Isaiah 18:2
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
that sends ambassadors in swift boats down the river. Go, swift messengers! Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction, and whose land is divided by rivers.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
which sends couriers by sea, in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people widely feared, to a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.”

New American Standard Bible
Which sends messengers by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

NASB 1995
Which sends envoys by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

NASB 1977
Which sends envoys by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

Legacy Standard Bible
Which sends envoys by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

Amplified Bible
Which sends ambassadors by the sea, Even in vessels of papyrus on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation [of people] tall and smooth (clean shaven), To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

Christian Standard Bible
which sends envoys by sea, in reed vessels over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
sends couriers by sea, in reed vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

American Standard Version
that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation that meteth out and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
That sends Ambassadors in the Sea and in vessels of papyrus on the face of the waters! The Messengers went quickly to the people who has been plucked and uprooted; to a people whose power belonged to it, and beyond, a people that is despised and downtrodden, for the rivers plundered its land

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He sends messengers by the sea, and paper letters on the water: for swift messengers shall go to a lofty nation, and to a strange and harsh people. Who is beyond it? a nation not looked for, and trodden down.

Contemporary English Version
Egypt sends messengers up the Nile River on ships made of reeds. Send them fast to Ethiopia, whose people are tall and have smooth skin. Their land is divided by rivers; they are strong and brutal, feared all over the world.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, and in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters. Go, ye swift angels, to a nation rent and torn in pieces: to a terrible people, after which there is no other: to a nation expecting and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled.

English Revised Version
that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that meteth out and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It sends messengers by sea in boats made of reeds [skimming] over the surface of the water. Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people [who are] feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers.

Good News Translation
From that land ambassadors come down the Nile in boats made of reeds. Go back home, swift messengers! Take a message back to your land divided by rivers, to your strong and powerful nation, to your tall and smooth-skinned people, who are feared all over the world.

International Standard Version
which sends envoys by the sea, in papyrus boats over the water! Go, swift messengers, to a tall, smooth-skinned nation, to a people feared far and wide, a nation that metes out punishment and oppresses, whose land the rivers divide.

JPS Tanakh 1917
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, Even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, ye swift messengers, To a nation tall and of glossy skin, To a people terrible from their beginning onward; A nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, Whose land the rivers divide!

Literal Standard Version
That is sending ambassadors by sea, | Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters—Go, swift messengers, | To a nation drawn out and peeled, | To a people fearful from its beginning and onward, | A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, | Whose land floods have spoiled.

Majority Standard Bible
which sends couriers by sea, in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people widely feared, to a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

New American Bible
Sending ambassadors by sea, in papyrus boats on the waters! Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and bronzed, To a people dreaded near and far, a nation strong and conquering, whose land is washed by rivers.

NET Bible
that sends messengers by sea, who glide over the water's surface in boats made of papyrus. Go, you swift messengers, to a nation of tall, smooth-skinned people, to a people that are feared far and wide, to a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide.

New Revised Standard Version
sending ambassadors by the Nile 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 Heart English Bible
that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, "Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation strong and conquering, whose land the rivers divide."

Webster's Bible Translation
That sendeth embassadors 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 measured by line and trodden down, whose land the rivers have laid waste.

World English Bible
that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, “Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide!”

Young's Literal Translation
That is sending by sea ambassadors, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters, -- Go, ye light messengers, Unto a nation drawn out and peeled, Unto a people fearful from its beginning and onwards, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Message to Cush
1Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush, 2which sends couriers by sea, in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people widely feared, to a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers. 3All you people of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it; when a ram’s horn sounds, you will hear it.…

Cross References
Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

Genesis 10:8
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth.

Genesis 10:9
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; so it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD."

Exodus 2:3
But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

2 Chronicles 12:2
In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 14:9
Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah.

2 Chronicles 16:8
Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.


Treasury of Scripture

That sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes on the waters, saying, Go, you swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning till now; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

sendeth

Isaiah 30:2-4
That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! …

Ezekiel 30:9
In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.

vessels.

Isaiah 2:3
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

to a notion

Isaiah 18:7
In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

scattered and peeled.

to a people

Genesis 10:8,9
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth…

2 Chronicles 12:2-4
And 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, …

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

Heb.

have spoiled.

Isaiah 19:5-7
And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up…

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Ambassadors Awesome Beginning Bulrushes Divide Embassadors Go Hitherto Laid Measured Measures Messengers Meted Nation Onward Papyrus Peeled Rivers Scattered Sea Sends Smooth Spoiled Swift Tall Terrible Treads Trodden Vessels Waters
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Ambassadors Awesome Beginning Bulrushes Divide Embassadors Go Hitherto Laid Measured Measures Messengers Meted Nation Onward Papyrus Peeled Rivers Scattered Sea Sends Smooth Spoiled Swift Tall Terrible Treads Trodden Vessels Waters
Isaiah 18
1. God, in care of his people, will destroy the Ethiopians
7. An accession thereby shall be made to the church














(2) That sendeth ambassadors . . .--The words point to the embassies which the Ethiopian king had sent, in the papyrus boats used for the navigation of the Upper Nile, down that river to Hezekiah and other princes, inviting them to join the alliance against Assyria.

