Isaiah 18:3

All you people of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it; when a ram’s horn sounds, you will hear it.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet addresses all inhabitants of the earth, positioned between the dispatch of swift couriers to a distant nation and the declaration of God’s quiet observation.

The words — נֵס (nes) means a standard or banner, and תֵבֵל (tevel) refers to the inhabited world.

The thread — The raised banner motif runs to Isaiah 5:26, where God lifts a standard for distant nations, and Isaiah 26:11, which ties raised hands to eventual sight. The command to see and hear parallels the attention required in Matthew 13:16.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to register the visible and audible signals of divine movement without delay. It demands active observation of the announced event rather than passive disregard.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כָּל־kol-O all יֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of תֵבֵ֖לte.Vel[the] world וְשֹׁ֣כְנֵיve./Sho.khe.neiand/ [those who] dwell אָ֑רֶץ'A.retz<of> earth כִּנְשֹׂא־ki/n.so'-when/ lifts up נֵ֤סnesa standard הָרִים֙ha.Rimmountains תִּרְא֔וּtir.'Uyou will see [it]וְכִתְקֹ֥עַve./khi/t.Ko.a'and/ just as/ sounds שׁוֹפָ֖רsho.Fara trumpet תִּשְׁמָֽעוּ׃ סtish.Ma.'uyou will hear [it]

King James Version

All 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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 5:26 He lifts a banner for the distant nations and whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Behold—how speedily and swiftly they come!
Isaiah 26:11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
Psalms 49:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
Psalms 50:1 A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.
Isaiah 1:2 Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
Isaiah 7:18 On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.
Isaiah 13:2 Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
Isaiah 13:4 Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
Jeremiah 22:29 O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!