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英語原文
Whatever country it is that is meant here by "the land shadowing with wings," here is a woe denounced against it, for God has, upon his people's account, a quarrel with it. I. They threaten God's people, Isa 18:1,2. II. All the neighbours are hereupon called to take notice what will be the issue, Isa 18:3. III. Though God seem unconcerned in the distress of his people for a time, he will at length appear against their enemies and will remarkably cut them off, Isa 18:4-6. IV. This shall redound very much to the glory of God, Isa 18:7.
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Judgments Denounced (712 BC)
繁體中文
宣告審判（主前712年）
¹ 唉！古實河外翅膀刷刷響聲之地，
² 差遣使者在水面上，坐蒲草船過海。先知說：你們快行的使者，要到高大光滑的民那裏去。自從開國以來，那民極其可畏，是分地界踐踏人的；他們的地有江河分開。
³ 世上一切的居民，地上所住的人哪，山上豎立大旗的時候，你們要看；吹角的時候，你們要聽。
⁴ 耶和華對我這樣說：我要安靜，在我的居所觀看，如同日光中的熱氣，又如露水的雲霧在收割的熱天。
⁵ 收割之先，花開已謝，將熟果子結成的時候，他必用鐮刀削去嫩枝，又砍掉蔓延的枝條，
⁶ 都要撇給山間的鷙鳥和地上的野獸。鷙鳥要宿在其上；地上一切的野獸都要臥在其中。
⁷ 到那時，這高大光滑的民，就是從開國以來極其可畏、分地界踐踏人的，他們的地有江河分開；他們必將禮物奉給萬軍之耶和華，就是奉到錫安山─耶和華立他名的地方。
解經家對於這古實河外之地究竟在哪裡，意見紛紜。有人認為是埃及——一個沿海的國家，河流眾多，曾拉攏以色列投靠他們，卻證明是折斷的蘆葦；但對此有強烈的反對理由：下一章以埃及的默示為題與本章區別開來。另有人認為是古實（埃提阿伯），讀作靠近古實河之地——不是非洲的、位於埃及以南的古實，而是我們所稱的亞拉伯，位於迦南以東，當時特哈加是其王。他想以在亞述王進攻其國時大加牽制——正如當時亞述王正攻打耶路撒冷——如同在祂翅膀的蔭下保護猶太人，2Ki 19:9。然而他雖然藉使臣向亞述王挑戰、又鼓勵猶太人投靠他，神卻藉先知輕看他，不肯與他同去；他可以走自己的路，神卻要另走一條路來保護耶路撒冷，任憑特哈加的企圖失敗、他的亞拉伯軍隊被毀；因為亞述軍隊要藉天使的手——不是藉古實王特哈加的手——成為萬軍之耶和華與祂名之處的禮物或祭物，Isa 18:7。這是對本章一個極有可能的解釋。但從賴特富特博士在他的《舊約調和論》中所得的提示，我傾向把本章理解為針對亞述的預言，如此就是前一章 Isa 17:12-14 預言的延續，因此本章當與前一章相連。前一章是針對侵入猶大的亞述軍隊；本章是針對亞述地本身，那地位於亞拉伯河——就是與亞拉伯沙漠接壤的伯拉大河和希底結河——的對岸。而他稱之為翅膀刷刷響聲之地，似乎是指他先前自己論亞述所說的話（Isa 8:8）：*他展開翅膀，遮滿你地的寬廣，以馬內利啊！*先知也許正是因為這個緣故，像保羅在預言中以婉轉的說法論到羅馬帝國一樣——那攔阻的（2Th 2:7），用這樣隱晦的話描寫亞述人而不提名。這裡有：
I. 這地（不論是哪一地）對那高大光滑、分地界踐踏人的民所作的嘗試，Isa 18:2。快行的使者藉水路被差去向他們宣戰，視他們為被護理所標記、被量度要踐踏的民。這話無論是指古實人與亞述人爭戰，還是亞述人與猶大爭戰，都教導我們：1. 一個從起初就令人畏懼、曾顯赫一時、執掌大權的民，也可能變得被趕散剝光，甚至那些本應使農夫和商人致富的江河，也可能使那地荒涼。從前令人膽寒、叫周圍一切戰慄的國家，可能因一連串的變故，變成可鄙的、成為傲慢鄰國輕易的獵物。2. 野心擴張領土的君王和國家，總要找這樣或那樣的藉口與他們垂涎其國的民爭戰。「這民從前可畏，所以我們要向他報仇；如今這民被趕散剝光、被量度踐踏，所以是我們輕易的獵物。」也許它並不如他們所描述的那樣衰敗。神的百姓被踐踏，如同被趕散剝光的民；但那些想要吞滅他們的人，會發現他們仍如起初那樣可畏；他們被摔倒了，卻沒有被撇棄，沒有被消滅。
