End Time Prophecy Of China & America
(Isaiah 18, 以賽亞 18)
Isaiah chapter 18 is one of the rare prophecies in the Old Testament with numeric features that covers Gentile nations. This sets it apart from most of the other prophecies. Since verses 5 and 6 are of the cutting down
of a nation (or nations), it is an end time prophecy. As the events in Revelation continue to build in the world today, understanding Isaiah 18 becomes much more important. When the original meaning of the Hebrew words are applied it becomes clear this is one prophecy where our current modern world is described with uncanny accuracy. The numeric features are God’s way of highlighting this verse for attention. They are also God’s signature assuring believers this prophecy is genuine and will be fulfilled. The numeric features also show God is God of all nations and not just Israel. He is Master of History. What was prophesied is already in the process of becoming fact.
Compare Isaiah 18 in the King James Version with the Revised Standard Version. The radical differences show the meaning of the Hebrew words are not properly understood, or are being stretched to mean something else.
| Verse | King James Version | Revised Standard Version1 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: | Ah, land of whirring wings which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; |
| 2 | 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! | 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. |
| 3 | 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. | All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, hear! |
| 4 | For 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. | For thus the LORD said to me: I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. |
| 5 | For 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. | For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he will hew away. |
| 6 | They 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. | They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter upon them. |
| 7 | In 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. | At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts. |
The KJV was written when England was not yet a major world power. Although its translators had fewer resources to work with, many were still very religious and they had nothing to hide. The RSV was written after the United States had become the world's preeminent power. As such, there is every reason to suspect this world status having deep influence on the translation and understanding of the Hebrew text. The Bible warns readers to be wary of organizations and governments. This becomes more certain the closer to the end we come.
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying,Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision. (Psalm 2:1-4)
For the LORD is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host, he has doomed them, has given them over for slaughter. (Isaiah 34:2)
If you accept the Bible as true, you cannot trust the government! You cannot rely on the society's institutions being 100% truthful. This includes long standing religious organizations. The difference between the KJV and the RSV is evidence of this.
Understanding The Prophecy
It is impossible to translate or interpret what you don't understand. And if your understanding is in error, or based on assumptions, so too will be your translation and interpretation. This isn't just a problem with prophecy, but with anything in life. You have to understand it first!
Did Isaiah deliberately obscure the prophecy, or obscure it by making it poetic? Or was Isaiah direct and clear? The answers determine how we handle the text of chapter 18. If it was meant to be obscure, then interpretation can diverge from the actual words used. However, if the opposite was true, there can be no interpretation except from the actual meaning of the words.
On several other pages of this web site, I have taken the position that God will not leave us guessing. Obscure prophecies, or prophecies open to poetic interpretation all leave the reader guessing. Since the prophecies from chapters 13 to 19 are all quite straightforward, it is unlikely Isaiah wrote chapter 18 to be different. (This is not the same as the prophecies in Daniel, which clearly have more symbolism.) And since God said He does nothing without telling His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7), the evidence leans heavily to Isaiah writing directly and clearly. (One needs a very strong reason to say otherwise.) This means interpretation or translation can only come from the meaning of the Hebrew words. One cannot and should not diverge from that meaning.
This also means that if Isaiah meant ambassadors, ships, tall, or smooth, he would have used those exact words. And if he doesn't use those words, then he didn't mean those things.
One of the main problems with translating this prophecy is that Isaiah uses words that either are spelled differently or are not found anywhere else in the Bible. This is because he is describing unique places, nations, peoples, things and events in the far future. Scholars do their best in finding meanings from words that are as closely related to the one in question.
At the very least, translation and interpretation from Hebrew must be as exact as possible. This is the only way to even begin to gain a feeling for the prophecy.2
One can claim he or she has the Holy Spirit, but this very idea is a mistaken assumption. No one is filled with the Holy Spirit for very long. Besides, who can verify such a claim? Only Jesus retains the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-33).
Another problem is the timing of a prophecy. The angel speaking to Daniel made it clear some prophecies can only be understood as events begin to take place (Daniel 12:9). Thus timing is critical. Setting the wrong time to a prophecy will automatically ruin any translation or interpretation. (If you had a time machine, and went back to 1960 waiting for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, you would conclude it never happened.)
One thing is clear. The more mistaken one is about a prophecy, the more difficult it will be to translate and interpret. The more assumptions one piles into translation or interpretation, the more words will be forced to diverge from their actual Hebrew meanings.
If one has the approximate timing of the prophecy, starts from a core assumption that is actually true and maintains the meanings of the Hebrew words, then translation and interpretation may become easier. (All credit goes to the Holy Spirit's guidance.)
Overall Theme
The nations of the world will be cut down (verses 5-6; Revelation 11:18; Habakkuk 2:13). All this is in line with the rest of the Bible. Anyone who thinks a particular nation is somehow exempt from God's coming judgment is contradicting the Bible and playing the role of false prophet. The nation bringing gifts to honor God in verse 7 will be better off than those that don't. (Zechariah 14:18)
(Just because a nation is mentioned in the Bible is not necessarily a good thing. It is often bad.)
Timing Of The Prophecy
The prophecy is of a future far from Isaiah's time, which is why it was sealed and not understood (Isaiah 8:16-17). Some prophecies are only understood as they near their time (Daniel 12:9). Verse 3 clearly mentions a time when all the world will be able to see and or hear an event all at the same time. This is only possible with modern communication systems.
Chapters 13 to 17 are all prophecies of nations around Israel that were mostly fulfilled, but chapters 18 and 19 are contrasting prophecies of the far future. Isaiah 11:15 points to our time where the Nile delta has been eroded away. (This was not possible until the Aswan Dam was built, and blocked the flow of silt that formed the delta.) Thus Isaiah 19:5-7 is a prophecy in the process of being completed, and chapter 18 is just beginning to be fulfilled.
If the prophecy referred to events during or near Isaiah's time, then it would be an unfulfilled prophecy. All the world is supposed to be aware of a nation bringing gifts to God, and know what Mount Zion represents (verses 3 & 6). This has never happened yet. Explaining this prophecy as something that has already happened is contradicting the prophecy itself. (I have serious problems with the idea of a god who does not fulfill his own prophecies. That just means He won't fulfill his promises. The God of the Bible always keeps His promises.)
Context/Contrast
Chapter 18 is contrasted with chapter 19. A distant nation not usually associated with God brings gifts, while Egypt a nation next door to Israel is being punished for not knowing better. Isaiah 19:5 predicts the drying of the Nile, confirming this is a prophecy far from Isaiah's time, and most likely in our time (i.e. climate change; melting glaciers).
