Translations
Modern
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.
Traditional
Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
Literal
Woe to the multitude of many peoples—like the roaring of seas they roar! And the rumble of nations—like the rumbling of mighty waters they are crashing!
Latin
Væ multitudini populorum multorum, ut multitudo maris sonantis; et tumultus turbarum, sicut sonitus aquarum multarum.
Original
Hebrew
English
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.
Notes
At times, the sea represents opposition to God (see Job 7:12; 26:12; Psalms 46:3; 93:3).
God was present with Judah during the crisis.
This section includes predictions of judgment against Damascus, Israel, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The scene shifts from the crisis in 734 BC (the alliance of Syria and Israel; see study note on Isaiah 7:1–25) to the Assyrian crisis in 701 BC (see Isaiah 36–37).
Theme notes and profiles