Isaiah 18 (WK) - 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 Jehovah: wherefore it is said, like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Jehovah. (Gen. 10:8‑9)

;

2 Chron. 12:2‑4• ²{i}And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, because they had transgressed against Jehovah, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem,{/i}
³{i}with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen; and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians.{/i}
⁴{i}And he took the fortified cities that belonged to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.{/i} (2 Chron. 12:2‑4)

;

2 Chron. 14:9• ⁹{i}And Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him with a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.{/i} (2 Chron. 14:9)

;

2 Chron. 16:8• ⁸{i}Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army, with very many chariots and horsemen? but when thou didst rely on Jehovah, he delivered them into thy hand.{/i} (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 the rivers shall stink; the streams of Egypt shall be diminished and drain away: the reeds and the flags shall wither.
⁷The meadows by the Nile, by the banks of the Nile, and everything sown by the Nile, shall be dried up, 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.

W. Kelly Translation

that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrusa upon [the] face of [the] waters, [saying,] Go, swift messengers, to a nation scatteredb and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning and onward, to a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

WK Translation Notes

This description of their vessels or boats is an apparent difficulty, as it is that which has induced most to conceive that Egypt is meant. For, no doubt, boats of that slight material sufficient to cross the Nile were notorious of old. But may we not infer that, as "ships of Tarshish" are sometimes used in a general way for those employed on long commercial voyages, to whatever land they belonged, so the "vessels of papyrus" may designate rapid cruisers in general, whatever the material, or wherein employed? "Beyond the rivers of Cush" must surely exclude Egypt as well as Babylonia, or any country within those limits. The maritime people meant are described as outside the lands which used to have to do with Israel. Hence we cite Bishop Horsley writing (Bibl. Crit. ii. 134, 135), "Navigable vessels are certainly meant, and if it could be proved that Egypt is the country spoken to, these vessels of bulrushes might be understood of the light skiffs made of that material, and used by the Egyptians upon the Nile. But if the country spoken to be distant from Egypt vessels of bulrush are only used as an apt image on account of their levity for quick-sailing vessels of any material. The nation, therefore to which the prophet calls, is character as one which, in the days of completion of this prophecy should be a great maritime and commercial power, forming remote alliances, and distant voyages to all parts of the world with expedition and security, and in the habit of affording protection to their friends and allies. Where this country is to be found is not otherwise said than that it will be remote from Judea, and, with respect to that country, beyond the Cushean streams."

Or, dragged.