II. 向周圍列國所發的警報，召他們注意神將要作的事，Isa 18:3。古實人和亞述人有他們籌謀極深、對之期望甚高的計策和圖謀，並為了執行這些計策，差遣使臣和信差往各處；但如今讓我們查問大能的神對這一切怎麼說。1. 祂在山上豎立大旗，吹響號角，藉此向祂教會的仇敵宣戰，並召集一切教會的朋友和好心之人來服事她，Isa 18:3。祂宣告祂要作一件大事，作為萬軍之主。2. 全世界都被吩咐來注意；地上一切居民要看見大旗、聽見號角，要觀察神護理的運行，並遵從神旨意的指引。讓人人都投到神的旗幟之下，站在祂一邊，傾聽祂那不發含糊之聲的道之號角。
III. 神向先知——並藉他向祂百姓——所作的保證：祂雖然一時似乎如一個漠不關心的旁觀者坐着觀看，卻必定在適當時機為祂百姓的安慰、為祂和祂百姓仇敵的混亂而出現（Isa 18:4）：耶和華對我這樣說。人有人的話，神也有神的話；而且正如我們可以確信祂的話必定立定，祂也常常悄悄告訴祂僕人眾先知。當祂說我要安靜之時，並非表示祂治理世界感到疲倦，或想要從其中退休歇息；這意思是說，大能的神在這世界一切動盪變幻之中，享有完美、不受干擾的自我安息（主坐在洪水之上紋絲不動；永恆的心意總是安穩的）——雖然祂有時在百姓看來似乎不像往常那樣留意這低下世界所發生的事（他們受誘惑以為祂如同睡覺的或如同驚奇的，Ps 44:23, Jer 14:9），即便那時，祂也完全知道人在作什麼、祂自己將要作什麼。
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祂要看顧祂的百姓，作他們的避難所。祂要看顧祂的居所；祂的眼目和心腸要常常以善意留在其上。錫安是祂永遠安息之處，祂要住在其間；祂要看顧它（有人如此讀）；祂要使臉光光照其上，在其中考慮當作何事，並確保一切都是為了最好的安排。祂要把為百姓所預備的安慰和清涼，調配合乎他們境況的需要；並且正因合時，就要被悅納。（1.）如同雨後晴朗的熱氣（邊欄如此讀），非常甦醒舒暢，使草木繁茂。（2.）如同收割熱天中的露水和雲彩，十分受歡迎——露水於地，雲彩於工人。當知道，神裡面有一種在任何天氣中都作祂百姓避難所和清涼的力量，使他們能抵禦每一次變幻的不便。天氣冷嗎？祂的恩寵中有使他們溫暖的。天氣熱嗎？祂的恩寵中有使他們涼爽的。偉人有他們的冬宮和夏宮（Am 3:15）；但那些與神同在的人，兩者都在祂裡面得著。
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祂要向祂和百姓的仇敵算賬，Isa 18:5,6。當亞述軍隊指望在攻取耶路撒冷、劫掠那富庶城市上得豐盛的收成，當那計劃的花苞已完全綻放、收割尚在未到之前，當他們對希西家和其百姓的敵意這酸葡萄正在花中成熟、計劃正待付諸執行之際，神要如同農夫用修剪的鐮刀削去嫩枝一般，或因葡萄酸而無用、無可救治，便砍掉蔓延的枝條那樣輕易地毀滅那軍隊。這似乎是指亞述軍隊被滅命天使擊潰，兵士的屍首如農夫砍成碎片的野葡萄枝條一般散落各處。它們要被撇給山間的鷙鳥和地上的野獸作食物，冬夏皆然；因為正如神的百姓一年四季在寒暑中都得保護（Isa 18:4），他們的仇敵也在一切季節中暴露無遮；猛禽猛獸要在其上度夏過冬，直到全然毀滅。
IV. 這一切當帶到神面前的讚美之禮物（Isa 18:7）：到那時，這事成就之時，必有禮物奉給萬軍之耶和華。1. 有人把這理解為末後的日子古實人歸信基督，我們在腓利為埃提阿伯太監施洗（Ac 8:27 等）之事上看見其標本和開端。那些被趕散剝光、被量度踐踏的民（Isa 18:2）要成為奉給主的禮物；他們雖然看來無用無價值，卻要成為悅納的禮物獻給那以信心愛心的真誠——而非以外在境況的浮華繁盛——判斷人的主。所以福音傳給外邦人，為要使外邦人作供物蒙悅納，Ro 15:16。詩篇預言（Ps 68:31）：古實人急忙舉手禱告。2. 另有人把它理解為西拿基立軍隊的戰利品，按慣例其中要取出禮物奉給萬軍之耶和華，Nu 31:50。這是那被趕散剝光之民的禮物。（1.）它是從亞述人手中奪來的；亞述人如今自己落到了他們曾輕蔑地描述猶大所處的那種狀況中（Isa 18:1）。那些不義地踐踏別人的，自己也要被公義地踐踏。（2.）它是被神的百姓獻上的，他們曾被人輕蔑地稱為被趕散剝光的民。神要在祂百姓身上賜下尊榮，雖然人把羞辱加在他們身上。末了請留意，奉到萬軍之耶和華面前的禮物，必須送到萬軍之耶和華立祂名的地方；獻給神的，必須按祂所定的方式獻上；我們務要事奉祂、在祂記錄祂名的地方等候祂與我們相會。
英語原文
Judgments Denounced (712 BC)
¹ Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
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!
