Study Desk

Woe^(a) to the land of whirring wings^[a] along the rivers of Cush,^[b](b)

which sends envoys^(c) by sea in papyrus^(d) boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned,^(e) to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive^(f) nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.^(g)

All you people of the world,^(h) you who live on the earth, when a banner⁽ⁱ⁾ is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet^(j) sounds, you will hear it.

This is what the Lord says to me: "I will remain quiet^(k) and will look on from my dwelling place,^(l) like shimmering heat in the sunshine,^(m) like a cloud of dew⁽ⁿ⁾ in the heat of harvest."

For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off^(o) the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away the spreading branches.^(p)

They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey^(q) and to the wild animals;^(r) the birds will feed on them all summer, the wild animals all winter.

At that time gifts^(s) will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned,^(t) from a people feared^(u) far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers^(v)— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.^(w)