Isaiah 18:6

Isaiah 18:6 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.

King James Version KJV

They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

American Standard Version ASV

They shall be left together unto the ravenous birds of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the ravenous birds shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

Bible in Basic English BBE

They will be for the birds of the mountains, and for the beasts of the earth: the birds will come down on them in the summer, and the beasts of the earth in the winter.

Free Bible Version FBV

They will all be left as carrion for the birds of prey of the mountains, and for the wild animals. The birds will eat them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

They shall be left together vnto the foules of the mountaines, and to the beastes of the earth: for the foule shall sommer vpon it, and euery beast of the earth shall winter vpon it.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

They are left together to the ravenous fowl of the mountains, And to the beast of the earth, And summered on them hath the ravenous fowl, And every beast of the earth wintereth on them.

World English Bible WEB

They will be left together for the ravenous birds of the mountains, and for the animals of the earth. The ravenous birds will eat them in the summer, and all the animals of the earth will eat them in the winter.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

They shall be left together to the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And they shall be left together to the birds of the mountains, and the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall be upon them all the summer, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

Translation for Translators T4T

All the soldiers in the army of Ethiopia will be killed, and their corpses will lie in the fields for vultures to eat their flesh in the ◄summer/hot season►. Then wild animals will chew on their bones all during the ◄winter/cold season►.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 18:6

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Isaiah 18:6 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB יֵעָזְב֤וּ יַחְדָּו֙ לְ/עֵ֣יט הָרִ֔ים וּֽ/לְ/בֶהֱמַ֖ת הָ/אָ֑רֶץ וְ/קָ֤ץ עָלָי/ו֙ הָ/עַ֔יִט וְ/כָל בֶּהֱמַ֥ת הָ/אָ֖רֶץ עָלָ֥י/ו תֶּחֱרָֽף

יֵעָזְב֤וּ ʻâzab H5800 Forsaken V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp

יַחְדָּו֙ yachad H3162 unitedness Adv

לְ/עֵ֣יט ʻayiṭ H5861 bird of prey Prep | N-ms

הָרִ֔ים har H2022 mountain N-mp

וּֽ/לְ/בֶהֱמַ֖ת bᵉhêmâh H929 animal Conj | Prep | N-fs

הָ/אָ֑רֶץ ʼerets H776 land Art | N-cs

וְ/קָ֤ץ qûwts H6972 to summer Conj | V-Qal-3ms

עָלָי/ו֙ ʻal H5921 upon Prep | Suff

הָ/עַ֔יִט ʻayiṭ H5861 bird of prey Art | N-ms

וְ/כָל kôl H3605 all Conj | N-ms

בֶּהֱמַ֥ת bᵉhêmâh H929 animal N-fs

הָ/אָ֖רֶץ ʼerets H776 land Art | N-cs

עָלָ֥י/ו ʻal H5921 upon Prep | Suff

תֶּחֱרָֽף châraph H2778 to taunt V-Qal-Imperf-3fs

Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 18:6

יֵעָזְב֤וּ ʻâzab H5800 "Forsaken" V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp

Forsaken means to loosen or relinquish something, often implying abandonment. In the Bible, the word appears in Psalm 22:1, where David cries out to God, saying my God, why have you forsaken me. The term signifies a sense of desperation and isolation.

Definition: This name means to restore, repair Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Usage: Occurs in 206 OT verses. KJV: commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 2:24; Nehemiah 5:10; Psalms 9:11.

יַחְדָּו֙ yachad H3162 "unitedness" Adv

This adverb means together, describing people doing something in unity, like in Psalm 133:1.

Definition: 1) union, unitedness

Usage: Occurs in 139 OT verses. KJV: alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal. See also: Genesis 13:6; Psalms 62:10; Psalms 2:2.

לְ/עֵ֣יט ʻayiṭ H5861 "bird of prey" Prep | N-ms

The Hebrew word for a bird of prey, like a hawk, that swoops down on its victims. It appears in the Bible as a symbol of power and swiftness. In the KJV, it is translated as bird or fowl.

Definition: bird of prey, a swooper

Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: bird, fowl, ravenous (bird). See also: Genesis 15:11; Isaiah 46:11; Isaiah 18:6.

הָרִ֔ים har H2022 "mountain" N-mp

A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.

Definition: : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount

Usage: Occurs in 486 OT verses. KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. See also: Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:12; Judges 18:13.