(N.B. On September 26, 2022 there was a news report of the Tigris River dropping to just 35% of its normal water level. Many major rivers all over the world suffered in 2022: Yangtze, Rhine, Danube, Tiber, Po, Elbe, and Volga. Even the Euphrates temporarily dried up back in May 16, 2014.)
Four Locations
Four geographical locations are mentioned in this prophecy:
the land of whirring wings
(RSV/NIV) orshadowing with wings
(KJV)Ethiopia
- a land whose people are described
Mount Zion
Three are important. Ethiopia
is incidental to the prophecy only as a reference point for the distance to the land of whirring wings.
By inference, the land whose people are described is probably as far from Mount Zion as the land of whirring wings.
It is the land whose people are described that brings gifts; not the land of whirring wings.
The land of whirring wings
sends envoys to the land whose people are described.
The prophecy's tone is set with the opening word Woe!
It can be applied to the first location mentioned, the land of whirring wings.
Or it can also be applied to Ethiopia
and the land whose people are described. In other words, Woe!
to everyone. Since this is an end time prophecy, the latter is very possible.
The Bible does not state whether Woe
is a natural disaster, a man made disaster, or both. Since humanity now has the power to shape the planet with machines, it is safer to assume both. There are natural disasters, and there are disasters brought about deliberately by men. Thus the opening of the chapter could read, Woe to the land of whirring wings,
or Woe (from/because of) the land of whirring wings.
Again, since this is an end time prophecy Isaiah is describing a very unique situation; it is safer to assume both Woe to
and Woe from
the land of whirring wings.
Premature Harvest
Verses 5 and 6 mention a harvest
before its time. There is only one reason for something to be harvested early. It's not going to be kept (Matthew 13:30). This is judgment upon the world, specifically on the land of whirring wings
since they do not bring gifts and are no longer mentioned in the rest of the prophecy. (This does not mean the other distant land is exempt. God assures us that any who partake of Babylon's sins will suffer the same consequences [Revelation 18:4]. If one is fortunate, God being merciful, one may survive and not be totally destroyed.) Verse 6 indicates the entire land of whirring wings
will be turned back to nature. This makes sense since Revelation 11:18 mentions that those who ruined the earth will be destroyed. A vast region of the earth has to be depopulated and allowed to remain fallow for the environment to recover.
The Hebrew Meaning
How does all this apply to Isaiah 18? Compare the KJV3 and RSV. The radical differences in words chosen for the translation shows the prophecy is not properly understood.
Aren't the modern translations more accurate? Not in this case. In verse 1, the word Ethiopia
is actually Cush.
The NIV uses the word Cush,
but the footnote reads, upper Nile region
again meaning Ethiopia. There is no Hebrew word for Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a Greek word of the New Testament (Acts 8:27).
According to Genesis 2:13, the land known as Cush preceded the people known as Cushites who were descendants of Ham (Genesis 10:6). Whether the land gained the name Cush from the descendants of Ham, or the descendants of Ham were given the name because they resided there is unknown. Either way, the exact boundaries of Cush were always vague.
Following the description of the Gihon river in Genesis 2:13, Cush was an island (small piece of land) or a continent (large piece of land). After the flood, everything changed when the earth was divided so there no longer was land
on the other side of the river Gihon (Genesis 10:25). In other words, Cush means the continent of Africa.
The word Ethiopia is an interpretation, and the NIV's footnote is also an interpretation. It is not a translation. Specifying Ethiopia limits the scope of the prophecy, because verses 3 and 7 clearly point to a far reaching long term prophecy. Verse 3 describes modern communication systems where the entire world can see or hear an event at the same time. Verse 7 indicates a future where all the world will know where Mount Zion is, and what Mount Zion represents.
Why would scholars limit the prophecy? One reason might be because they unconsciously (or even consciously) reject the truth that the prophecy is against them. Whether one wants to say beyond
or along
the rivers of Ethiopia, once this word becomes Africa, from the vantage point of Israel, it becomes clear the only place along
or beyond
all the rivers of Africa is America.
This also explains why some translators (i.e. RSV) changed Woe
to Ah
right at the beginning of the chapter. They didn't want something negative associated with the land beyond Ethiopia (Africa).
Limiting the prophecy to Isaiah's time, or explaining it from Isaiah's time leaves the prophecy unfulfilled. No nation brought gifts to Zion. A few gifts may have been brought to the king of Judah. In either case, the world did not see any significance in the event. This contradicts verses 3 and 7. It also turns God’s warning in verses 3 to 6 into... nothing! Can anyone trust a god who does not fulfill his own prophecies?
The two inaccurate interpretations
right at the beginning of the chapter show the necessity of going back to the original Hebrew. And as mentioned previously, now that there are communication systems that allow the entire world to see an event at the same time, other parts of the prophecy become clearer.
(Comment: Even the Chinese New Version of the Bible, which was translated from the original languages by Chinese scholars, does not always follow the Hebrew of Isaiah 18, but instead continues western interpretations. This does not bode well for Christians.)
The Hebrew Text Of Isaiah 18
v1 הוי ארץ צלצל כנפים אשר מעבר לנהרי כוש v2 השלח בים צירים ובכלי גמא על פני מים לכו מלאכים קלים אל גוי ממשך ומורט אל עם נורא מן הוא והלאה גוי קו קו ומבוסה אשר בזאו נהרים ארצו v3 כל ישבי תבל ושכני ארץ כנשא נס הרים תראו וכתקע שופר תשמעו v4 כי כה אמר יהוה אלי אשקטה ואביטה במכוני כחם צח עלי אור כעב טל בחם קציר v5 כי לפני קציר כתם פרח ובסר גמל יהיה נצה וכרת הזלזלים במזמרות ואת הנטישות הסיר התז v6 יעזבו יחדו לעיט הרים ולבהמת הארץ וקץ עליו העיט וכל בהמת הארץ עליו תחרף v7 בעת ההיא יובל שי ליהוה צבאות עם ממשך ומורט ומעם נורא מן הוא והלאה גוי קו קו ומבוסה אשר בזאו נהרים ארצו אל מקום שם יהוה צבאות הר ציון
4(Isaiah 18 BHS)
The opening of the chapter (verses 1 and 2) are critical to understanding the prophecy.
