King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
They will all be left to the vultures in the mountains and to the wild animals in the fields; the vultures will feed on them in summer, and the wild animals of the fields in winter.
Berean Standard Bible:
They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.
American Standard Version:
They shall be left together unto the ravenous birds of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the ravenous birds shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
They shall be left{H5800} together{H3162} unto the fowls{H5861} of the mountains{H2022}, and to the beasts{H929} of the earth{H776}: and the fowls{H5861} shall summer{H6972} upon them, and all the beasts{H929} of the earth{H776} shall winter{H2778} upon them.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 7:33
- And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray [them] away.
Ezekiel 39:17
- And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, [even] a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.
Ezekiel 39:20
- Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 32:4
- Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
Ezekiel 32:6
- I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, [even] to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
Isaiah 34:1
- ¶ Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
Isaiah 34:7
- And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
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Commentary for Isaiah 18:6
Isaiah 18:6 is a part of the prophetic book of Isaiah, which contains prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah. The book is a compilation of prophecies delivered in the 8th century BCE concerning the judgments against the kingdom of Judah and the surrounding nations, as well as prophecies of consolation and future hope.
In the broader context of Isaiah 18, the chapter appears to be a prophecy against Cush (modern-day Ethiopia or Sudan), which was a powerful nation at the time. The chapter describes a land beyond the rivers of Ethiopia that sends ambassadors by sea and over land to seek alliances or to make inquiries of God. However, the message from God is that before these messengers can fulfill their mission, the Lord will act, using the imagery of harvesting crops to signify divine judgment.
The specific verse, Isaiah 18:6, vividly depicts the aftermath of this divine judgment upon the land. The verse speaks of the dead being left unburied and becoming food for the birds of the mountains and the beasts of the earth. This gruesome imagery is a common biblical motif for a cursed and desolate land, indicating complete defeat and abandonment. The mention of birds summering and beasts wintering upon the remains emphasizes the ongoing desolation throughout the year, suggesting a prolonged period of divine retribution.
The themes present in this verse include the sovereignty of God over nations, the certainty of divine judgment for those who are deemed wicked or who have strayed from God's laws, and the use of nature as an instrument of this judgment. It also serves as a warning to other nations and to Judah itself about the consequences of pride and the importance of heeding God's warnings and commands.
Historically, this verse reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of leaving the bodies of the slain on the battlefield as a sign of defeat and as a deterrent to others. The imagery would have been well understood by the contemporary audience as a symbol of utter devastation and dishonor. The verse also fits within the broader context of Isaiah's messages, which often alternate between oracles of judgment and promises of restoration, ultimately pointing to a future where peace and justice will prevail under God's ultimate rule.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5800
There are 206 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָזַב
Transliteration: ʻâzab
Pronunciation: aw-zab'
Description: a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.; commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, [idiom] surely. - Strong's Number: H3162
There are 139 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יַחַד
Transliteration: yachad
Pronunciation: yakh'-ad
Description: from יָחַד; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly; alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal. - Strong's Number: H5861
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַיִט
Transliteration: ʻayiṭ
Pronunciation: ah'-yit
Description: from עִיט; a hawk or other bird of prey; bird, fowl, ravenous (bird). - Strong's Number: H2022
There are 485 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הַר
Transliteration: har
Pronunciation: har
Description: a shortened form of הָרָר; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively); hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. - Strong's Number: H929
There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּהֵמָה
Transliteration: bᵉhêmâh
Pronunciation: be-hay-maw'
Description: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective); beast, cattle. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H6972
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוּץ
Transliteration: qûwts
Pronunciation: koots
Description: a primitive root; to clip off; used only as denominative from קַיִץ; to spend the harvest season; summer. - Strong's Number: H2778
There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָרַף
Transliteration: châraph
Pronunciation: khaw-raf'
Description: a primitive root; also denominative (from חֹרֶף); to pull off, i.e. (by implication) to expose (as by stripping); specifically, to betroth (as if a surrender); figuratively, to carp at, i.e. defame; to spend the winter; betroth, blaspheme, defy, jeopard, rail, reproach, upbraid.