Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush,
Parallel translations
- WEB Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;
- KJV Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
- NKJV Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
- NASB Woe, land of whirring wings Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,
- NLT Listen, Ethiopia—land of fluttering sails that lies at the headwaters of the Nile,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
This oracle addresses a land of whirring wings beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. It introduces a message concerning the distant nation of Cush.
Overview
Isaiah turns to a far-off land, identified with Cush (the region of ancient Ethiopia/Nubia), described by the buzzing of insects or rustling of wings along its rivers. The oracle shows God's concern reaching even to remote nations. It prepares for a message about the futility of human alliances and the certainty of God's rule over all peoples.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Zeph 3:10From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.
- 2 Kgs 19:9Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “Look, he has set out to fight against you.” So Sennacherib again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
- Ezek 30:4–5A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are torn down.
- Zeph 2:12“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
- Ps 63:7For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
- Isa 30:2–3They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.
- Isa 20:3–6Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,
- Ruth 2:12May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”
- Ps 17:8Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Ps 36:7How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
- Ps 61:4Let me dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
- Matt 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Ps 91:4He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.
- Ps 57:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
- Ezek 30:9On that day messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten Cush out of complacency. Anguish will come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom. For it is indeed coming.
- Isa 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 18:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.