1 Woe to the land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush, a18:1 i.e. Nubia, south of Egypt (modern northern Sudan) ISV — Isaiah 18:1
2 which sends envoys by the sea, b18:2 Or Nile 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 c18:2 Or nation of strange speech; so 1QIsaa MT; LXX reads nation without hope punishment d18:2 1QIsaa MT LXX lack punishment and oppresses, whose land the rivers divide. ISV — Isaiah 18:2
3 All you inhabitants of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you’ll see it. When a trumpet sounds, you’ll hear it! ISV — Isaiah 18:3
4 For this is what the LORD told me: “I will remain quiet and watch in my dwelling place like dazzling heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat e18:4 So 1QIsaa MT; MTmss LXX read on the day of harvest.” ISV — Isaiah 18:4
5 For before the harvest, when the season of f18:5 1QIsaa MT lack season of budding is over, and sour grapes ripen into mature grapes, g18:5 Lit. flowers he cuts off the shoots with pruning knives, clearing away the spreading branches as he lops them off. ISV — Isaiah 18:5
6 And h18:6 So 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsab lacks And they will all be left for birds of prey that live on the mountains i18:6 So 4QIsab; 1QIsaa MT read of mountains; LXX reads mountains of heaven and for wild animals. j18:6 Lit. for beasts of the earth; i.e. non-domesticated animals, as opposed to domesticated livestock; Birds of prey will pass the summer feeding on them, and all the wild animals k18:6 Lit. the beasts of the earth; so 1QIsaa; i.e. non-domesticated animals, as opposed to domesticated livestock; MT LXX read every beast of the field will pass the winter feeding l18:6 1QIsaa MT lack feeding on them. ISV — Isaiah 18:6
7 At that time tribute will be brought to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies from m18:7 So 1QIsaa LXX; 4QIsab MT lack from a tall and smooth-skinned people, from a people feared far and wide, a nation that metes out n18:7 Or nation of strange speech; so 1QIsaa MT; LXX reads nation with hope punishment o18:7 1QIsaa MT LXX lack punishment and oppresses, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place that bears p18:7 Lit. place of the name of the LORD. q18:7 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsab MT LXX read the LORD of the Heavenly Armies ISV — Isaiah 18:7