Isaiah 18:6 kjv
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.
Isaiah 18:6 nkjv
They will be left together for the mountain birds of prey And for the beasts of the earth; The birds of prey will summer on them, And all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.
Isaiah 18:6 niv
They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey and to the wild animals; the birds will feed on them all summer, the wild animals all winter.
Isaiah 18:6 esv
They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.
Isaiah 18:6 nlt
Your mighty army will be left dead in the fields
for 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.
Isaiah 18 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 18:7 | In that time shall a present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a measure, a measure, and a foot, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. | scattered and peeled people bring gifts |
| Jeremiah 49:20 | Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them. | divine judgment on nations |
| Ezekiel 39:17 | And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to all beasts of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves together round about 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. | birds of prey gather to feast |
| Zephaniah 1:8 | And it shall come to pass, that when I make the sacrifice of the LORD, I will punish the princes and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with the outlandish fashion. | judgment on leaders |
| Luke 17:37 | And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. | gathering of eagles to carcase |
| Revelation 19:17 | And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; | heavenly call to birds of prey |
| Revelation 19:18 | That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. | consumption of enemies flesh |
| Genesis 15:11 | And fowls came down upon the carcases, and Abram drove them away. | Abram defends sacrifice |
| Psalms 76:7 | Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when it is once anger? | God's righteous anger |
| Nahum 3:15 | There shall the sword devour thee; thy self will cut off as the cankerworm spreadeth himself, and as the locusts spread themselves. | divine destruction |
| Jeremiah 8:7 | Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. | lack of discernment |
| Ezekiel 38:20 | So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the hills shall be overthrown, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. | widespread fear of God's might |
| Revelation 18:2 | And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. | fallen Babylon and its impurity |
| Revelation 16:6 | For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. | divine retribution for bloodshed |
| Isaiah 24:1 | Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. | Earth emptied and wasted |
| Isaiah 24:3 | The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. | complete spoil of the land |
| Isaiah 25:10 | For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down under the foot in the dunghill. | judgment on Moab |
| Isaiah 25:8 | He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off every face; | God's ultimate victory over death |
| Zechariah 2:7 | Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. | call for Zion's deliverance |
| Hosea 4:3 | Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. | mourning of creation |
Isaiah 18 verses
Isaiah 18 6 Meaning
This verse signifies that all birds and wild animals that have gathered on the mountains of Israel are being divinely instructed to depart. Their consumption of the flesh of God's people has ended, and a time of judgment and scattering for the nations has commenced, allowing for a remnant of Israel to return and seek the LORD.
Isaiah 18 6 Context
Isaiah 18 prophesies God's judgment and future salvation. The chapter begins by calling for a watching and waiting nation (often interpreted as Ethiopia or Cush) to witness God's dealings with Israel. It describes God's swift action against a powerful, yet oppressive nation, contrasted with a remnant of Israel that will return to worship the LORD in Jerusalem. Verse 6 specifically serves as a transition, indicating the cessation of divine judgment against His people, as represented by the birds of prey being told to leave. It marks the end of a period of predation upon Israel and the beginning of a new era of deliverance. Historically, this would have resonated with an audience experiencing or fearing foreign oppression, offering a message of hope and ultimate divine intervention.
Isaiah 18 6 Word analysis
- And (וְ - we): Conjunction, connecting phrases or clauses, indicating sequence or continuation.
- the fowl (הַצִּפּ֣וֹר - ha'tzippor): Feminine noun, singular, meaning "the bird" or "the fowl." Refers generally to birds.
- every (כָּל־ - kol): Masculine noun, singular, meaning "all" or "every." Here it amplifies "fowl."
- wing (כָּנָף֙ - kanaf): Feminine noun, singular, meaning "wing," "edge," or "corner."
- consume (לְמַאֲכֶ֖לֶת - lemā'ĕleṯ): Infinitive construct of the root אָכַל ('akhal), meaning "to eat," "to consume," "to devour." Here it indicates purpose or result: "for a consuming," "as food."
- their (בָּשָׂר֙ - bāśār): Masculine noun, singular, meaning "flesh," "meat." In this context, it refers to the flesh of the people of Israel.
- And (וְ - we): Conjunction.
- their (הָרָס֙ - hārās): Participle from a root meaning "to break," "to destroy." Often rendered as "destroyer" or "ravager."
- mountain (הָרֵ֣ינוּ - hāreinu): Masculine noun, plural, meaning "mountains." "Our mountains," referring to the mountains of Israel.
- of (בְּ -> bo'): Preposition, typically "in," "on," "at," "with." Here it signifies location: "on/upon."
- my (כָּל־ -> kol): Masculine noun, singular, "all" or "every." Again, referring to all mountains.
- meat (בָּשָׂ֣ר -> baśar): Masculine noun, singular, "flesh." Referring to the flesh offered.
- Words group analysis:
- "all fowl of every wing": A comprehensive way of saying all kinds of birds, encompassing every type of avian creature that might alight on the mountains.
- "for a consuming of their flesh": Clearly states the purpose for which these birds were gathered – to consume the flesh of God's people, representing conquest and devastation.
- "and their mountain": The "their" refers to the birds, indicating the mountains that are now designated for them to be removed from, marking the end of their feasting. The mountains here belong to God, but were the location of Israel's tribulation.
Isaiah 18 6 Bonus section
The imagery of birds consuming flesh on mountains is potent. In the ancient Near East, birds of prey were often associated with battlefield aftermath and divine judgment upon wicked nations. This verse, however, marks a departure from that role for Israel's mountains. The departure of the birds signifies the end of a period where Israel's land and people were seen as carrion to be consumed by foreign powers. The scattering of these fowls is a type of "un-gathering" that precedes a new gathering of God's people. This chapter also speaks of a future offering brought to the LORD from a people scattered and peeled (v. 7), pointing towards a redeemed Israel being presented before God.
Isaiah 18 6 Commentary
Isaiah 18:6 declares the cessation of predatory consumption upon Israel. The birds of prey, symbolizing invading armies and oppressors, are commanded to depart. Their feasting on the flesh of God's people is over. This verse signals a divine reversal: the judgment that allowed these "fowls" to feed on Israel has concluded. Now, these fowls are explicitly dismissed. This speaks of God's sovereignty over all creation and His power to halt devastating events. It emphasizes that the oppression was not unending but under divine allowance and is now divinely ended. The removal of the birds is a precursor to restoration and judgment upon those nations who participated in the consumption. This provides comfort to the faithful who endured suffering, assuring them of God's intervention and eventual justice. It’s a vivid picture of divine sovereignty terminating a period of tribulation.