Isaiah 18:2 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

That is sending by sea ambassadors, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters, -- Go, ye light messengers, Unto a nation drawn out and peeled, Unto a people fearful from its beginning and onwards, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled.

English ASV

that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation that meteth out and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!

English Amplified

That sends ambassadors by the Nile, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and polished, to a people terrible from their beginning [feared and dreaded near and far], a nation strong and victorious, whose land the rivers divide!

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

That sends ambassadors by the Nile, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and polished, to a people terrible from their beginning [feared and dreaded near and far], a nation strong and victorious, whose land the rivers divide!

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

which sends couriers by sea, in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people widely feared, to a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

which sends envoys by sea, in reed vessels over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

that sendest ambassadors over the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, [saying,] Go, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and ravaged, to a people terrible from their existence and thenceforth; to a nation of continued waiting and of treading down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

English EASY 2024

They send messages over the sea in boats that they make from reeds. Their boats sail quickly on the water. Go now! Take a message quickly. Go to a country where the people are tall and their skin has no hair. Everyone is afraid of that nation's people. They are a powerful and strong nation. Many rivers go through their land.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

That land sends people down the Nile River in reed boats. Fast messengers, go to the people who are tall and smooth, who are feared far and wide. Go to that powerful nation that defeats other countries and whose land is divided by rivers. Go warn them!

which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation, tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

From that land ambassadors come down the Nile in boats made of reeds. Go back home, swift messengers! Take a message back to your land divided by rivers, to your strong and powerful nation, to your tall and smooth-skinned people, who are feared all over the world.

English God's Word - GW 1995

It sends messengers by sea in boats made of reeds {skimming} over the surface of the water. Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people {who are} feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

sends envoys by sea, in reed vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared near and far, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

English KJV 1611

That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

English LSB

Which sends envoys by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

which sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of reeds on the waters, saying, “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared far and wide, a nation strong and oppressive, whose land the rivers have divided.”

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Which sends envoys by the sea, Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Sending ambassadors by sea, in papyrus boats on the waters! Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and bronzed, To a people dreaded near and far, a nation strong and conquering, whose land is washed by rivers.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

that sends messengers by sea, who glide over the water’s surface in boats made of papyrus. Go, you swift messengers, to a nation of tall, smooth-skinned people, to a people that are feared far and wide, to a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

Its people send messengers on the Nile River. They travel over the water in papyrus boats. Messengers, hurry back home! Go back to your people, who are tall and have smooth skin. Everyone is afraid of them. They are warriors. Their language is different from ours. Their land is divided up by rivers.

English NIV

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

English NKJ 1982

Which sends ambassadors by sea, Even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, To a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide.”

English NLT

and ambassadors are sent in fast boats down the Nile. Go home, swift messengers! Take a message to your land divided by rivers, to your tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

sending ambassadors by the Nile in vessels of papyrus on the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

sending their messengers by the way of the Nile in papyrus vessels gliding on the water! Go, you swift messengers, to a tall, smooth-skinned people feared far and wide, to a mighty conquering nation whose land the rivers divide.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

which sends ambassadors by the Nile, in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation, tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Land that sends ambassadors in fast boats down the Nile! Let swift messengers return to you, O strong and supple nation feared far and wide, a conquering, destroying nation whose land the upper Nile divides. And this is the message sent to you:

English Tyndale 1537

which sendeth her message over the sea in ships of reeds upon the water: and sayeth: go soon, and do your message unto a strange and hard folk: to a fearful people, and to a people that is further than this: to a desperate and pilled folk, whose land is divided from us with rivers of water.

Isaiah 18:2 — Compare Translations