וּֽ/לְ/בֶהֱמַ֖ת bᵉhêmâh H929 "animal" Conj | Prep | N-fs

This word refers to animals, especially large quadruped mammals. It's used in the Bible to describe livestock, wild beasts, and other creatures. It appears in stories of creation, farming, and wildlife.

Definition: 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts

Usage: Occurs in 172 OT verses. KJV: beast, cattle. See also: Genesis 1:24; Deuteronomy 28:11; Psalms 8:8.

הָ/אָ֑רֶץ ʼerets H776 "land" Art | N-cs

The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.

Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.

וְ/קָ֤ץ qûwts H6972 "to summer" Conj | V-Qal-3ms

The Hebrew word for summer, or to spend the harvest season, is used in the Bible to describe the warmest season of the year.

Definition: (Qal) to spend the summer

Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: summer. See also: Isaiah 18:6.

עָלָי/ו֙ ʻal H5921 "upon" Prep | Suff

This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.

Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)

Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.

הָ/עַ֔יִט ʻayiṭ H5861 "bird of prey" Art | N-ms

The Hebrew word for a bird of prey, like a hawk, that swoops down on its victims. It appears in the Bible as a symbol of power and swiftness. In the KJV, it is translated as bird or fowl.

Definition: bird of prey, a swooper

Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: bird, fowl, ravenous (bird). See also: Genesis 15:11; Isaiah 46:11; Isaiah 18:6.

וְ/כָל kôl H3605 "all" Conj | N-ms

The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.

Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.

בֶּהֱמַ֥ת bᵉhêmâh H929 "animal" N-fs

Definition: 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts

Usage: Occurs in 172 OT verses. KJV: beast, cattle. See also: Genesis 1:24; Deuteronomy 28:11; Psalms 8:8.

הָ/אָ֖רֶץ ʼerets H776 "land" Art | N-cs

Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.

עָלָ֥י/ו ʻal H5921 "upon" Prep | Suff

This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.

תֶּחֱרָֽף châraph H2778 "to taunt" V-Qal-Imperf-3fs

The Hebrew word 'châraph' means to acquire or expose something, and can also mean to betroth or defame someone. It is translated as 'betroth', 'blaspheme', or 'reproach' in the KJV Bible.

Definition: 1) to reproach, taunt, blaspheme, defy, jeopardise, rail, upbraid 1a) (Qal) to reproach 1b) (Piel) to reproach, defy, taunt

Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: betroth, blaspheme, defy, jeopard, rail, reproach, upbraid. See also: Leviticus 19:20; Psalms 55:13; Psalms 42:11.

Study Notes — Isaiah 18:6

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Isaiah 18:6 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 18:6
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 18:6
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 18:6
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 18:6
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6
Sermons on Isaiah 18:6

Context — A Message to Cush

4For this is what the LORD has told me: “I will quietly look on from My dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” 5For before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, He will cut off the shoots with a pruning knife and remove and discard the branches.

6They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.

7At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD of Hosts— from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people widely feared, from a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the LORD of Hosts.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Jeremiah 7:33	The corpses of this people will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to scare them away.
2	Ezekiel 39:17–20	And as for you, son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says: Call out to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great feast on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all the fattened animals of Bashan. At the sacrifice I am preparing, you will eat fat until you are gorged and drink blood until you are drunk. And at My table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, of mighty men and warriors of every kind,’ declares the Lord GOD.
3	Ezekiel 32:4–6	I will abandon you on the land and hurl you into the open field. I will cause all the birds of the air to settle upon you, and all the beasts of the earth to eat their fill of you. I will put your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains. I will drench the land with the flow of your blood, all the way to the mountains— the ravines will be filled.
4	Revelation 19:17–18	Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”
5	Isaiah 56:9	Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest.
6	Isaiah 34:1–7	Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it. The LORD is angry with all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them over to slaughter. Their slain will be left unburied, and the stench of their corpses will rise; the mountains will flow with their blood. All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree. When My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, then it will come down upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat— with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom. And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.
7	Jeremiah 15:3	I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.
8	Isaiah 14:19	But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot.

Isaiah 18:6 Summary

[Isaiah 18:6 tells us that those who are not following God will be left all alone, like something that has been discarded, and will be consumed by the things of this world. This is a powerful reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, as seen in Proverbs 29:1 and Romans 6:23. It also points to the importance of seeking spiritual nourishment and guidance, as described in Matthew 5:6 and John 6:35. By turning to God and seeking His redemption, we can avoid the desolation and abandonment described in this verse.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for something to be left to the mountain birds of prey and the beasts of the land?