Go, ye swift messengers . . .--The interpolated "saying" being omitted, the words that follow are as the prophet's address to the messengers, as he sends them back to their own people. Instead of "scattered and peeled, "we are to read tall and polished, as describing the physique which had probably impressed itself on Isaiah's mind. (Comp. the Sabeans as "men of stature" in Isaiah 45:14.) They were terrible then, as they had ever been (i.e., imperious and mighty), a nation that treadeth down its foes. Instead of "meted out and trodden down," they are a nation of command, command (or, perhaps, "strength, strength"). The rivers are literally the affluents of the Nile that intersect and fertilise (not "spoil") the hills and valleys of Nubia. Some commentators, however, though with less probability, accept the Authorised version, and refer the words to Israel, as "scattered and plundered," with its land "spoiled" by the "rivers of invading armies (Isaiah 8:7).

Verse 2. - That sendeth ambassadors; rather, perhaps, messengers, as the word is translated in Isaiah 57:9 and Proverbs 25:13. They are sent, apparently, by the king to his own people. By the sea. "The sea" must in this place necessarily mean the Nile, which is called "the sea" in Nahum 3:8 certainly, and probably in Isaiah 19:5. Vessels of papyrus could not possibly have been employed in the very difficult navigation of the Red Sea. Vessels of bulrushes. That some of the boats used upon the Nile were constructed of the papyrus (which is a sort of bulrush) we learn from Herodotus (it. 96), Theophrastus ('Hist. Plant.,' 4:9), Plutarch ('De Isid. et Osir.,' § 18), Pliny (Hist. 'Nat.,' 6:22), and Lucan ('Pharsal.,' 4:136). They are represented occasionally on the Egyptian monuments. Saying. This word is interpolated by our translators, and gives a wrong sense. It is the prophet that addresses the messengers, not the king who sends them. To a nation scattered and peeled; rather, tall and polished, or tall and sleek. The word translated "scattered" means properly "drawn out," and seems to be applied here to the physique of the Ethiopians, whose stature is said to have been remarkable (Herod., 3:20, 114). The other epithet refers to the glossy skin of the people. A people terrible from their beginning hitherto; The Israelites first knew the Ethiopians as soldiers when they formed a part of the army brought by Shishak (Sheshonk I.) against Rehoboam, about B.C. 970 (2 Chronicles 12:3). They had afterwards experience of their vast numbers, when Zerah made his attack upon Asa; but on this occasion they succeeded in defeating them (2 Chronicles 14:9-13). It was not till about two centuries after this that the power of Ethiopia began to be really formidable to Egypt; and the "miserable Cushites," as they had been in the habit of calling them, acquired the preponderating influence in the valley of the Nile, and under Piankhi, Shabak, Shabatek, and Tirhakah (Tahark), reduced Egypt to subjection. Isaiah, perhaps, refers to their rise under Piankhi as "their beginning." A nation meted out and trodden down; rather, a nation of meting out and trampling; i.e. one accustomed to mete out its neighbors' bounds with a measuring-line, and to trample other nations under its feet. Whose land the rivers have spoiled; rather, whose land rivers despoil. The deposit of mud, which fertilizes Egypt, is washed by the rivers from Ethiopia, which is thus continually losing large quantities of rich son. This fact was well known to the Greeks (Herod., 2:12, ad fin.), and there is no reason why Isaiah should not have been acquainted with it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
which sends
הַשֹּׁלֵ֨חַ (haš·šō·lê·aḥ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

couriers
צִירִ֗ים (ṣî·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6735: A hinge, a throe, a herald, erranddoer

by sea,
בַּיָּ֜ם (bay·yām)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

in papyrus
גֹמֶא֮ (ḡō·me)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1573: An absorbent, the bulrush, the papyrus

vessels
וּבִכְלֵי־ (ū·ḇiḵ·lê-)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the waters.
מַיִם֒ (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

Go,
לְכ֣וּ ׀ (lə·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

swift
קַלִּ֗ים (qal·lîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7031: Light, swift, fleet

messengers,
מַלְאָכִ֣ים (mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

a people
גּוֹי֙ (gō·w)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

tall
מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ (mə·muš·šāḵ)
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4900: To draw, drag

and smooth-skinned,
וּמוֹרָ֔ט (ū·mō·w·rāṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4178: Obstinate, independent

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

a people
עַ֥ם (‘am)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

widely
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

feared,
נוֹרָ֖א (nō·w·rā)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

to a powerful
קָ֣ו (qāw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6978: Perhaps might

nation
גּ֚וֹי (gō·w)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

of strange speech,
וּמְבוּסָ֔ה (ū·mə·ḇū·sāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4001: A treading down, subjugation

whose land
אַרְצֽוֹ׃ (’ar·ṣōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

is divided
בָּזְא֥וּ (bā·zə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 958: To divide, cut through

by rivers.
נְהָרִ֖ים (nə·hā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 18:2 That sends ambassadors by the sea even (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 18:1
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