Isaiah 18 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

Egypt, which is situated between 24 degrees and 32 degrees N. lat. and 30 degrees and 33 degrees E. long., being bounded on the south by Ethiopia, on the north by the Mediterranean, on the east by the mountains of Arabia, and on the west by those of Lybia, is one long vale, 750 miles in length, (through the middle of which runs the Nile,) in breadth from one to two or three day's journey, and even at the widest part of the Delta, from Pelusium to Alexandria, not above 250 miles broad.to a people.

Gen. 10:8‑9• ⁸And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
⁹He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. (Gen. 10:8‑9)

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2 Chron. 12:2‑4• ²And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
³With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
⁴And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 12:2‑4)

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2 Chron. 14:9• ⁹And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. (2 Chron. 14:9)

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2 Chron. 16:8• ⁸Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. (2 Chron. 16:8)

Heb. Meted out and trodden down.

or, that meteth out andtreadeth down.

Heb. of line, line, and treading under foot. This is an allusion to the frequent necessity of having recourse to mensuration in Egypt, in order to determine their boundaries, after the inundation of the Nile had smoothed their land and effaced their landmarks; and to their method of throwing seed upon the mud, when the waters had subsided, and treading it in by turning their cattle into the fields.have spoiled.

or, despise.

Isa. 19:5‑7• ⁵And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
⁶And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
⁷The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. (Isa. 19:5‑7)

• Verses 4-6 appear to be parenthetical, so that verse 7 is connected with verse 3. Both verses 2 and 7 speak of a people “scattered and peeled [or ravaged]”, who without a question are those we now know as Jews. Our chapter indicates that, when in the last days God gives the signal for their regathering, there will be a distant people with ships who will do what they can to help them. (“Isaiah 18” by F.B. Hole)

J. N. Darby Translation

that sendest ambassadors over the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and ravagedg, to a people terribleh from their existence and thenceforth; to a nation of continued waitingi and of treading down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

JND Translation Notes

Or "peeled," "plucked."

Or "marvellous."

Or "of measure, measure," i.e. measured by the judgments of God.