Глава 18

“Woe to the lands and shadows of the wings, even to the land of the rivers of Ethiopia” (Is. 18:1). Along with the Syrians, the prophet also mentions the Ethiopians, because the inhabitants of Damascus sent envoys to the Ethiopians to ask them for an auxiliary army against the Assyrians. “Did she send ambassadors across the sea... on papyrus messages... to the top of the water.” The prophet speaks of the ambassadors and letters which the inhabitants of Damascus sent to the Ethiopians without benefit, demanding their help. Papier refers to something that was used, like paper, for writing. "Top of the Water". The ambassadors were sent by sea on ships, because it was dangerous to send by land. “To a people... whose land was flooded with rivers” (Is. 18:2). The prophet, using the image of rivers, represents kings who flooded the land with armies, so all the inhabitants were swallowed up, that is, taken into captivity. "How soon will he raise up... the mountains... a sign, look." The prophet calls a sign either the corpses of the inhabitants of Damascus, beaten by Tiglath-pileser, or the corpses of Sennacherib's soldiers, struck by the Angel. “And as soon as the trumpet sounds, listen” (Is. 18:3), that is, listen when the news of the death of one or another king spreads. “As the Lord said to me: be silent and watch,” how the Jews are avenged with the destruction of nations. “Like the light of the heat of midday and like the cloud of dew on the day of harvest” (Is. 18:4), that is, on that scorching day when the nations are destroyed, God will hide the house of Judah under the shadow and keep it unharmed. “Before the harvest... the blossom will be completed.” This means that either before the captivity of Samaria, Damascus will be devastated, or before the fall of Rabshakeh, the inhabitants of Damascus will be taken into captivity. “And he will cut off the small grapes with pruning hooks,” that is, with the pruning hooks that Tiglath-pileser had sharpened, “and he will cut off the grapes and cut them off” (Is. 18:5). This is said about the Assyrians, who took the inhabitants of Damascus into captivity. “And the birds will gather against her” (Is. 18:6), that is, all the birds and beasts of the earth will, as it were, torment the Syrians with rage. “Gifts will be brought to the Lord of hosts from people who are insulted and rejected” (Is. 18:7), that is, gifts will be brought by the Ethiopians, who were, as it were, uprooted by the Assyrians. They actually brought gifts to the Lord under Hezekiah. The prophet considers the very calamities and sufferings endured for the sake of the Lord to be pure offerings favorable to God. You might be interested in: