Isaiah 18

Isaiah pronounces woe on the land of whirring wings beyond the rivers of Cush, which sends swift messengers in papyrus boats to a tall, smooth-skinned, feared nation whose land is divided by rivers.[1][5] YHWH declares He will quietly observe from His dwelling like heat in sunshine or dew in harvest, then prune the ripening Assyrian plans like vines, leaving their army as carrion for birds and beasts, after which Cush will bring gifts to Mount Zion.[1][2][4]

Word-by-Word

Translation column shows two renderings:
  • SIBI-P1 (root-faithful)
  • SIBI-P2 (context-aware)
Verse 1
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 ה֥וֹי 𐤄𐤅𐤉 hoy
Woe!
Woe
HTj H1945
2 אֶ֖רֶץ 𐤀𐤓𐤑 erets Ayé (Yoruba)
land
land
HNcbsc H776
3 צִלְצַ֣ל 𐤑𐤋𐤑𐤋 tsiletsal
clanging of
clanging of
HNcmsc H6767
4 כְּנָפָ֑יִם 𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤉𐤌 kenafayim
two wings
wings
HNcfda H3671
5 אֲשֶׁ֥ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher
that-which
which
HTr H834
6 מֵ/עֵ֖בֶר 𐤌/𐤏𐤁𐤓 meever
from the far side of
from beyond
HR/Ncmsa H5676
7 לְ/נַֽהֲרֵי 𐤋/𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤉 lenaharey
to rivers of
to the rivers of
HR/Ncmpc H5104
8 כֽוּשׁ 𐤊𐤅𐤔 khush
Kush
Kush
HNp H3568
Verse 2
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 הַ/שֹּׁלֵ֨חַ 𐤄/𐤔𐤋𐤇 hasholecha
the one who sends
the one who sends
HTd/Vqrmsa H7971
2 בַּ/יָּ֜ם 𐤁/𐤉𐤌 bayam
in the sea
in the sea
HRd/Ncmsa H3220
3 צִירִ֗ים 𐤑𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 tsirim
pressure-throes
envoys
HNcmpa H6735
4 וּ/בִ/כְלֵי 𐤅/𐤁/𐤊𐤋𐤉 uvikheley
and in implements of
and in vessels of
HC/R/Ncmpc H3627
5 גֹמֶא֮ 𐤂𐤌𐤀 gome ngoma (Kikongo)
water-absorbing marsh-reed
papyrus
HNcmsa H1573
6 עַל 𐤏𐤋 al
upon
upon
HR H5921
7 פְּנֵי 𐤐𐤍𐤉 peney
face of
before the face of
HNcbpc H6440
8 מַיִם֒ 𐤌𐤉𐤌 mayim Amanzi (Zulu)
waters
waters
HNcmpa H4325
9 לְכ֣וּ 𐤋𐤊𐤅 lekhu
Go
Go
HVqv2mp H3212
10 מַלְאָכִ֣ים 𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤉𐤌 maleakhim Malaika (Bemba)
messengers
messengers
HNcmpa H4397
11 קַלִּ֗ים 𐤒𐤋𐤉𐤌 qalim
light ones
swift ones
HAampa H7031
12 אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el
toward
toward
HR H413
13 גּוֹי֙ 𐤂𐤅𐤉 goy
people-group
people-group
HNcmsa H1471
14 מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ 𐤌𐤌𐤔𐤊 memushakhe
thoroughly drawn out
thoroughly drawn out
HVPsmsa H4900
15 וּ/מוֹרָ֔ט 𐤅/𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤈 umorat
peeled
peeled
HC/VPsmsa H4178
16 אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el-2
toward
toward
HR H413
17 עַ֥ם 𐤏𐤌 am
gathered people
gathered people
HNcmsa H5971
18 נוֹרָ֖א 𐤍𐤅𐤓𐤀 nora
one to be feared
one to be feared
HVNrmsa H3372
19 מִן 𐤌𐤍 min
from
from
HR H4480
20 ה֣וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu
he
he
HPp3ms H1931
21 וָ/הָ֑לְאָה 𐤅/𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤄 vahaleah
and onward
and onward
HC/D H1973
22 גּ֚וֹי 𐤂𐤅𐤉 goy-2
people-group
people-group
HNcmsa H1471
23 קַו 𐤒𐤅 qav
babble-line of
babble-line of
HNcmsa H6978
24 קָ֣ו 𐤒𐤅 qav-2
babble-line of
babble-line of
HNcmsa H6978
25 וּ/מְבוּסָ֔ה 𐤅/𐤌𐤁𐤅𐤎𐤄 umevusah
and trampling-down
and trampling-down
HC/Ncfsa H4001
26 אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher
that-which
that which
HTr H834
27 בָּזְא֥וּ 𐤁𐤆𐤀𐤅 bazeu
they plundered
they plundered
HVqp3cp H958
28 נְהָרִ֖ים 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 neharim
flowing rivers
flowing rivers
HNcmpa H5104
29 אַרְצֽ/וֹ 𐤀𐤓𐤑/𐤅 aretso Ayé (Yoruba)
his land
his land
HNcbsc/Sp3ms H776
Verse 3
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal kila (Swahili)
entirety of
all of
HNcmsc H3605
2 יֹשְׁבֵ֥י 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤉 yoshevey
dwellers of
dwellers of
HVqrmpc H3427
3 תֵבֵ֖ל 𐤕𐤁𐤋 tevel
inhabited world
inhabited world
HNcfsa H8398
4 וְ/שֹׁ֣כְנֵי 𐤅/𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤉 veshokheney
and dwellers of
and those who dwell in
HC/Vqrmpc H7931
5 אָ֑רֶץ 𐤀𐤓𐤑 arets Ayé (Yoruba)
land
land
HNcbsa H776
6 כִּ/נְשֹׂא 𐤊/𐤍𐤔𐤀 kineso
to lift up
when a signal is raised
HR/Vqc H5375
7 נֵ֤ס 𐤍𐤎 nes
raised standard
a standard
HNcmsa H5251
8 הָרִים֙ 𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 harim
mountains
on the mountains
HNcmpa H2022
9 תִּרְא֔וּ 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤅 tireu
you will see
you will see
HVqi2mp H7200
10 וְ/כִ/תְקֹ֥עַ 𐤅/𐤊/𐤕𐤒𐤏 vekhiteqoa
and when striking
and when a shofar is sounded
HC/R/Vqc H8628
11 שׁוֹפָ֖ר 𐤔𐤅𐤐𐤓 shofar
ram’s horn trumpet
shofar
HNcmsa H7782
12 תִּשְׁמָֽעוּ 𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 tishemau
you (masculine plural) will listen
you (masculine plural) will hear
HVqi2mp H8085
Verse 4
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 כִּי֩ 𐤊𐤉 ki
for/because
for
HC H3588
2 כֹ֨ה 𐤊𐤄 khoh
thus
thus
HD H3541
3 אָמַ֤ר 𐤀𐤌𐤓 amar
he said
he said
HVqp3ms H559
4 יְהוָה֙ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi)
Yahweh
Yahweh
HNp H3068
5 אֵלַ֔/י 𐤀𐤋/𐤉 elay
toward me
to me
HR/Sp1cs H413
6 אשקוטה 𐤀𐤔𐤒𐤅𐤈𐤄 shqvth
let me be still
let me be quiet
HVqh1cs H8252
7 אֶשְׁקֳטָ֖ה 𐤀𐤔𐤒𐤈𐤄 esheqotah
let me be at rest
let me be at rest
HVqh1cs H8252
8 וְ/אַבִּ֣יטָה 𐤅/𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤄 veabitah
and let me gaze intently
and let me look intently
HC/Vhh1cs H5027
9 בִ/מְכוֹנִ֑/י 𐤁/𐤌𐤊𐤅𐤍/𐤉 vimekhoni
in my established dwelling
in my established dwelling
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs H4349
10 כְּ/חֹ֥ם 𐤊/𐤇𐤌 kechom
like heat of
like heat of
HR/Ncmsc H2527
11 צַח֙ 𐤑𐤇 tsach
radiant
radiant
HAamsa H6703
12 עֲלֵי 𐤏𐤋𐤉 aley
upon
upon
HR H5921
13 א֔וֹר 𐤀𐤅𐤓 or