This phrase, as seen in Isaiah 18:6, symbolizes abandonment and desolation, where the remains of the unrighteous are left to be consumed by wild animals, much like what is described in Isaiah 34:15 and Ezekiel 39:4-5.

Why are the birds and wild animals mentioned as feeding in different seasons?

The mention of the birds feeding in summer and the wild animals in winter, as in Isaiah 18:6, emphasizes the complete and continuous desolation, leaving no remains unconsumed, much like the desolation described in Jeremiah 9:10 and Ezekiel 38:21.

Is this verse speaking of a specific nation or people?

While Isaiah 18:6 does not directly specify a nation, the context of Isaiah 18 suggests it is referring to a nation that has been judged by God, similar to the judgments described in Isaiah 13:19 and Jeremiah 25:12-14.

How does this verse relate to the larger context of God's judgment and redemption?

Isaiah 18:6 is part of a larger narrative of God's judgment on the nations, but also points to the redemption that will come through the gifts brought to the LORD of Hosts, as described in Isaiah 18:7, much like the redemption promised in Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-5.

Reflection Questions

What are the spiritual implications of being 'left to the mountain birds of prey and the beasts of the land', and how can this image inform my understanding of God's judgment?
In what ways can I apply the principle of desolation and abandonment to my own life, recognizing the consequences of turning away from God?
How does the image of the birds and wild animals feeding on the remains relate to the concept of spiritual hunger and the need for spiritual nourishment?
What does this verse teach me about the sovereignty of God and His control over all creation, including the natural world and the nations of the world?

Gill's Exposition on 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

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 18:6

They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6

The sprigs and branches being cut down and thrown upon the ground, with the unripe grapes upon them, they shall lie upon the earth neglected by men, as being unripe, and unfit for their use, so that either birds or beasts may shelter themselves with them, or feed on them, both summer and winter. You are not to understand that the summer is appropriated to the fowls, and the winter to the beasts; but this is only an elegancy of the Hebrew language to use such distributions, of which we have many instances in prophetical writings.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6

Isaiah 18:6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.Ver. 6. They shall be left together.] They, that is, the Assyrians slain by the angel. The fowls shall summer upon them.] Both birds and beasts of prey shall have enough to feed upon the whole year about.

Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6

(6) They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains . . .—The figure and the reality are strangely blended. The grapes of that vintage cut off by those pruning-hooks are none other than the carcases of the host of the Assyrians left unburied, to be devoured by the dogs and vultures.

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 18:6

6. The figure is now abandoned; instead of the “sprigs and branches” of the vine, we have the dead bodies of the Assyrian soldiers left as carrion for unclean beasts and birds, summer … winter] a whole year. The idea is amplified, with somewhat gruesome details, in Ezekiel 39:11 ff.; cf. also Jeremiah 7:33; 1 Samuel 17:46; 2 Samuel 21:10.

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 18:6

They shall be left together - The figure here is dropped, and the literal narration is resumed. The sense is, that the army shall be slain and left unburied.

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 18:6

6. They… be left — The branches cut off for the fowls and beasts represent the carcasses of the enemy laid prostrate on the field, as the Assyrians were arrested in their march against Egypt.

Sermons on Isaiah 18:6

	Sermon	Description
	(The Church in the Last Days) 12 - the Harlot Church by Milton Green	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of following the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. He encourages listeners to listen to the entire series of tape
	The End of Time by Chuck Smith	This sermon delves into the prophecies of the end times as outlined in the book of Daniel and other biblical passages. It discusses the events leading up to the establishment of Go
	(Second Coming of Christ) 10 the Supper of the Great God by Aeron Morgan	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of heeding the warnings of the Word of God. He warns that a fearful day is coming, known as the Armageddon, where there will
	The Mighty Conqueror by Robert Murray M'Cheyne	Robert Murray M'Cheyne emphasizes the ultimate authority of Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords, highlighting the final conflict between Christ and the world regarding Hi
	The Nations the Enemies of Israel-Their Final Opposition to Jerusalem Followed by Judgment Upon Them by Arno Clemens Gaebelein	Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches about the distinction between the nation of Israel and the nations, highlighting God's chosen people and the disobedience of Israel leading to the d
	(Through the Bible) Isaiah 56-60 by Chuck Smith	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that God wants us to live a life of fairness and honesty. He urges us to do justice and keep judgment, and to refrain from cheating or taking
	Week of Meetings-07 Armageddon-Who When Where by Dwight Pentecost	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the events that will occur after the Lord Jesus Christ takes believers to be with Him. He mentions that the nations of the earth are currentl