For the tables below, click highlighted cells to see the explanation. (N.B. Hebrew is read from right to left.)
| כוש | לנהרי | מעבר | אשר | כנפים | צלצל | ארץ | הוי | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | rivers | beyond | which | with wings | shadowing | to the land | Woe! | KJV |
| Africa | extremity extreme | noise | Alternate | |||||
|
The original Hebrew is Cush, which was defined by the river Gihon (Genesis 2:13). This word can only be translated as beyond because of Genesis 2:13. A land or nation cannot be all along or at along the rivers of Cush without being Cush itself. H5676 ay'-ber From H5674; properly a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east): - X against, beyond, by, X from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight. H3671 kaw-nawf' From H3670; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bed clothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle: + bird, border, corner, end, feather [-ed], X flying, + (one an-) other, overspreading, X quarters, skirt, X sort, uttermost part, wing ([-ed]). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (SEC) gives this meaning: H6767 tsel-aw-tsal' From H6750 reduplicated; a clatter, that is, (abstractly) whirring (of wings); (concretely) a cricket; also a harpoon (as rattling), a cymbal (as clanging): - cymbal, locust, shadowing, spear.5 In almost all cases where this word is used, it is translated as Woe! or Alas! and it's connotations are not good. Approximate English from the King James Version matched with each Hebrew word. The name Africa is well known without explanation. Cush requires the reader to be familiar with Bible terminology. The sense of this word appears to be extremity, with context determining what type of extremity. There being no bird or building to set the actual context, it has to describe noise or the previous word land. The main sense of the word appears to be sound or noise with context determining what kind of sound. In this case, it appears to be related to the land itself. It is a characteristic of the land. | ||||||||
How does one describe what does not yet exist? The only way Isaiah could do this would be with unique characteristics. It would be useless to describe by something simple or temporary (e.g. the sound of birds/insects, ships, rivers). The best description would be a long standing characteristic or the end state of that land/people. And because the prophecy was of the far future, this description might not make sense to readers until it approached fulfillment. Thus everything Isaiah writes should be considered uniquely descriptive, even if it at first seems contradictory or doesn't make sense.
Since the prophecy was meant for a time long after Isaiah it is better to leave words with their more general meanings, rather than trying to guess and pinpoint their exact meaning.
The first word in question is shadowing.
In the KJV, shadowing
also appears in Ezekiel 31:3. But the Hebrew in Ezekiel is מֵצַ֖ל, whereas the Hebrew in Isaiah is צִלְצַ֣ל. The root word is the same, but just going by the root word will lose the actual meaning of צִלְצַ֣ל.
If Isaiah had meant shadowing
as shade, he would have used the spelling in Ezekiel. What did he mean with the extra letters? Unfortunately, Isaiah's exact spelling צִלְצַ֣ל is found nowhere else in the Bible. There is no other reference to check with. The common denominator in the meanings of this word appear to be sound/noise. Thus the word shadowing
should be left as noise and not specified as of wings
or of a cricket.
(A secondary reason why wings
or crickets
should not be used is because natural phenomenon can change. Besides, almost every nation on the planet has birds and insects. Such a description would not help identify any place.)
The next word is wings.
Isaiah uses כְּנָפָ֑יִם. Most of the time the context either includes a bird (eagle, dove, or cherubim), or a use for the wings (taking refuge, flying away). Since Isaiah's usage does not include any creature or use, we need to find other verses where this word is used the same way.
Psalm 139:9 is similar to Isaiah 18:1 because no creature is in the context. The wings of the morning.
Picturesque and poetic it has become a fixture in English, but what exactly does it mean? Going by the general meaning of the word כְּנָפָ֑יִם extremity
gives a better sense of what the Psalmist intended. The extremity of the morning is an undefinable time between night and dawn. No one can really say when or where it is.
How is one bound up in the wings
of the wind in Hosea 4:19? The best sense is being bound up in the extremity of the wind, being buffeted about.
Malachi 4:2 also uses the word wings.
-the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.
The extremity of the sun would mean all parts of the sun have healing. Or perhaps the healing from the sun reaches to all extreme places.
The word shadowing
should be left as noise/sound
and the word wings
should just be extremity.
The first verse becomes, Woe to the land of extreme noise beyond the rivers of Africa.
Or, Woe to the land of noisy extremes beyond the rivers of Africa.
The prophecy clearly identifies the United States of America. It is beyond Africa. Its people are among the most extroverted in the world (hence talkative and noisy). Its industrial machines and nuclear weapons produce extreme sounds. And if we were looking for a natural phenomenon, America is known for its Tornado Alley.
Now Isaiah's inspired genius becomes apparent. One could say shadowing wings
meant taking refuge in the shade of wings even though the word refuge
is not in the text. Was this Isaiah's intention? If this were the case, why did Isaiah begin the prophecy with Woe?
Is not a land of refuge a good thing? It would only be a good thing if it remained a land of refuge and safety. It would not be a good thing if it changed. (How it changed will be seen next.)
America is a nation of immigrants. Many peoples went there to make a better life. Does not the inscription on the Statue of Liberty include, Give me your oppressed?
Isaiah's description still holds. What he prophesied in just two verses was a brief history of the United States.
The first part of the next verse confirms these preliminary deductions and then introduces another land (nation or people).