³ All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
⁴ For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
⁵ For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
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.
⁷ In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
Interpreters are very much at a loss where to find this land that lies beyond the rivers of Cush. Some take it to be Egypt, a maritime country, and full of rivers, and which courted Israel to depend upon them, but proved broken reeds; but against this it is strongly objected that the next chapter is distinguished from this by the title of the burden of Egypt. Others take it to be Ethiopia, and read it, which lies near, or about, the rivers of Ethiopia, not that in Africa, which lay south of Egypt, but that which we call Arabia, which lay east of Canaan, which Tirhakah was now king of. He thought to protect the Jews, as it were, under the shadow of his wings, by giving a powerful diversion to the king of Assyria, when he made a descent upon his country, at the time that he was attacking Jerusalem, 2Ki 19:9. But though by his ambassadors he bade defiance to the king of Assyria, and encouraged the Jews to depend upon him, God by the prophet slights him, and will not go forth with him; he may take his own course, but God will take another course to protect Jerusalem, while he suffers the attempt of Tirhakah to miscarry and his Arabian army to be ruined; for the Assyrian army shall become a present or sacrifice to the Lord of hosts, and to the place of his name, by the hand of an angel, not by the hand of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Isa 18:7. This is a very probable exposition of this chapter. But from a hint of Dr. Lightfoot's, in his Harmony of the Old Testament, I incline to understand this chapter as a prophecy against Assyria, and so a continuation of the prophecy in the Isa 17:12-14 of the foregoing chapter, with which therefore this should be joined. That was against the army of the Assyrians which rushed in upon Judah; this is against the land of Assyria itself, which lay beyond the rivers of Arabia, that is, the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, which bordered on Arabia Deserta. And in calling it the land shadowing with wings he seems to refer to what he himself had said of it (Isa 8:8), that the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel! The prophet might perhaps describe the Assyrians by such dark expressions, not naming them, for the same reason that St. Paul, in his prophecy, speaks of the Roman empire by a periphrasis: He who now letteth, 2Th 2:7. Here is,
I. The attempt made by this land (whatever it is) upon a nation scattered and peeled, Isa 18:2. Swift messengers are sent by water to proclaim war against them, as a nation marked by Providence, and meted out, to be trodden under foot. Whether this refer to the Ethiopians waging war with the Assyrians, or the Assyrians with Judah, it teaches us, 1. That a people which have been terrible from their beginning, have made a figure and borne a mighty sway, may yet become scattered and peeled, and may be spoiled even by their own rivers, that should enrich both the husbandman and the merchant. Nations which have been formidable, and have kept all in awe about them, may by a concurrence of accidents become despicable and an easy prey to their insulting neighbours. 2. Princes and states that are ambitious of enlarging their territories will always have some pretence or other to quarrel with those whose countries they have a mind to. "It is a nation that has been terrible, and therefore we must be revenged on it; it is now a nation scattered and peeled, meted out and trodden down, and therefore it will be an easy prey for us." Perhaps it was not brought so low as they represented it. God's people are trampled on as a nation scattered and peeled; but whoever think to swallow them up may find them still as terrible as they have been from their beginning; they are cast down, but not deserted, not destroyed.
II. The alarm sounded to the nations about, by which they are summoned to take notice of what God is about to do, Isa 18:3. The Ethiopians and Assyrians have their counsels and designs, which they have laid deep, and promise themselves much from, and, in prosecution of them, send their ambassadors and messengers from place to place; but let us now enquire what the great God says to all this. 1. He lifts up an ensign upon the mountains, and blows a trumpet, by which he proclaims war against the enemies of his church, and calls in all her friends and well-wishers into her service, Isa 18:3. He gives notice that he is about to do some great work, as Lord of hosts. 2. All the world is bidden to take notice of it; all the dwellers on earth must see the ensign and hear the trumpet, must observe the motions of the divine providence and attend the directions of the divine will. Let all enlist under God's banner, and be on his side, and hearken to the trumpet of his word, which gives not an uncertain sound.
