Isaiah 18

Isaiah 18:1

SHadowing] which raiseth and sendeth forth such mighty Armies, that they seeme to be thicke Clouds of Locusts which shadow the Earth, which is ordinary in Ethiopia, Joe 2:10. see concerning these innumerable Armies of Ethiopians, 2 Chronicles 14:9. So Armies are called wings, Isaiah 8:8. This prophecie seems to have relation to the conquest, whichNebuchadnezzar made of Ethiopia, together with Egypt. Beyond] or along by he Rivers.

Isaiah 18:2

Ambassadours] Ethiopia is divided into the Easterne, which was a part of Arabia, and the Westerne, and the Red-Sea in the middle, Genesis 2:13. Numb. 12. 1. and it seems that the seat of the Kingdome, as in the Easterne part, so that they were faine to send messengers into the Westerne parts for to have levies of men made By the Sea] namely, the red Sea, or Arabicke gulfe Of Bulrushes] according to the ancient custome of those Countries, which in some places lasteth to this day, to make the easier way against the streame, by rockes, flats, and fals of Rivers Scattered] the Italian hath it, Of a long stature] Heb. a Nation of long extent: which is a thing, namely, their tallnesse that hath beene obseed at all times in the Ethiopians Peeled] without haire, or smooth, having no haire upon their bodies, which is also a property of those Country bodies by reason of the excessive heat A terrible people]namely, the most savage and rude amongst them, which are those that dwell in the innermost parts of Ethiopia, farre from the Sea, looking more blacke and horrid, and being more barbarous then the others Troden] namely, a vile and abject Nation, kept in extreame slavery, a thing proper to the Moores and Ethiopians, both in their owne Country, and abroad The Rivers] this is also one of the properties of Ethiopia, namely, that the Rivers Nilus and Niger, overflowing by reason of the great raines in Winter, doe wash away all the fatnesse of the Land: whereupon Egypt was by the ancients called the gift of Nilus.

Isaiah 18:3

All ye] that is to say, I doe bring the world tidings, of the Chaldeans generall over-running the Country. Wherefore so soon as ye shall perceive it once to begin, you must expect the continuance of it, untill such time as all that be accomplished, which I prophecie unto you:

Isaiah 18:4

I will] that is to say, I will give the Chaldeans leave to goe on with this their great enterprise, and will no way hinder them, onely I will have the eye of my providence open, and sixed upon my Church, to comfort, conduct, and defend her amidst all these tempests, as I did at her comming forth of Egypt, and in the wildernesse, by the siery, and cloudy pillar Isaiah 4:5.

Isaiah 18:5

For] that is to say, the effect of my sufferance shall be this, that the King of the Chaldeans shall conquer and destroy the great states of the world before they be growne old and weake with age, even as if one should cut and dresse a Vine where it is budded, and ready to beare fruit.

Isaiah 18:6

Left] that is to say, they shall be left for a prey, to their Conquerours and new Lords; or to the eves and robbers on the high way, as it often falleth out in new conquered Countries.

Isaiah 18:7

In that time] namely, after all these ruines and calamities, the Ethiopians shall be converted to God under the Gospell, and shall embrace the Christian faith, which indeed hath been so, and is so to this day, see Acts 8:27; Acts 8:37. Shall the] a figurative description of that peoples spirituall subjection to Christs Kingdome, with termes taken from tributes and presents which are brought to earthly Kings and Princes, as Psa. 68. 31. & 72. 10 Isaiah 16:1.