| על | גמא | ובכלי | צירים | בים | השלח | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| on | bulrushes | in vessels | ambassadors | by the sea | that sendeth | KJV |
| paper | instruments |
pain / obligations sanctions | Alternate | |||
| אל | קלים | מלאכים | לכו | מים | פני | Hebrew |
| to | swift | messengers | go! | waters | upon | KJV |
| Alternate | ||||||
H6735 tseer From H6696; a hinge (as pressed in turning); also a throe (as a physical or mental pressure); also a herald or errand doer (as constrained by the principal): - ambassador, hinge, messenger, pain, pang, sorrow. Compare H6736. H3627 kel-ee From H3615; something prepared, that is, any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon): - armour ([-bearer]), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever. Ambassador is not the true meaning. The word for ambassador will appear later in the passage. Pain, and or one being under constraint is what this word seems to convey. The power or strength of the constraint is what brings it to the level of pain: obligation. In modern terms, constraints are sanctions of approval or penalty imposed on others rightly or wrongly. There is a Hebrew word for boat or ships and it isn't this one. Vessels is much too narrow a translation. The actual word for ships can be seen in 1 Kings 9:26 (Solomon) and 22:49 (Jehoshaphat) וָאֳנִ֡י, אֳנִיּ֨וֹת. The Septuagint makes it clear it is paper. H7031 kal Contracted from H7043; light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbially): - light, swift (-ly). H4397 mal-awk' From an unused root meaning to dispatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically of God, that is, an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher): - ambassador, angel, king, messenger. In the modern context, Isaiah might use the word light messenger to describe someone who takes an airplane and flies. | ||||||
| נורא | עם | אל | ומורט | ממשך | גוי | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| terrible | people | to | and peeled | scattered | people / nation | KJV |
| fearful / feared respected | independent polished | repressed suppressed prolonged | Alternate | |||
|
H3372 yaw-ray' A primitive root to fear morally to revere causatively to frighten: - affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing). Scholars have different meanings for this word. H4900 maw-shak' A primitive root to draw, used in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong, to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall, etc.): - draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, X give, handle, make (pro-, sound) long, X sow, scatter, stretch out. Most of the time, the KJV translates this word as drawing, but for some reason in this verse decided to use scattering. Many of the other occurrences of this word are spelt differently from this root. This Hebrew word can mean being afraid, or causing fear in others. This same word also describes those who Thayer's gives H4178 the meaning polished, furbished, and peeled. People can be described as independent and or stubborn, but they can also be described as polished in manner or culture. In Proverbs 13:12 (the only occurrence of this word closest in spelling) it is translated as deferred: | ||||||
| קו | קו | גוי | והלאה | הוא | מן | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (same) | meted out | nation | from beginning hitherto | he | at | KJV |
| line | line upon | onwards | his | from | Alternate | |
| ארצו | נהרים | בזאו | אשר | ומבוסה | Hebrew | |
| the land | the rivers | have spoiled | whose | and trodden down | KJV | |
| divided / spoiled | Alternate | |||||
|
קוקו Kavkav occurs here in Isaiah 18, and also in Isaiah 28:10-13 and nowhere else in the Bible. Strong's Concordance gives this definition: Isaiah 28:10-13 does not make sense when stalwart is used in translation. It makes perfect sense to leave the literal Hebrew as H1973 haw-leh-aw' From the primitive form of the article; to the distance, that is, far away; also (of time) thus far: - back, beyond, (hence-) forward, hitherto, thenceforth, yonder. H1931 hoo, he The second form is the feminine beyond the Pentateuch; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are: - he, as for her, him (-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (. . . it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. H4480 min, min-nee', min-nay' For H4482; properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses: - above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over, since, X then, through, X whether, with. The literal Hebrew is line upon line. Since several of the descriptions are paired, most translators place these two descriptive qualities together as a single phrase. But what if Isaiah meant H958 baw-zaw' A primitive root; probably to cleave: - spoil. H4001 meb-oo-saw' From H947; a trampling: - treading (trodden) down (under foot)." This word appears in several other passages of the Bible. (Leviticus 22:27; Numbers 15:23, 32:19; 1 Samuel 10:3, 18:9, 20:22, 20:37; Isaiah 18:2, 18:7; Ezekiel 39:22 and 43:27.) In the majority of these verses, the sense is from a certain point onwards. | ||||||
Interpreting From The Actual Hebrew
In the KJV, the first part of verse 2 reads,
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, [saying], Go, ye swift messengers,
As noted in the table above, the ambassadors
sent by sea are not human envoys. The real ambassador
word occurs at the end of the quote and is translated as messengers.
And the vessels
are not ships.
The Hebrew was interpreted this way because no one knew how to translate the words obligations
, instruments
, and paper
. Their meanings together made no sense. It made no sense until the modern world took form.
The modern world runs on paper agreements: trade, contracts, promissory notes (to pay, to act, to guarantee, to purchase etc.), investment certificates, stock options, derivatives, rights (human, copyright, patents, concessions)... and the list goes on. (Even a single dollar bill is a paper contract that the U.S. government will in theory honor.) Each constrains various parties to act in a certain way. They are termed instruments
because they function for specific purposes.
Contracts are also obligations that sometimes force certain unwilling actions. This brings into play the other meaning of the Hebrew word צירים, which is often translated as pain.
And of course, there are sanctions nations impose upon others for the express purpose of forcing/constraining them to act differently.
Even the idea of instruments
(things prepared) can be extracted direct from the Hebrew. The modern world trades in innumerable manufactured goods.
Aside from noisy extremes
the land beyond Africa's next major characteristic is the sheer multitude of paper instruments
that it sends out into the world. No other country in the world has the equivalent financial and economic clout.
In this verse, Isaiah tells us how America changed from a land of refuge to a land ruled by paper.
Real ambassadors are sent to travel swiftly to another land. Isaiah does not give a geographical location for this land, but he does give the basic character of its people.
Envoys are sent to a people repressed
or suppressed.
Repression, or suppression can describe the government suppressing the people, or the people suppressing themselves with self-control. Both meanings apply to China. The Chinese people have always been ruled over by nobles, kings and emperors. China has never been a democratic society. Confucian philosophy concerns the regulation of behaviour between self and superiors, and between self and society. Parents instill Confucian teachings in their children (in other words, self-repression).
For most of human history the common people have been ruled over by others. Thus this description of a repressed or suppressed people would apply to many nations. Isaiah would not be giving a description that was pointless. Going back to the other Hebrew meaning of the word, prolonged and this narrows the list of possible nations considerably. At the time Isaiah wrote his prophecy, there were only three nations that already had (pro)long(ed) histories: Egypt, India and China. If Isaiah meant Egypt, he would have used the Hebrew word מצרים (Mizraim) for Egypt. And if he meant India, he would have used the word הדו (Hodu; see Esther 1:1). This leaves China as the unidentified nation. (Confirmation of this will be seen in the next word.)
The next characteristic is independence.
There are two ways a nation can be independent. It can be independent because it goes its own way, hence possibly obstinate. It is independent because it is self-sufficient and self-reliant. Both meanings apply to China. Because of its isolated geography, China has always gone her own way. Surrounding nations ended up picking up Chinese culture. The Chinese language is one of the few that has no alphabet, and thus developed in its own peculiar way. The nation has always been self-sufficient and self-reliant, producing such an abundance of goods the world beat a path to her door for centuries. This created the Silk Road.
The other meaning for this word is polished. Since people cannot be physically polished
this must refer to something in their character. Someone who is highly polite is polished
in manner. This is enforced by the Chinese language. The common phrase in asking someone's last name is 請問你貴姓名. (I beg to ask, what is your precious/esteemed surname?
The common answer, if someone's last name is Lee, is 敝姓李 (My worthless surname is Lee.
) The common people are called 老百姓. (The old/respected hundred surnames.
) The language is very flowery and highly polished. It is doubtful there is another language so polished.
This country is also described as fearful
or being feared
from the past up to the present. Once again both meanings apply to China. With a government holding ultimate authority and power, the people are fearful.
At the same time as a nation, China has been respected (or feared) for centuries at a time. The ingenious inventions she developed, the unique goods she produced, the vastness of her land, and the many natural resources at her disposal have always amazed foreigners. And of course, Confucian ideals are all about treating others with respect.
