Isaiah 18:4-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:1-7

THE HOMAGE OF ETHIOPIA TO JEHOVAH . Amid the general excitement caused by the advance of Assyria, Ethiopia also is stirred, and stirred to its furthest limits. The king sends messengers in beats upon the canals and rivers to summon his troops to his standard ( Isaiah 18:1 , Isaiah 18:2 ). The earth stands agaze to see the result of the approaching collision ( Isaiah 18:3 ); but God rests calmly in heaven while events are ripening ( Isaiah 18:4 , Isaiah 18:5 ). When... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:1-7

Homage of Ethiopia to Jehovah. I. AGITATION IN ETHIOPIA . The oracle opens with a scene full of life. Hosts of Egyptian and Ethiopian warriors are seen, like buzzing swarms of flies moving to and fro. Messengers are speeding in papyrus boats to announce the approach of the Assyrians. The Ethiopians are described as a nation "tall and polished," terrible, strong, and all-subduing, whose land rivers cut through. A sense of mystery and greatness hung about this! and from the earliest... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:4

For so ; rather, for thus . The word koh is prospective. I will take my rest, and I will consider ; or, I will be still and look on. The rest of God is contrasted with the bustle and hurry of the Ethiopians and Assyrians. God "sits in his holy seat," calm and tranquil, knowing what the result is about to be, and when it will be; he waits while the influences of heat and moisture, sunshine and dew—his own agencies—ripen Assyria's schemes, impassive, taking no part. Then, suddenly,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:4

God can wait. "I will rest." God was apparently inactive and unobservant, while the Assyrian was maturing his plans and taking all his first steps. But God watches the influences gathering round the growing-time of the trees, though men trace his working almost only in their fruitage. The words of this passage "paint with marvelous vividness the calmness and deliberation of the workings of Divine judgments. God is at once unhasting and unresting. He dwells in his resting-place ( i.e. his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:5

For afore the harvest . God can rest thus tranquil, because he can step in at any time; and this he is about to do, before Assyria reaps her harvest. When the bud is perfect , etc.; rather, when the blossom is past , and the green grape is becoming a ripening bunch . He shall cut off (comp. Isaiah 10:33 , Isaiah 10:34 ). The metaphor is slightly varied in this place, to suit the imagery of the preceding clause, where Assyria has been represented as a vine-stock. Formerly her... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:5-6

God can work. When his time has come. Then, before man can do his harvesting work; when the blossoming and the growing times are over, through which God had waited; when the fruit becomes the full ripe grape,—then God will show how he can work , putting in his implements, and proving himself to be a Deliverer and a Judge. God's working here referred to is doubtless the sudden, unexpected, and complete overthrow of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, which came at the time when it would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:6

They shall be left together unto the fowls . At length imagery is dropped. The vine is shown to be an army, slaughtered all "together," and left a prey to kites and vultures, jackals and hyaenas. Shall summer … shall winter . They will furnish food to the beasts and birds of prey for the remainder of the year. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 18:7

In that time shall the present be brought ; rather, a present . It would not be at all improbable that Tirkakah should, after the destruction of Sennacherib's army, send a gift to the temple of the Jews, either as a recognition of the miracle as wrought by Jehovah, or simply as a thank offering. Necho sent the armor in which he had fought at Megiddo to the temple of Apollo at Branchidae, near Miletus, as a thank offering (Herod; 2.159). We have, however, no historical record of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 18:4

For so the Lord said unto me - So Yahweh has revealed his purpose, that is, to execute punishment on the people who have been described in the previous verses. Their state as there described is that of a fierce people making ready for war, and probably designing an alliance with the enemies of Judea, and marshalling their armies for that purpose. Yahweh here reveals to the prophet that they shall be discomfited, and shows the manner in which it will be done. He says he will sit calm while these... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 18:5

For afore the harvest - This verse is evidently figurative, and the image is drawn from that which is commenced in the previous verse. There, God is represented as calmly regarding the plans of the people here referred to - as the sun shines serenely on the herb, or the dew falls on the grass. “That” figure supposes that they had “formed” plans, and that they were advancing to maturity, like a growing harvest, while God surveyed them without interposition. This verse continues the figure, and... read more

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