The Book of the Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 18
Chapter XVIII · Vol. III, p. 1167
1 God, in care of his people, threateneth to destroy the Ethiopians. 7 An access will thence be made to the church.
1 Woe to the aland shadowing1 with wings,2 which is 3beyond4 the rivers of Ethiopia:5
B.C. cir. 725.
a ch.20.3-5; 37.9. Eze.30.4-9, or ch.8.8. Zep.2.12; 3.10.
1 Of the winged cymbal, or shaded by two mountains.
2 This phrase Vitringa interprets of the mountains that inclose Egypt; Scott, of the protection that Israel foolishly expected from Egypt. Is it not rather to be interpreted of the wings of an invading army, as the word wings is used ch.8.8?—C.
3 Borders on.
4 Beyond. 'On this side.'—Vitringa.
5 Or, Cush, Ge.10.6.
2 That sendeth bambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters,6 saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled,7 to a people cterrible from their beginning hitherto; 8a nation dmeted out and trodden down,9 whose land the rivers have spoiled!1
b Eze.30.9. ver.7.
6 See note * below.
7 Stretched out and smoothed.
c 2 Ch.12.3; 14.9; 16.8, with Ge.10.8,9. De.28.50.
8 Or, a nation that meteth out and treadeth down.
d ch.20.4; 17.12; 8.7,8; 28.2,3,17.
9 Heb. a nation of line, line, and treading under foot.
1 Or, despised or nourished.
* 'Woe to the country of rustling wings (the sense of the remarkable expression is not clear), which borders upon the rivers of Cush (the two great branches of the Nile); which sends ambassadors by the sea (the river Nile is so called), and in vessels of papyrus upon the surface of the water.' Light boats made of papyrus were commonly used in Egypt. They were propelled with great swiftness upon the mighty Nile.—P.
3 Alle ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when ghe lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling-place2 likeh a clear heat upon herbs,3 and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
5 For iafore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
i 1 Th.5.3. Job 15.33. ch.30.13,14. 2 Ki.xix. Je.46.3-10. ch.xxxvii.; 9.14.
6 Theyj shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
7 Ink that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled,4 and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to lthe place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
A.M. cir. 3279. B.C. cir. 725.
k 2 Ch.32.23. Ps.72.10; 68.31; 87.4. Zep.3.10. ch.16.1; 45.14. Ac.8.27-29. See ch.19.18-21.
4 Or, outspread and polished, or stretched long and smoothed, ver.2.
l Ps.68.29. ch.60.6,9. Mi.4.13. Zec.14.16-18.
Notes
Ver. 4. God's being like a clear heat, or a cloud of dew, may either be understood of his afflicting or of his comforting them. 5, 6. Before they can ripen their designs, they will bring to themselves destruction, and by their wickedness bring eternal woe to their souls.
Ver. 2. Vessels of bulrushes. That the Egyptians employed vessels of bulrushes, coated with bitumen, is evident from Ex. 2. 3, as well as from general history. And it appears their Ethiopian neighbours employed them likewise. C.——Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation 'stretched out and levelled,' to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto (the dread of neighbouring nations), a nation 'that measureth out' (its fields after each inundation) and then 'treadeth down' its seed with the foot of the husbandman, whose land the rivers have 'nourished.' C.
Reflections.—No place can protect sinners from a just God. No furious rage, which may render them a terror to their neighbors around, can hinder him from finding them. His providential interpositions ought carefully to be remarked: and when dangers are most alarming, he is often nearest to defend and save us. No rage of his enemies can ever disturb his repose. Often he seems to have forgotten his people when he is just ready to work their deliverance. And while he is all-sufficient for the protection, quickening, and comfort of the people, he will not save them unless they repent and accept Christ.