All Scriptures cited: Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Our family continues to read through Isaiah for our after-breakfast Bible reading time. This morning we made it to chapter 18, “Ethiopia Will Be Punished.” This is a very poetic prophecy. My kids really liked the repetition of “Ethiopia whose people are tall and have smooth skin. Their land is divided by rivers” in verses 2 and 7.
Isaiah continues, “They are strong and brutal, feared all over the world.”
We got to talking about the Maasai of Kenya that we lived with for six weeks in 1998. They are just like that. They kill lions. They fear nothing. My son chipped in, “And the young men have to throw a big stick over a bush before they can get married.” Huh? “That’s what Miss Dancy taught us.”
The proud Ethiopians and the proud Maasai and the proud men of every country including my own will one day bow before the Lord All-Powerful. In fulfillment of this prophecy and the prophecy of Philippians 2.
“But at that time they will come from their land divided by rivers, and they will bring gifts to the Lord All-Powerful, who is worshiped on Mount Zion. ”
(Isaiah 18:7)
This passage has much in common with Psalm 68.
Scatter those nations
that enjoy making war.
Force the Egyptians to bring
gifts of bronze;
make the Ethiopians hurry
to offer presents.(Psalm 68:30-31)
We talked about Jesus Christ reigning over the whole world on Mount Zion. Presidents and prime ministers. Demagogues and despots. Kingpins and tin-pot dictators. They will all come crawling. With treasures and tribute for the last Emperor.
Recent posts by others on Psalm 68: Christopher Heard at Higgaion, Suzanne McCarthy at Better Bibles Blog,
That CEV of yours is growing on me.
Thanks for reading Ps 68 in the context of the larger canon. Everything hangs together in a surprising way.
I find the causative a bit much for these verses – the next verse invites inging and making music – why would the suggestion of enforced worship be required? Do the verbal forms demand causative aspect?
John, for a Dad who wants to share the Scriptures with his kids CEV and NLT are excellent choices. My kids are so used to hearing the Scriptures in natural English even the NIV sounds funny to them.
Bob, the wording is slightly awkward there. Whether it is accurate, I have to trust the translators and exegetes like yourself.