Isaiah continues his description with the unique phrase קוקו ומבוסה, which the KJV interpreted as meted out and trodden down
but which the RSV interpreted as mighty and conquering.
Both are judgment calls on the part of the interpreter. The KJV judged it to be negative, hence meted out and trodden down.
The RSV judged it to mean something positive, hence mighty and conquering.
Let the Hebrew meaning stand with no judgment call: stalwart.
China has over 3000 years of history now. If that is not stalwart, what else could it be? Let the literal Hebrew speak: line upon line trampling. This is a perfect description of China's vast multitudes. China has been fielding vast armies numbering into the hundreds of thousands ever since the Warring States period (700 to 221 B.C.). Just normal everyday walking by millions of people amounts to trampling.
Verse 2 ends with Isaiah describing the final characteristic of this land's rivers. Unfortunately, בזאו the word he uses is found again in verse 7 and nowhere else in the Old Testament, so there is no other reference check on its meaning or how it is used. Going by the meaning, the rivers either divide and or spoil the land. And again the basic meaning applies to China as well. China is a land divided by rivers, but the Yellow River is also called China's Sorrow
because of its fearsome floods. Millions are affected at a time.
In China's prehistory is the legend of Yu, the Flood Controller, who dredged the rivers to drain the land of water. More recently, China is one of the rare nations where a river actually caught fire from pollution. In all respects, from the earliest times to present, China ia a land divided and despoiled by rivers. No other nation fits the prophetic description from beginning to end so well.
Many nations claim they are unique and independent. But can they really say they developed all on their own without outside influence? What famous philosophers did they produce that offered unique view points? China produced Taoism and Confucianism. What inventions have they given the world? The book The Genius Of China by Robert Temple lists many basic inventions and discoveries that are the basis of modern civilization today.
How many can claim they are repressed
or suppressed?
This is not a quality proud nations would apply to themselves. (It is interesting how many interpretations of Isaiah 18 focus on the better qualities and completely ignore the negatives the prophet mentioned.)
Many nations like to think they are feared or respected, but the dustbin of history is filled with fallen super powers.
Can they claim they were feared or respected centuries at a time? How many can claim to have populations greater than their combined neighbors? Finally, how many can say their rivers spoil the land? (Most nations do have rivers, so Isaiah's description can only be helpful if it includes the second meaning: to spoil.)
Only China fits Isaiah's description. The Hebrew word for ambassador, messenger or envoy doesn't have to be just government officials. They could be corporate messengers too. Beginning in the 1970s, American corporations in search of greater profits began to outsource production to other nations. China was one destination. In our modern world, since China has become the world's second largest economy, returning to her role as the world's factory, it is only reasonable that American government officials head to China as well.
Verse 3
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.
Unless someone is within sight of the mountain, or in range of the trumpet call, one will neither see nor hear. But verse three indicates all the world will see and hear. This could simply be poetic license, but there is also the possibility Isaiah is conveying much more than this. It makes perfect sense to say it is a vision of the far future when modern technology allows the entire world to see and hear one event all at the same time.
Verse 4
For 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.
Once again the translators of the KJV depart from the Hebrew with the word herbs. Modern translators have it as clear heat in sunshine. Several Hebrew words begin with the letters of the word צַח֙. Many of these words have the meaning white, dazzling or clear, but the words listed just after this word in the dictionary are about dryness and being dry. This makes more sense because it is the dryness during the heat of the harvest sun that makes the dew vanish.
God does not have to actively do something. All He has to do is watch. This is very much in line with quantum mechanics, where just by observation the results of an experiment are changed. It is also very similar to the Taoist idea that the sage need do nothing, and all accomplishes itself.
We do not see the heat, except for its effect on air. The air rises and deflects some sunlight and our eyes register the shimmering. So too is God's gaze almost invisible. We can watch water droplets slowly shrink and disappear under the heat, but the heat is invisible.
Isaiah uses the imagery of dew at the time of harvest (being extremely brief during a dry season) to show how the lifespan of nations is short. Though nations may last several centuries, it is only a moment to God (Psalm 90:4). Though an empire may seem strong, long lasting and invincible, it will be sapped away like moisture when its time comes.
Verse 5
For 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.
Isaiah changes his use of imagery from dew vanishing before harvest to grapes. Unlike grain that can be stored, planted and turned back into crops, once past a certain point most of the grape rots. Grapes are the end stage. (There are seeds, but this is just a small portion of the grape.) The imagery is of a nation that can no longer change and be renewed.
In this case, the entire vine is cut down even before the grapes are fully ripe and the seeds viable. Not even the seeds are being kept. The imagery is of a nation no longer capable of changing course. It's sin and wickedness can only deepen, expand and sicken. That is why it is being destroyed. God has no need to wait any longer. It won't get any better. (Matthew 3:10; Revelation 14:19-20)
Cutting down nations before full wickedness is complete may also be a form of God’s mercy. God is not unmindful of the millions who would suffer if evil was allowed to exist longer.
(The Amorites lasted 400 years (Genesis 15:13-16). America, described in verses 1 and 2, will only be 300 years old in 2076. This is clearly being cut short.)
Verse 6
They 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.
The picture is of fowl and beast feeding on the grapes and vines. Since the grapes represent a nation, the fowls and beasts are most likely carnivorous animals. This gives rise to two possibilities.
- These really are animals. Given the serious environmental problems facing today's world, it is necessary for an entire region to be left wild for nature to recover.
- These are other nations plundering the fallen empire (Habbakuk 2:8).
It is also possible the birds and animals represent both natural and human plunderers.
Verse 7
In 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.
Of the two nations mentioned at the start of the chapter, only the second survives to bring gifts. This indicates the land of shadowing wings
(or whirring wings
) is the one that is cut down like grapes. The second nation might also suffer, but it is not totally destroyed.
