EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Isaiah 18:1
1It will be very bad for that land beyond the rivers of Cush. Their ships seem to have wings and fly everywhere!
Isaiah 18:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
Context of Isaiah 18:1
It will be very bad for that land beyond the rivers of Cush. Their ships seem to have wings and fly everywhere! 2They send messages over the sea in boats that they make from reeds. Their boats sail quickly on the water. Go now! Take a message quickly. Go to a country where the people are tall and their skin has no hair. Everyone is afraid of that nation's people. They are a powerful and strong nation. Many rivers cross their land. 3All you people who live in the world, listen to this! You will see a battle flag on the mountains. You will hear the sound of a trumpet.
Read all of Isaiah 18Isaiah 18:1 word by word
ה֥וֹי אֶ֖רֶץ צִלְצַ֣ל כְּנָפָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵעֵ֖בֶר לְנַֽהֲרֵי־כֽוּשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 18:1
- Isaiah 20:3After three years, the Lord said, ‘My servant Isaiah has walked without clothes and without shoes for three years. That is a sign to warn Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them.
- Isaiah 30:2Your leaders travel to Egypt to ask for Pharaoh's help to keep them safe. But they did not ask me what I think about it. They think that Egypt has the power to protect them.
- Isaiah 31:1It will be very bad for those people who expect that Egypt will help them. They think that Egypt's many horses and chariots will keep them safe. They trust the power of Egypt's strong soldiers who ride on horses. But those people do not trust the Holy God of Israel. They do not ask the Lord to help them.
- Ruth 2:12You have done many good things. So I pray that the Lord will do good things for you in return. You have come here to be safe with the Lord, who is Israel's God. I pray that he will bless you.’
- Psalms 17:8Please keep me safe, in the same way that people take care of their eyes. Keep me near to you, in the way that birds protect their babies under their wings.
- Psalms 36:7God, your faithful love has great value! You keep all humans safe, like birds protect their babies under their wings.
- Psalms 57:1God, please be kind to me and help me! Please help me! I have come to you to keep me safe. Until the danger has gone, keep me near to you, in the way that birds protect their babies under their wings.
- Psalms 61:4I want to live in your house for ever. I want you to keep me safe, like birds protect their babies under their wings. Selah.
- Psalms 63:7You are the one who keeps me safe, like a bird protects its babies under its wings. So I sing happy songs.
- Psalms 91:4He will keep you safe, like a bird keeps its babies safe under its wings. Because he keeps his promises, he will keep you safe like a shield and armour.
- Matthew 23:37Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed God's prophets. They have thrown stones to kill other people that God has sent to you. Many times, I have wanted to bring all of your people near to me. A female bird covers her babies with her body to make them safe. But you would not let me keep you from danger like that.
- 2 Kings 19:9Then the king of Assyria heard a report about Tirhakah, the king of Ethiopia. People told him, ‘He has brought his army from Ethiopia to fight against you.’ When the king of Assyria heard that news, he sent another message to Hezekiah in Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 30:4An enemy army will attack Egypt. The people of Ethiopia will be afraid. Many people in Egypt will die in the battle. Enemies will carry away Egypt's riches. They will knock down Egypt's buildings.
- Zephaniah 2:12‘I will also punish you people in the country called Ethiopia. Other people will kill you with a big knife,’ the Lord says.
- Zephaniah 3:10‘Some people live a long way beyond the rivers of Cush. Yes, my people who pray went away to many other countries. They will return and they will carry their gifts to me.
Commentaries on Isaiah 18:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Wo to the land - ארץ הוי hoi arets ! This interjection should be translated ho! for it is properly a particle of calling: Ho, land! Attend! Give ear! Shadowing with wings "The winged cymbal" - כנפים צלצל tsiltsal kenaphayim . I adopt this as the most probable of the many interpretations that have been given of these words. It is Bochart's: see Phaleg, 4:2. The Egyptian sistrum is expressed by a periphrasis; the Hebrews had no name for it in their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Woe to the land - (הוי hôy ). This word, as has been already remarked (the note at Isaiah 17:12), may be a mere interjection or salutation, and would be appropriately rendered by Ho!‘ Or it may be a word denouncing judgment, or wrath, as it is often used in this prophecy (the note at Isaiah 5:8). Shadowing with wings - (כנפים צלצל tsı̂letsal kenāpāı̂ym ). This is one of the most difficult expressions in the whole chapter; and one to which as yet…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God's care for his people; and the increase of the church. This chapter is one of the most obscure in Scripture, though more of it probably was understood by those for whose use it was first intended, than by us now. Swift messengers are sent by water to a nation marked by Providence, and measured out, trodden under foot. God's people are trampled on; but whoever thinks to swallow them up, finds they are cast down, yet not deserted, not destroyed. All the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Ethiopia was located to the south of Egypt. It marked the southern border of Egypt’s kingdom. At that time, Egypt was ruled by an Ethiopian dynasty (a family line of kings). One of its rulers was Piankhi, also known as Piye.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-7Is 18:1-7. Isaiah announces the overthrow of Sennacherib's hosts and desires the Ethiopian ambassadors, now in Jerusalem, to bring word of it to their own nation; and he calls on the whole world to witness the event (Is 18:3). As Is 17:12-14 announced the presence of the foe, so Is 18:1-7 foretells his overthrow. 1. Woe--The heading in English Version, "God will destroy the Ethiopians," is a mistake arising from the wrong rendering "Woe," whereas the…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 18:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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