light
light
HNcbsa H216
14 כְּ/עָ֥ב 𐤊/𐤏𐤁 keav
like a dense cloud
like a dense cloud
HR/Ncbsc H5645
15 טַ֖ל 𐤈𐤋 tal
dew covering
dew covering
HNcmsa H2919
16 בְּ/חֹ֥ם 𐤁/𐤇𐤌 bechom
in heat
in heat
HR/Ncmsc H2527
17 קָצִֽיר 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 qatsir
harvest
harvest
HNcmsa H7105
Verse 5
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki
for/because
for
HC H3588
2 לִ/פְנֵ֤י 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉 lifeney
to the face of
to before the face of
HR/Ncbpc H6440
3 קָצִיר֙ 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 qatsir
harvest
harvest
HNcmsa H7105
4 כְּ/תָם 𐤊/𐤕𐤌 ketam
as being complete
as being complete
HR/Vqc H8552
5 פֶּ֔רַח 𐤐𐤓𐤇 perach
blossom-of
blossom-of
HNcmsa H6525
6 וּ/בֹ֥סֶר 𐤅/𐤁𐤎𐤓 uvoser bichi (Swahili)
and unripe grape
and unripe grape
HC/Ncmsa H1155
7 גֹּמֵ֖ל 𐤂𐤌𐤋 gomel
the one who repays
ripening
HVqrmsa H1580
8 יִֽהְיֶ֣ה 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 yiheyeh
he will come to be
it will be
HVqi3ms H1961
9 נִצָּ֑ה 𐤍𐤑𐤄 nitsah
her blossom
its blossom
HNcfsa H5328
10 וְ/כָרַ֤ת 𐤅/𐤊𐤓𐤕 vekharat kata (Swahili)
and he cut off
and he will cut off
HC/Vqp3ms H3772
11 הַ/זַּלְזַלִּים֙ 𐤄/𐤆𐤋𐤆𐤋𐤉𐤌 hazalezalim
the trembling twigs
the shoots
HTd/Ncmpa H2150
12 בַּ/מַּזְמֵר֔וֹת 𐤁/𐤌𐤆𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤕 bamazemerot
with the pruning-knives
with pruning hooks
HRd/Ncfpa H4211
13 וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet
and object-marker
[·]
HC/To H853
14 הַ/נְּטִישׁ֖וֹת 𐤄/𐤍𐤈𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤕 hanetishot
the tendrils
the tendrils
HTd/Ncfpa H5189
15 הֵסִ֥יר 𐤄𐤎𐤉𐤓 hesir
he caused to turn aside
he will remove
HVhp3ms H5493
16 הֵתַֽז 𐤄𐤕𐤆 hetaz
he caused to be cut off
he will cut off
HVhp3ms H8456
Verse 6
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 יֵעָזְב֤וּ 𐤉𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤅 yeazevu
they will be abandoned
they will be abandoned
HVNi3mp H5800
2 יַחְדָּו֙ 𐤉𐤇𐤃𐤅 yachedav
as one together
together
HD H3162
3 לְ/עֵ֣יט 𐤋/𐤏𐤉𐤈 leeyt
to a swooping raptor
to a bird of prey
HR/Ncmsc H5861
4 הָרִ֔ים 𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 harim
mountains
mountains
HNcmpa H2022
5 וּֽ/לְ/בֶהֱמַ֖ת 𐤅/𐤋/𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤕 ulevehemat
and for beast-of
and for animal-of
HC/R/Ncfsc H929
6 הָ/אָ֑רֶץ 𐤄/𐤀𐤓𐤑 haarets Ayé (Yoruba)
the earth
the earth
HTd/Ncbsa H776
7 וְ/קָ֤ץ 𐤅/𐤒𐤑 veqats
and he spent the summer
and it will summer
HC/Vqq3ms H6972
8 עָלָי/ו֙ 𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤅 alayv
upon him
upon it
HR/Sp3ms H5921
9 הָ/עַ֔יִט 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤈 haayit
the swooping raptor
the hawk
HTd/Ncmsa H5861
10 וְ/כָל 𐤅/𐤊𐤋 vekhal kila (Swahili)
and whole of
and all of
