Isaiah 18

A Message about Ethiopia 1Listen, Ethiopia Hebrew Cush.—land of fluttering sails Or land of many locusts; Hebrew reads land of whirring wings.that lies at the headwaters of the Nile, 2 that sends ambassadorsin swift boats down the river.Go, swift messengers!Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people,who are feared far and widefor their conquests and destruction,and whose land is divided by rivers.

3All you people of the world,everyone who lives on the earth—when I raise my battle flag on the mountain, look!When I blow the ram’s horn, listen! 4 For the LORD has told me this:“I will watch quietly from my dwelling place—as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day,or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.” 5 Even before you begin your attack,while your plans are ripening like grapes,the LORD will cut off your new growth with pruning shears.He will snip off and discard your spreading branches. 6 Your mighty army will be left dead in the fieldsfor the mountain vultures and wild animals.The vultures will tear at the corpses all summer.The wild animals will gnaw at the bones all winter.

7At that time the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will receive giftsfrom this land divided by rivers,from this tall, smooth-skinned people,who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction.They will bring the gifts to Jerusalem, Hebrew to Mount Zion.where the LORD of Heaven’s Armies dwells.