah "in that day." He starts with the cause of it all: the Lord. The Lord will be the one to summon the armies of Assyria and Egypt to bring pain and chaos to Judah. It is not clear what specific future attack Isaiah is referring to. Some commentators suggest this was fulfilled by Egypt's defeat of Judah around 609 BC, more than a century after this moment.

The attacks from Assyria will come much more quickly, culminating in the siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC, just 34 years from when Isaiah wrote these words. Isaiah is clear that these attacks will be brought on by the Lord God. In both cases, Isaiah pictures these invading armies as swarms of insects coming to infest the land of Judah.

Isaiah also described the Lord calling to the nations of the world like a trainer would command an animal (Isaiah 5:26). All nations, no matter how seemingly powerful, serve the will of the Lord and His plans for His people.

Isaiah 7:10–25 describes the Lord's response, through Isaiah, to King Ahaz's refusal to obey the Lord. He was told to ask for a sign to confirm the prophecy that Israel and Syria would fail to conquer Judah. Isaiah prophecies that a virgin will conceive and name her child Immanuel. Before the child is old enough to reject evil, Israel and Syria will be wiped out. Then the Lord will use the king of Assyria to harshly judge Judah, humiliate His own people, and empty the land of Judah's citizens.

Isaiah 7 begins with the threat of invasion from two of Judah's enemies: Israel and Syria. Judah's King Ahaz and his people are terrified. Speaking for the Lord, Isaiah tells Ahaz to not be afraid because it will not happen. Israel and Syria will soon be gone. Ahaz, though, refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign. In response, Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Syria and Israel are destroyed, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring judgment on Judah through invading armies, emptying the land until little remains.

Isaiah 7 follows the description of Isaiah's commission as a prophet in Isaiah 6. Now the Lord tells him to go and speak to Judah's king Ahaz, who is terrified about an impending invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah promises this invasion will not happen. Instead, both nations will soon be destroyed. Ahaz refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign to confirm His words. Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Israel and Syria are wiped out, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring harsh judgment against Judah in the form of relentless invading armies.

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).