1Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which {is} beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
2That 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! {scattered...: or, outspread and polished} {meted...: or, that meteth out and treadeth down: Heb. of line, line, and treading under foot} {have...: or, despise}
3All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
4For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, {and} like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. {consider...: or, regard my set dwelling} {upon...: or, after rain}
5For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away {and} cut down the branches.
6They 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.
7In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. {scattered...: or, outspread and polished}