III. The assurance God gives to his prophet, by him to be given to his people, that, though he might seem for a time to sit by as an unconcerned spectator, yet he would certainly and seasonably appear for the comfort of his people and the confusion of his and their enemies (Isa 18:4): So the Lord said unto me. Men will have their saying, but God also will have his; and, as we may be sure his word shall stand, so he often whispers it in the ears of his servants the prophets. When he says, I will take my rest, it is not as if he were weary of governing the world, of as if he either needed or desired to retire from it and repose himself; but it intimates that the great God has a perfect, undisturbed, enjoyment of himself, in the midst of all the agitations and changes of this world (the Lord sits even upon the floods unshaken; the Eternal Mind is always easy), and, though he may sometimes seem to his people as if he took not wonted notice of what is done in this lower world (they are tempted to think he is as one asleep, or as one astonished, Ps 44:23, Jer 14:9), yet even then he knows very well what men are doing and what he himself will do.
1. He will take care of his people, and be a shelter to them. He will regard his dwelling-place; his eye and his heart are, and shall be, upon it for good continually. Zion is his rest for ever, where he will dwell; and he will look after it (so some read it); he will lift up the light of his countenance upon it, will consider over it what is to be done, and will be sure to do all for the best. He will adapt the comforts and refreshments he provides for his people to the exigencies of their case; and they will therefore be acceptable, because seasonable. (1.) Like a clear heat after rain (so the margin), which is very reviving and pleasant, and makes the herbs to flourish. (2.) Like a dew and a cloud in the heat of harvest, which are very welcome, the dew to the ground and the cloud to the labourers. Note, There is that in God which is a shelter and refreshment to his people in all weathers and arms them against the inconveniences of every change. Is the weather cool? There is that in his favour which will warm them. Is it hot? There is that in his favour which will cool them. Great men have their winter-house and their summer-house (Am 3:15); but those that are at home with God have both in him.
2. He will reckon with his and their enemies, Isa 18:5,6. When the Assyrian army promises itself a plentiful harvest in the taking of Jerusalem and the plundering of that rich city, when the bud of that project is perfect, before the harvest is gathered in, while the sour grape of their enmity to Hezekiah and his people is ripening in the flower and the design is just ready to be put in execution, God shall destroy that army as easily as the husbandman cuts off the sprigs of the vine with pruning hooks, or because the grape is sour and good for nothing, and will not be cured, takes away and cuts down the branches. This seems to point at the overthrow of the Assyrian army by a destroying angel, when the dead bodies of the soldiers were scattered like the branches and sprigs of a wild vine, which the husbandman has cut to pieces. And they shall be left to the fowls of the mountains, and the beasts of the earth, to prey upon, both winter and summer; for as God's people are protected all seasons of the year, both in cold and heat (Isa 18:4), so their enemies are at all seasons exposed; birds and beasts of prey shall both summer and winter upon them, till they are quite ruined.
IV. The tribute of praise which should be brought to God from all this (Isa 18:7): In that time, when this shall be accomplished, shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts. 1. Some understand this of the conversion of the Ethiopians to the faith of Christ in the latter days, of which we have the specimen and beginning in Philip's baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch, Ac 8:27, etc. Those that were a people scattered and peeled, meted out, and trodden down (Isa 18:2), shall be a present to the Lord: and, though they seem useless and worthless, they shall be an acceptable present to him who judges of men by the sincerity of their faith and love, not by the pomp and prosperity of their outward condition. Therefore the gospel was ministered to the Gentiles that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, Ro 15:16. It is prophesied (Ps 68:31) that Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. 2. Others understand it of the spoil of Sennacherib's army, out of which, as usual, presents were brought to the Lord of hosts, Nu 31:50. It was the present of a people scattered and peeled. (1.) It was won from the Assyrians, who were now themselves reduced to such a condition as they scornfully described Judah to be in, Isa 18:1. Those that unjustly trample upon others shall themselves be justly trampled upon. (2.) It was offered by the people of God, who were, in disdain, called a people scattered and peeled. God will put honour upon his people, though men put contempt upon them. Lastly, Observe, The present that is brought to the Lord of hosts must be brought to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts; what is offered to God must be offered in the way that he has appointed; we must be sure to attend him, and expect him to meet us, where he records his name.
無論這裡所說的「翅膀刷刷響聲之地」是指哪一個國家，這裡都向它宣告了禍哉，因為神為了自己百姓的緣故，要與它爭辯。I. 他們威脅神的百姓，Isa 18:1,2。II. 因此周圍所有的鄰舍都被喚來留意觀看事情的結局，Isa 18:3。III. 雖然神似乎一時對自己百姓的苦難漠不關心，但祂終必興起抵擋他們的仇敵，並要顯著地將他們剪除，Isa 18:4-6。IV. 這一切必大大歸榮耀與神，Isa 18:7。