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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 18:1-7

Interpreters are very much at a loss where to find this land that lies beyond the rivers of Cush. Some take it to be Egypt, a maritime country, and full of rivers, and which courted Israel to depend upon them, but proved broken reeds; but against this it is strongly objected that the next chapter is distinguished from this by the title of the burden of Egypt. Others take it to be Ethiopia, and read it, which lies near, or about, the rivers of Ethiopia, not that in Africa, which lay south of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 18:4

For so the Lord said unto me ,.... The prophet Isaiah, both what goes before, and follows after: I will take my rest ; these are not the words of the prophet, as some think, like those of Habakkuk, Habakkuk 2:1 but of the Lord himself, signifying that he would, as he always did, enjoy himself, amidst all the commotions that were in the world; or that he would take up his rest among his people in Zion, of which he had said, this is my rest for ever, Psalm 132:14 or rather that he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 18:5

For afore the harvest ,.... Or vintage: the above metaphor is carried on; before the designs and schemes of the people above described are ripe for execution, who promised themselves a large harvest of their neighbours: when the bud is perfect ; when the bud of the vine is become a perfect grape, though unripe; when the scheme was fully laid, and with perfect and consummate wisdom as imagined, though not brought into execution: and the sour grape is ripening in the flower ; things go... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 18:6

They shall be left, together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth ,.... That is, both sprigs and branches; with the fruit of them, which being unripe, are disregarded by men, but fed upon by birds and beasts; the fruits by the former, and the tender sprigs and green branches by the latter; signifying the destruction of the Ethiopians or Egyptians, and that the princes and the people should fall together, and lie unburied, and become a prey to birds and beasts; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 18:7

In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts ,.... Not exactly at the time when this destruction should be, but some time after, even in Gospel times; for to them this part of the prophecy refers: of a people scattered and peeled ; this explains what the present is, that shall be brought to the Lord; it is a people, and therefore not the spoils of Sennacherib's army, as some interpret it; nor yet the people of the Jews, that shall be brought by the Gentiles out of all... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 18:4

For so the Lord said unto me "For thus hath Jehovah said unto me" - The subject of the remaining part of this chapter is, that God would comfort and support his own people, though threatened with immediate destruction by the Assyrians; that Sennacherib's great designs and mighty efforts against them should be frustrated; and that his vast expectations should be rendered abortive, when he thought them mature, and just ready to be crowned with success; that the chief part of his army should be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 18:5

The flower "The blossom" - Hebrews her blossom; נצה nitstsah , that is, the blossom of the vine, גפן gephen , vine, understood, which is of the common gender. See Genesis 40:10 . Note, that by the defective punctuation of this word, many interpreters, and our translators among the rest, have been led into a grievous mistake, (for how can the swelling grape become a blossom?) taking the word נצה nitstsah for the predicate; whereas it is the subject of the proposition, or the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 18:7

The present "A gift" - The Egyptians were in alliance with the kingdom of Judah, and were fellow-sufferers with the Jews under the invasion of their common enemy Sennacherib; and so were very nearly interested in the great and miraculous deliverance of that kingdom, by the destruction of the Assyrian army. Upon which wonderful event it is said, 2 Chronicles 32:23 , that "many brought gifts unto Jehovah to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was magnified of all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:1-4

The contrast of Divine calm with human bustle, hurry, and excitement. When men take a matter in hand wherein they feel an interest, and set themselves either to carry out a certain design of their own, or to frustrate the designs of others, nothing is more remarkable than the "fuss" that they make about it. Heaven and earth are moved, so to speak, for the accomplishment of the desired end; the entire nation is excited, stirred, thrilled to its lowest depths; a universal eagerness prevails;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:1-6

The patience of power. The most striking and distinctive truth this chapter contains is that of the patience of Divine power, which permits evil to rise and to mature, and which, at the right moment, effectually intervenes. But there are other points beside this; they are— I. THE MISDIRECTION OF HUMAN INTELLIGENCE . Whatever may be the right translation and the true application of these verses, it is clear that reference is made to a warlike people—a people "terrible" to their... read more

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