The description of the land bringing gifts is practically the same as the description given at the beginning of the chapter. It is possible Isaiah did not change the description because he didn't want people to think there was a third country. But it is also possible the description doesn't change because this country didn't change much either. Like grain that can be long kept, turned back into crops by planting, and then harvested again, this nation maintains its character.
| צְבָא֗וֹת | לַיהוָ֣ה | שַׁ֜י | יֽוּבַל | הַהִ֨יא | בָּעֵת֩ | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosts | to Yhwh | the present | be brought | he | In that time | KJV |
| she | Alternate | |||||
H1931 הִיא הוּא hoo, he The second form is the feminine beyond the Pentateuch; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are: - he, as for her, him (-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (. . . it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. The Hebrew text clearly shows the feminine form of the word. Following Strong's definition this word should have been unexpressed unless it was emphatic, or unless there was no verb. This is why translations after the KJV have something like The ancient Hebrew had no vowels or punctuation. What if Isaiah meant it to be emphatic? (See the next word on the left.) Since the emphasis is not common, most of the time it would not matter whether she was left out of the translation. Unfortunately, it is the rare occasion where it might be missed and critical. Just because men took it upon themselves to be the movers and shakers of history does not mean women should be ignored. Sarah, Miriam, Ruth, Samson's unnamed mother, Hannah, Deborah, Esther and Mary the mother of Jesus played very important parts in history. We're just conditioned to not seeing it. H2986 yaw-bal' A primitive root; properly to flow; causatively to bring (especially with pomp): - bring (forth), carry, lead (forth). No English translation that I have seen brings out the unique sense of ceremony (with pomp) behind this word. It is used to describe the jubilee in Leviticus 25:10-12, a funeral Job 21:32, Jesus as God's sacrificial lamb Isaiah 53:7, and the tribute between nations Hosea 10:6, 12:1. Would not a grand ceremony honoring God be considered emphatic? If so, this would mean the previous word she should be expressed and included in the translation. | ||||||
The Nations Weary Themselves...
Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor only for fire, and nations weary themselves for nought? (Habakkuk 2:13)
Isaiah's prophecy of nations preceded those of Jeremiah and Habakkuk (see Jeremiah 51:58). The Bible does not contradict itself. The nations will be cut down before the full fruit of their evil is ripe. Their end is to be burned. Nations that do not recognize God, but were not part of the worst evil will be left for a time (Daniel 7:12).
But here in chapter 18, Isaiah also gives the example of a distant nation with an ancient history recognizing God and bringing gifts. This is the nation that survives. (The land of whirring wings
receives no mention.)
Why do a few gifts, and recognition
of God make this nation survive? Wouldn't other nations do the same? This nation survives because it is different (i.e. independent) from all the others. Only in China were the common people taught filial piety
(and this spread through the far east). Filial piety fulfills the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12). It is the first commandment that comes with a promise of doing well and living long on earth (Ephesians 6:2). God always keeps His promises.
Isaiah's prophecy is also a warning for China. China has learned and followed the ways of the land of whirring wings.
That is why the rivers that divide her land will also be her ruin. The more China follows the way of the nations, the more she will suffer the punishments that befall Babylon.
For those accustomed to English interpretations of Isaiah 18, the above explanation of the original Hebrew would be radically far fetched and completely divorced from current Christian understanding. What proof can be offered to support this new reading of the prophecy? Since explanations and debates on the actual meaning of Hebrew words can be endless, independent proof must be provided. That proof is found in the numeric features presented next.
(Note: None of the current interpretations of Isaiah 18 found in English Bibles, or Bibles in other languages offer proof to show their understanding of the chapter is correct.)
Numeric Features In The Prophecy
Now that meaning of the chapter is clear and properly understood the amazing numeric features in the Hebrew can be better appreciated. And seeing the original Hebrew with numeric features explains why there are also coincidences in Chinese and English translations that follow the original language more closely.
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (a)
326 295 312 501 200 240 291 21 (b)
38 61 51 42 65 60 39 21 (c)
30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (d)
21 -6 -11 10 -20 -5 -14 -12 20 -2 -16 -13 20 -21 -1 13 -10 -17 -14 -11 12 -18 -12 -18 18 -20 -1 10 -6 -5 (e)
300 -6 -20 10 -200 -5 -50 -30 200 -2 -70 -40 200 -300 -1 40 -10 -80 -50 -20 30 -90 -30 -90 90 -200 -1 10 -6 -5 (f)
הוי ארץ צלצל כנפים אשר מעבר לנהרי כוש (g)
Cush rivers beyond which extreme noise land Woe! (h)
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 (a)
56 90 140 100 44 68 350 52 343 (b)
29 36 41 28 17 41 71 25 46 (c)
61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 (d)
6 -11 -12 13 -10 -13 10 -14 -17 12 -16 1 -13 -3 10 -12 -11 -2 -6 13 -10 -20 -10 -18 13 -10 -2 8 -12 -21 -5 (e)
