King James Version

Isaiah 18:2

That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

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Hebrew

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הַשֹּׁלֵ֨חַhasholechathe sendשָׁלַחdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the send”, a verb used as a describing wordH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…בַּיָּ֜םbayamin seaיָםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in sea”, the ordinary formH3220a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the southsea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).צִירִ֗יםtsirimhingeצִירnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “hinge”, the ordinary formH6735a hinge (as pressed in turning); also a throe (as a phys. or mental pressure); also a herald or erranddoer (as constrained by the principal)ambassador, hinge, messenger, pain, pang, sorrow. Compare H6736 (צִיר).וּבִכְלֵיuvikhleand in vesselכְּלִיconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and in vessel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3627something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon)armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, [phrase] furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, [idiom] one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, [phrase] psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, [phrase] w…גֹמֶא֮gomerushגֹּמֶאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “rush”, the ordinary formH1573properly, an absorbent, i.e. the bulrush (from its porosity); specifically the papyrus(bul-) rush.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, 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,…פְּנֵיpenea- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…מַיִם֒mayimwaterמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).לְכ֣וּlekhvcarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “carry”, a commandH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…מַלְאָכִ֣יםmalakhimangelמֲלְאָךְnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “angel”, the ordinary formH4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)ambassador, angel, king, messenger.קַלִּ֗יםqalimlightקַלadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “light”, the ordinary formH7031light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)light, swift(-ly).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).גּוֹי֙goyGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְmemushakhedrawמָשַׁךְverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “draw”, a verb used as a describing wordH4900to draw, used in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong, to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall, etc.)draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, [idiom] give, handle, make (pro-, sound) long, [idiom] sow, scatter, stretch out.וּמוֹרָ֔טumoratand peeledמוֹרָטconjunction, verb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “and peeled”, a verb used as a describing wordH4178obstinate, i.e. independentpeeled.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).עַ֥םampeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.נוֹרָ֖אnorafearיָרֵאverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “fear”, a verb used as a describing wordH3372to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frightenaffright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).מִןminfromמִןpreposition — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.ה֣וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.וָהָ֑לְאָהvahaleahand backהָלְאָהconjunction, adverb — “and back”H1973to the distance, i.e. far away; also (of time) thus farback, beyond, (hence,-) forward, hitherto, thence, forth, yonder.גּ֚וֹיgoyGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.קַוqavstalwartקַו־קַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “stalwart”, the ordinary formH6978stalwart[idiom] meted out.קָ֣וqavstalwartקַו־קַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “stalwart”, the ordinary formH6978stalwart[idiom] meted out.וּמְבוּסָ֔הumevusahand treading downמְבוּסָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and treading down”, the ordinary formH4001a tramplingtreading (trodden) down (under foot).אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…בָּזְא֥וּbazevspoilבָּזָאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “spoil”, a completed actionH958probably to cleavespoil.נְהָרִ֖יםneharimfloodנָהָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “flood”, the ordinary formH5104a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperityflood, river.אַרְצֽוֹartsvoearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and of glossy skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying , Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation that meteth out and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

Young’s Literal Translation

That is sending by sea ambassadors, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters, — Go, ye light messengers, Unto a nation drawn out and peeled, Unto a people fearful from its beginning and onwards, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled.

World English Bible

that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, “Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide!”

Darby Translation

that sendest ambassadors over the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, [saying,] Go, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and ravaged, to a people terrible from their existence and thenceforth; to a nation of continued waiting and of treading down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

Douay-Rheims

That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, and in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters. Go, ye swift angels, to a nation rent and torn in pieces: to a terrible people, after which there is no other: to a nation expecting and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

He sends messengers by the sea, and paper letters on the water: for swift messengers shall go to a lofty nation, and to a strange and harsh people. Who is beyond it? a nation not looked for, and trodden down.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ ἀποστέλλων ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὅμηρα, καὶ ἐπιστολὰς βιβλίνας ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος· πορεύσονται γὰρ ἄγγελοι κοῦφοι πρὸς ἔθνος μετέωρον, καὶ ξένον λαὸν καὶ χαλεπόν· τίς αὐτοῦ ἐπέκεινα; ἔθνος ἀνέλπιστον καὶ καταπεπατημένον· νῦν οἱ ποταμοὶ τῆς γῆς