Isaiah 18:1

A Message to Cush · Isaiah 18:1–7
Read Isaiah 18

Translations

Modern
Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush,
Traditional
Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
Literal
Woe to the land of whirring wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush,
Latin
Væ terræ cymbalo alarum, quæ est trans flumina Æthiopiæ,

Original

Hebrew
English
Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush,

Notes

Ethiopia was located to the south of Egypt. It marked the southern border of Egypt’s kingdom.

At that time, Egypt was ruled by an Ethiopian dynasty (a family line of kings). One of its rulers was Piankhi, also known as Piye.

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).

Events

Places

Cush: Ancient region in Africa; associated with Egypt and Babylon

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Ethiopia Isaiah, Book of

Topics

Cush: Land of Ethiopia: Desolation of Ethiopia: Rivers of Rivers of Ethiopia