6 -20 -30 40 -10 -40 10 -50 -80 30 -70 1 -40 -3 10 -30 -20 -2 -6 40 -10 -200 -10 -90 40 -10 -2 8 -30 -300 -5 (f)
השלח בים צירים ובכלי גמא על פני מים לכו (g)
go waters upon on paper instruments obligation sea send (h)
25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 (a)
110 31 261 400 19 31 180 141 (b)
29 13 54 58 19 13 54 60 (c)
89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 (d)
13 -16 12 -1 9 -20 -6 -13 -6 11 -21 -13 -13 10 -6 -3 12 -1 13 -10 -12 -19 13 -10 -11 -1 -12 -13 (e)
40 -70 30 -1 9 -200 -6 -40 -6 20 -300 -40 -40 10 -6 -3 30 -1 40 -10 -30 -100 40 -10 -20 -1 -30 -40 (f)
מלאכים קלים אל גוי ממשך ומורט אל עם (g)
people to independent repressed nation to swift envoys (h)
33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 (a)
119 106 106 19 47 12 90 257 (b)
47 25 25 19 29 12 27 41 (c)
116 115 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 (d)
5 -15 -6 -2 -13 -6 6 -19 6 -19 10 -6 -3 5 -1 -12 -5 -6 1 -6 -5 14 -13 1 -20 -6 -14 (e)
5 -60 -6 -2 -40 -6 6 -100 6 -100 10 -6 -3 5 -1 -30 -5 -6 1 -6 -5 50 -40 1 -200 -6 -50 (f)
נורא מן הוא והלאה גוי קו קו ומבוסה (g)
trampling (or stalwart) line-on-line nation hitherto he from fear/respect (h)
40 39 38 37 36 35 34 (a)
432 322 50 297 305 16 501 (b)
36 43 23 45 62 16 42 (c)
141 140 139 138 137 136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128 127 126 125 124 123 122 121 120 119 118 117 (d)
12 -2 -22 10 -2 -21 -10 12 -11 6 -18 -20 -1 13 -10 -20 -5 -14 6 -1 -7 -2 20 -21 -1 (e)
30 -2 -400 10 -2 -300 -10 30 -20 6 -90 -200 -1 40 -10 -200 -5 -50 6 -1 -7 -2 200 -300 -1 (f)
אשר בזאו נהרים ארצו כל ישבי תבל (g)
world inhabitants all land rivers (d)ivided)-spoiled whose (h)
47 46 45 44 43 42 41 (a)
596 607 255 110 371 291 386 (b)
74 49 48 29 47 39 62 (c)
168 167 166 165 164 163 162 161 160 159 158 157 156 155 154 153 152 151 150 149 148 147 146 145 144 143 142 (d)
16 -19 -22 -11 -6 6 -1 -20 -22 13 -10 -20 -5 15 -14 1 -21 -14 -11 18 -20 -1 10 -14 -11 -21 -6 (e)
70 -100 -400 -20 -6 6 -1 -200 -400 40 -10 -200 -5 60 -50 1 -300 -50 -20 90 -200 -1 10 -50 -20 -300 -6 (f)
ושכני ארץ כנשא נס הרים תראו וכתקע (g)
blows see mountains flag lift earth dwellers (h)
55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 (a)
415 41 26 241 25 30 816 586 (b)
55 23 26 34 16 21 78 64 (c)
196 195 194 193 192 191 190 189 188 187 186 185 184 183 182 181 180 179 178 177 176 175 174 173 172 171 170 169 (d)
5 -9 -19 -21 -1 10 -12 -1 5 -6 -5 -10 20 -13 -1 5 -11 10 -11 6 -16 -13 -21 -22 20 -17 -6 -21 (e)
5 -9 -100 -300 -1 10 -30 -1 5 -6 -5 -10 200 -40 -1 5 -20 10 -20 6 -70 -40 -300 -400 200 -80 -6 -300 (f)
שופר תשמעו כי כה אמר יהוה אלי אשקטה (g)
quiet about YHWH said this for hear trumpet (h)
64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 (a)
50 39 92 207 110 98 68 128 33 (b)
23 21 29 27 38 26 32 56 33 (c)
227 26 225 224 223 222 21 220 219 18 217 216 15 214 213 212 211 10 209 208 07 206 205 204 203 202 01 200 199 198 197 (d)
13 -8 -2 12 -9 2 -16 -11 20 -6 -1 10-12 -16 8 -18 13 -8 -11 10-14 -6 -11 -13 -2 5 -9 -10 -2 -1 -6 (e)
40 -8 -2 30 -9 2 -70 -20 200 -6 -1 10-30 -70 8 -90 40 -8 -20 10-50 -6 -20 -40 -2 5 -9 -10 -2 -1 -6 (f)
ואביטה במכוני כחם צח עלי אור כעב טל בחם (g)
heat dew cloud sunshine and dry heat dwelling regard (h)
72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 (a)
73 268 288 460 400 170 30 400 (b)
28 43 45 46 67 53 21 67 (c)
254 253 252 251 250 249 248 247 246 245 244 243 242 241 240 239 238 237 236 235 234 233 232 231 230 229 228 (d)
12 -13 -3 20 -15 -2 -6 8 -20 -17 13 -22 -11 20 -10 -18 -19 10 -14 -17 -12 10 -11 20 -10 -18 -19 (e)
30 -40 -3 200 -60 -2 -6 8 -200 -80 40 -400 -20 200 -10 -90 -100 10 -50 -80 -30 10 -20 200 -10 -90 -100 (f)
קציר כי לפני קציר כתם פרח ובסר גמל (g)
ripe sour-grapes buds complete harvest before for harvest (h)
78 77 76 75 74 73 (a)
407 695 129 626 145 30 (b)
29 83 66 59 37 30 (c)
282 281 280 279 278 277 276 275 274 273 272 271 270 269 268 267 266 265 264 263 262 261 260 259 258 257 256 255 (d)
22 -1 -6 22 -6 -20 -13 -7 -13 -2 13 -10 -12 -7 -12 -7 -5 22 -20 -11 -6 5 -18 -14 5 -10 -5 -10 (e)
400 -1 -6 400 -6 -200 -40 -7 -40 -2 40 -10 -30 -7 -30 -7 -5 400 -200 -20 -6 5 -90 -50 5 -10 -5 -10 (f)
יהיה נצה וכרת הזלזלים במזמרות ואת (g)
themselves pruning-hook sprigs he-shall-cut-off flowers becomes (h)
85 84 83 82 81 80 79 (a)
255 119 28 95 412 275 780 (b)
48 47 28 41 34 50 87 (c)
313 12 311 310 309 08 307 306 305 04 303 302 301 300 99 298 297 296 295 94 293 92 291 290 289 88 287 286 85 284 283 (d)
13 -10 -20 -5 9-10 -16 -12 6 -4 -8 -10 6 -2 -7 -16 -10 7 -22 -5 20-10 -15 -5 22 -6 -21 -10 -9 -14 -5 (e)
40 -10-200 -5 9-10 -70 -30 6 -4 -8 -10 6 -2 -7 -70 -10 7-400 -5 200-10 -60 -5 400 -6-300 -10 -9 -50 -5 (f)
הנטישות הסיר התז יעזבו יחדו לעיט הרים (g)
mountain birds together left cut-down take-away branches (h)
92 91 90 89 88 87 86 (a)
447 56 94 116 196 296 483 (b)
42 29 40 44 43 44 60 (c)
341 340 339 338 337 336 335 334 333 332 331 330 329 328 327 326 325 324 323 322 321 320 319 318 317 316 315 314 (d)
22 -13 -5 -2 12 -11 -6 9 -10 -16 -5 6 -10 -12 -16 18 -19 -6 18 -20 -1 -5 22 -13 -5 -2 -12 -6 (e)
400 -40 -5 -2 30 -20 -6 9 -10 -70 -5 6 -10 -30 -70 90 -100 -6 90 -200 -1 -5 400 -40 -5 -2 -30 -6 (f)
ולבהמת הארץ וקץ עליו העיט וכל בהמת (g)
beast and-all birds of shall-eat earth beasts (h)
99 98 97 96 95 94 93 (a)
310 48 21 472 688 116 296 (b)
31 30 21 40 67 44 44 (c)
366 365 364 363 362 361 360 359 358 357 356 355 354 353 352 351 350 349 348 347 346 345 344 343 342 (d)
10 -21 12 -2 -6 -10 1 -10 -5 -5 22 -16 -2 17 -20 -8 -22 6 -10 -12 -16 18 -20 -1 -5 (e)
10 -300 30 -2 -6 -10 1 -10 -5 -5 400 -70 -2 80 -200 -8 -400 6 -10 -30 -70 90 -200 -1 -5 (f)
הארץ עליו תחרף בעת ההיא יובל שי (g)
present be-brought she in-that-time winter-on and earth (h)
106 105 104 103 102 101 100 (a)
257 156 261 400 110 499 56 (b)