HC/Ncmsc H3605
11 בֶּהֱמַ֥ת 𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤕 behemat
beast of
animal of
HNcfsc H929
12 הָ/אָ֖רֶץ 𐤄/𐤀𐤓𐤑 haarets-2 Ayé (Yoruba)
the earth
the earth
HTd/Ncbsa H776
13 עָלָ֥י/ו 𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤅 alayv-2
upon him
upon it
HR/Sp3ms H5921
14 תֶּחֱרָֽף 𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤐 techeraf karipia (Swahili)
she will reproach
she will winter
HVqi3fs H2778
Verse 7
# Hebrew Translation Morphology Strong's
1 בָּ/עֵת֩ 𐤁/𐤏𐤕 baet
at the appointed time
at the appointed time
HRd/Ncbsa H6256
2 הַ/הִ֨יא 𐤄/𐤄𐤉𐤀 hahi
she
she
HTd/Pp3fs H1931
3 יֽוּבַל 𐤉𐤅𐤁𐤋 yuval kubela (Kimbundu (Angola))
Brought-Forth-One
will be brought
HVHi3ms H2986
4 שַׁ֜י 𐤔𐤉 shay
tribute-gift
tribute-gift
HNcmsa H7862
5 לַ/יהוָ֣ה 𐤋/𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 layhvah Nyambe (Lozi)
to Yahweh
to Yahweh
HR/Np H3068
6 צְבָא֗וֹת 𐤑𐤁𐤀𐤅𐤕 tsevaot
organized hosts
organized hosts
HNcbpa H6635
7 עַ֚ם 𐤏𐤌 am
gathered people
gathered people
HNcmsa H5971
8 מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ 𐤌𐤌𐤔𐤊 memushakhe
thoroughly drawn out
thoroughly drawn out
HVPsmsa H4900
9 וּ/מוֹרָ֔ט 𐤅/𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤈 umorat
peeled
and peeled
HC/VPsmsa H4178
10 וּ/מֵ/עַ֥ם 𐤅/𐤌/𐤏𐤌 umeam
and from a people
and from a people
HC/R/Ncmsa H5971
11 נוֹרָ֖א 𐤍𐤅𐤓𐤀 nora
one to be feared
one to be feared
HVNrmsa H3372
12 מִן 𐤌𐤍 min
from
from
HR H4480
13 ה֣וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu
he
he
HPp3ms H1931
14 וָ/הָ֑לְאָה 𐤅/𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤄 vahaleah
and onward
and onward
HC/D H1973
15 גּ֣וֹי 𐤂𐤅𐤉 goy
people-group
people-group
HNcmsc H1471
16 קַו 𐤒𐤅 qav
babble-line of
babble-line of
HNcmsa H6978
17 קָ֣ו 𐤒𐤅 qav-2
babble-line of
babble-line of
HNcmsa H6978
18 וּ/מְבוּסָ֗ה 𐤅/𐤌𐤁𐤅𐤎𐤄 umevusah
and trampling-down
and trampling-down
HC/Ncfsa H4001
19 אֲשֶׁ֨ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher
that-which
that which
HTr H834
20 בָּזְא֤וּ 𐤁𐤆𐤀𐤅 bazeu
they plundered
they plundered
HVqp3cp H958
21 נְהָרִים֙ 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 neharim
flowing rivers
flowing rivers
HNcmpa H5104
22 אַרְצ֔/וֹ 𐤀𐤓𐤑/𐤅 aretso Ayé (Yoruba)
his land
his land
HNcbsc/Sp3ms H776
23 אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el
toward
toward
HR H413
24 מְק֛וֹם 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 meqom
standing-place of
place of
HNcmsc H4725
25 שֵׁם 𐤔𐤌 shem
name-of
name of
HNcmsc H8034
26 יְהוָ֥ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi)
Yahweh
Yahweh
HNp H3068
27 צְבָא֖וֹת 𐤑𐤁𐤀𐤅𐤕 tsevaot-2
organized hosts
organized hosts
HNcbpa H6635
28 הַר 𐤄𐤓 har
mountain of
mountain of
HNcmsc H2022
29 צִיּֽוֹן 𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 tsion
Tsiyon
Tsion
HNp H6726