Isaiah 18:2

Isaiah 18:2 in other versions

• King James Version (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!
• New International Version (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.
• English Standard Version (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.
• New King James Version (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.”

Context of Isaiah 18:2

1It will be very bad for that land beyond the rivers of Cush. Their ships seem to have wings and fly everywhere! They 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. 4This is what the Lord said to me: ‘I will watch quietly from my place. I will work quietly, like the heat that comes from the sun. I will be as quiet as the mist that comes at harvest time.’

Isaiah 18:2 word by word

הַשֹּׁלֵ֨חַ בַּיָּ֜ם צִירִ֗ים וּבִכְלֵי־גֹמֶא֮ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַיִם֒ לְכ֣וּ׀ מַלְאָכִ֣ים קַלִּ֗ים אֶל־גּוֹי֙ מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ וּמוֹרָ֔ט אֶל־עַ֥ם נוֹרָ֖א מִן־ה֣וּא וָהָ֑לְאָה גּ֚וֹי קַו־קָ֣ו וּמְבוּסָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּזְא֥וּ נְהָרִ֖ים אַרְצֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That sendethשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• ambassadorsצִירtsîyr · envoyH6735
• by the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
• even in vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• of bulrushesגֹּ֫מֶאgôme' · reedH1573
• uponפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• ye swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• to a nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• scatteredמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
• and peeledמוֹרָטmôrâţ · make smoothH4178
• to a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• terribleיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• from their beginning hithertoהָֽ֫לְאָהhâle'âh · furtherH1973
• meted outקַוְקָוqav-qav · mightH6978
• and trodden downמְבוּסָהmebûsâh · subjugationH4001
• whose landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• the riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
• have spoiledבָּזָאbâzâ' · to divideH958

Cross-references for Isaiah 18:2

• 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.
• Ezekiel 30:9At that time, I will send messengers in ships to Ethiopia. I will stop the Ethiopian people being proud of their power. Instead, the news about Egypt's trouble will make them very afraid. That day is coming soon! Be careful!
• Isaiah 2:3As they come, people from many nations will say, ‘Come! We will go to the mountain of the Lord, Jacob's God. We will go to worship him at his temple. Then he will teach us how to live in a way that pleases him. We will be able to walk in his paths.’ At that time, Zion will be the place where people learn about what is right. Yes, in Jerusalem the Lord will teach people his message.
• Isaiah 18:7At that time, the Lord Almighty will receive gifts from the people of that land. Many rivers cross that land. Its people are tall and their skin has no hair. Everyone is afraid of them. Their nation is strong and powerful. Those people will bring their gifts to Mount Zion. That is the place that the Lord Almighty has chosen for people to worship him there.
• Genesis 10:8Cush was also the father of Nimrod. Nimrod became the first brave soldier in the world.
• 2 Chronicles 12:2They did not serve the Lord in a faithful way. Because of that, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year that Rehoboam was king Judah.
• 2 Chronicles 14:9A man from Ethiopia called Zerah marched out to attack Judah. He had a very big army of a million soldiers and 300 chariots. When he reached Mareshah,
• 2 Chronicles 16:8The armies of Ethiopia and Libya were very large. They had lots of chariots and soldiers who rode on horses. But you trusted the Lord when they attacked you, and he put them under your power.
• Isaiah 19:5The water of the sea will become dry. The Nile river will also become dry and it will have no water in it.

Commentaries on Isaiah 18:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2In vessels of bulrushes "In vessels of papyrus" - This circumstance agrees perfectly well with Egypt. It is well known that the Egyptians commonly used on the Nile a light sort of ships, or boats, made of the reed papyrus. Ex ipso quidem papyro navigia texunt. Pliny, 42:11. Conseritur bibula Memphitis cymba papyro. Lucan, 4:136. Go, ye swift messengers - To this nation before mentioned, who, by the Nile, and by their numerous canals, have the means of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2That sendeth ambassadors - That is, “accustomed” to send messengers. What was the design of their thus sending ambassadors does not appear. The prophet simply intimates the fact; a fact by which they were well known. It may have been for purposes of commerce, or to seek protection. Bochart renders the word translated ambassadors‘ by “images,” and supposes that it denotes an image of the god Osiris made of the papyrus; but there does not seem to be any…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7This section includes predictions of judgment against Damascus, Israel, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The scene shifts from the crisis in 734 BC (the alliance of Syria and Israel; see study note on Isaiah 7:1–25) to the Assyrian crisis in 701 BC (see Isaiah 36–37).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. ambassadors--messengers sent to Jerusalem at the time that negotiations passed between Tirhakah and Hezekiah against the expected attack of Sennacherib (Is 37:9). by ... sea--on the Nile (Is 19:5): as what follows proves. vessels of bulrushes--light canoes, formed of papyrus, daubed over with pitch: so the "ark" in which Moses was exposed (Ex 2:3). Go--Isaiah tells them to take back the tidings of what God is about to do (Is 18:4) against the common…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 18:2

• Ambassadors
• Bulrush
• Ethiopia
• Ship

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Ambassador
• Bulrush
• Ethiopia
• Ferry boat
• Summer
• Booth
• Crafts
• Ezekiel
• Isaiah

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