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Isaiah Chapter 18

Posted: September 9th, 2011, 11:17 am
by Ken M. Penner
102. Woe to the land beyond Ethiopia (18:1-3)
18.1 Οὐαὶ γῆς πλοίων πτέρυγες ἐπέκεινα ποταμῶν Αἰθιοπίας, 2 ὁ ἀποστέλλων ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὅμηρα καὶ ἐπιστολὰς βιβλίνας ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος· πορεύσονται γὰρ ἄγγελοι κοῦφοι πρὸς ἔθνος μετέωρον καὶ ξένον λαὸν καὶ χαλεπόν, τίς αὐτοῦ ἐπέκεινα; ἔθνος ἀνέλπιστον καὶ καταπεπατημένον. νῦν οἱ ποταμοὶ τῆς γῆς 3 πάντες ὡς χώρα κατοικουμένη· κατοικηθήσεται ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ σημεῖον ἀπὸ ὄρους ἀρθήσεται, ὡς σάλπιγγος φωνὴ ἀκουστὸν ἔσται.
103. Lord will prune before harvest (18:4-6)
4 ὅτι οὕτως εἶπέν μοι Κύριος Ἀσφάλεια ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἐμῇ πόλει ὡς φῶς καύματος μεσημβρίας, καὶ ὡς νεφέλη δρόσου ἡμέρας ἀμήτου ἔσται. 5 πρὸ τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅταν συντελεσθῇ ἄνθος καὶ ὄμφαξ ἀνθήσει ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα, καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὰ βοτρύδια τὰ μικρὰ τοῖς δρεπάνοις καὶ τὰς κληματίδας ἀφελεῖ καὶ κατακόψει 6 καὶ καταλείψει ἅμα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς, καὶ συναχθήσεται ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἥξει.

104. Gifts brought to Lord Sabaoth (18:7)
7 ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀνενεχθήσεται δῶρα Κυρίῳ Σαβαώθ ἐκ λαοῦ τεθλιμμένου καὶ ταπεινοῦ καὶ τετιλμένου καὶ ἀπὸ λαοῦ μεγάλου ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον· ἔθνος ἂν ἐλπιστὸν καὶ καταπεπατημένον, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν μέρει ποταμοῦ τῆς χώρας αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου Σαβαώθ ἐπεκλήθη, ὄρος Σιών.

Notes on Isaiah 18:1-3

Posted: September 9th, 2011, 11:38 am
by Ken M. Penner
102. Woe to the land beyond Ethiopia (18:1-3)
1
Οὐαὶ] normally takes a dative, but here a vocative.
γῆς] genitive. The land is not being addressed.
πτέρυγες] vocative; the “wings” are being addressed.
ἐπέκεινα] beyond
2
ὅμηρα] hostages
ἐν] the sea could be the means or the destination of the sending. The parallel ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος indicates the means is the preferable interpretation.
κοῦφοι] nimble
μετέωρον] lofty
χαλεπόν] harsh
ἐπέκεινα] recalls 18:1
3
οἱ ποταμοὶ] there is no verb to match this subject, so this could be part of a verbless clause, or a vocative, or a nominative absolute. The third person αὐτῶν would not be expected if this were a vocative. The following series of ὡς phrases belong together, since they have similar syntax, beginning with the comparator and ending with the verb (with subject, if it is explicit).

Notes on Isaiah 18:4-6

Posted: September 9th, 2011, 11:53 am
by Ken M. Penner
103. Lord will prune before harvest (18:4-6)
4
οὕτως] indicates the content of the speech is about to be reported
καύματος] genitive. Heat
μεσημβρίας] genitive. Midday
δρόσου] dew
ἀμήτου] harvest, translating קציר
5
θερισμοῦ] harvest, again translating קציר. Both ἄμητος and θερισμός can refer to either the time or the product of harvesting.
ὄμφαξ] unripe, sour grape, also used more generally for immaturity.
ὄμφαξ ἀνθήσει ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα] both the noun and verb forms of both words are used here.
βοτρύδια] clusters
δρεπάνοις] pruning hooks
κληματίδας] branches
κατακόψει] future; cut up
6
αὐτοὺς … αὐτὸν] the object changes from plural to singular.

Notes on Isaiah 18:7

Posted: September 9th, 2011, 12:10 pm
by Ken M. Penner
104. Gifts brought to Lord Sabaoth (18:7)
7
ἀνενεχθήσεται] This is only the only finite verb in this verse
τεθλιμμένου] perfect passive participle of θλίβω
τετιλμένου] perfect passive participle of τίλλω, pluck (especially pulling out feathers or hair)
ἐκ λαοῦ … ἀπὸ λαοῦ] why the change in preposition? The two peoples are presubably the same.
μεγάλου ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον] this expression seems out of place between two descriptions of how troubled the nation is.
ἔθνος ἀνέλπιστον καὶ καταπεπατημένον] recalling 18:2
μέρει] The geopgraphical use of μέρος indicates a region or district of land.
ποταμοῦ] recalls 18:1, where the rivers were plural.