41 48 54 58 29 49 38 (c)
395 394 393 392 391 390 389 388 387 386 385 384 383 382 381 380 379 378 377 376 375 374 373 372 371 370 369 368 367 (d)
1 -20 -6 -14 13 -16 -13 -6 9 -20 -6 -13 -6 11 -21 -13 -13 13 -16 22 -6 -1 -2 -18 5 -6 -5 -10 -12 (e)
1-200 -6 -50 40 -70 -40 -6 9-200 -6 -40 -6 20 -300 -40 -40 40 -70 400 -6 -1 -2 -90 5 -6 -5 -10 -30 (f)
ליהוה צבאות עם ממשך ומורט ומעם נורא (g)
fear people independent repressed people host YHWH (h)
114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 (a)
501 119 106 106 19 47 12 90 (b)
42 47 25 25 19 29 12 27 (c)
421 420 419 418 417 416 415 414 413 412 411 410 409 408 407 406 405 404 403 402 401 400 399 398 397 396 (d)
20 -21 -1 5 -15 -6 -2 -13 -6 6 -19 6 -19 10 -6 -3 5 -1 -12 -5 -6 1 -6 -5 14 -13 (e)
200-300 -1 5 -60 -6 -2 -40 -6 6-100 6-100 10 -6 -3 5 -1 -30 -5 -6 1 -6 -5 50 -40 (f)
מן הוא והלאה גוי קו קו ומבוסה אשר (g)
whose trample (or stalwart) line-on-line nation hitherto his from (h)
122 121 120 119 118 117 116 115 (a)
499 26 340 186 31 297 305 16 (b)
49 26 34 51 13 45 62 16 (c)
451 450 49 448 447 446 445 44 443 442 441 440 39 438 437 436 35 434 433 432 31 430 429 428 27 426 425 24 23 422 (d)
22 -6 -1 -2 -18 5 -6 -5 -10 13 -21 13 -6 -19 -13 12 -1 6 -18 -20 -1 13 -10 -20 -5 -14 6 -1 -7 -2 (e)
400 -6 -1 -2 -90 5 -6 -5 -10 40-300 40 -6-100 -40 30 -1 6 -90-200 -1 40 -10-200 -5 -50 6 -1 -7 -2 (f)
בזאו נהרים ארצו אל מקום שם יהוה צבאות (g)
hosts YHWH of-the of-the-place to whose-land rivers (spoil)-divide (h)
-name
124 123 (a) Word position.
156 205 (b) Word value.
48 25 (c) Word place value.
457 456 455 454 453 452 (d) Letter position.
14 -6 -10 -18 20 -5 (e) Letter place value.
50 -6 -10 -90 200 -5 (f) Letter numeric value.
הר ציון (g) Hebrew.
Zion Mount (h) English.
There are 124 words (nf), and 457 letters (nf). These basic elements of the chapter do not appear promising, but a look at the words and letters, which would be more related to the actual meaning, shows there is much more to the prophecy. Not only do the numeric values of the letters have a feature, but the place values of the letters also have a feature.
1.1The place values of the Hebrew words: 4953 = 3 x 13 x 127. SF: 143 = 11 x 13.
1.2Numeric total of the chapter: 27426 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 653. SF: 665 = 5 x 7 x 19.
1.3The first letter of each word, and the last letter of each word have no result when they stand by themselves. This is a prophecy of nations, not a description of God; it is no surprise first and last standing alone yield nothing. The first and last letters of each word stand together as if to indicate the whole prophecy stands together: 14217 = 3 x 7 x 677.
1.3.2Seven words have an odd valued first letter and an odd valued last letter:
Word position a) 13 28 55 81 90 97 108 Word value b) 44 12 415 412 94 21 12
Seventy-two words with even valued first and last letters:
a) 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 b) 240 200 312 295 326 52 350 68 100 140 90 56 a) 18 19 22 25 27 31 32 35 36 38 39 40 b) 141 180 400 110 90 106 106 16 305 50 322 432 a) 41 44 46 47 48 49 50 57 58 59 60 62 b) 386 110 607 596 586 816 30 128 68 98 110 92 a) 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 75 77 78 82 b) 50 400 30 170 400 460 288 268 626 695 407 95 a) 83 86 88 89 91 92 94 95 96 98 99 101 b) 28 483 196 116 56 447 116 688 472 48 310 499 a) 102 103 105 107 111 112 115 116 119 120 122 124 b) 110 400 156 90 106 106 16 305 186 340 499 156
The total of these 79 words: 18942 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 11 x 41.
1.3.3This means the remaining 45 words would automatically be divisible by seven: 8484 = 22 x 3 x 7 x 101. (The factors 7 and 101 show the one God who is beginning and end behind this prophecy.)
1.3.4This could also be looked at another way. Gather the first and last letters of all the even positioned words.
First and last letter of even positioned words: a) 1 20 40 20 2 6 70 40 40 1 40 1 50 5 b) 90 40 200 300 40 10 30 40 40 30 20 30 1 1 a) 3 100 1 50 20 400 1 50 400 300 20 1 1 6 b) 10 6 200 40 30 30 90 60 6 200 10 200 10 5 a) 20 70 20 2 20 100 80 3 50 5 6 5 10 30 b) 40 10 2 40 10 200 8 30 5 40 400 200 6 9 a) 6 6 5 2 70 2 10 30 70 6 50 5 3 100 b) 400 90 9 400 6 400 30 5 40 9 1 1 10 6 a) 1 50 1 300 90 90 (first of each word) b) 200 40 30 40 400 50 (last of each word)
The total is 7943 = 13 x 13 x 47. Two factors of 13 point to God’s name in Hebrew. (Since the first and last letters of all the words is divisible by seven, this means the odd positioned letters do not have a corresponding feature. It would have been nice if there was such a feature, but once again, this is a prophecy about nations. It is not about God.)
One could have taken the first letter of each word, or the second, third, fourth and so on. In essence, this technique could have been applied seven times to the chapter. The odds would suggest only one of those tries succeeding. Instead, two succeeded, twice the expected number. Skeptics would insist it would have been better if three or more tries had succeeded. Be that as it may, there are other reasons why only the fifth and seventh letters of each word succeeded.
1.4.1Odd positioned words follow the pattern of The Proclamation's odd positioned letters being divisible by seven.
a) 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 b) 21 240 501 295 343 350 44 140 56 180 19 261 110 90 47 106 119 16 a) 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 b) 297 322 386 371 255 596 816 25 26 415 128 98 207 39 400 170 460 a) 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 101 103 b) 268 30 626 695 780 412 28 255 296 116 56 296 688 21 310 499 400 a) 105 107 109 111 113 115 117 119 121 123 (position) b) 156 90 47 106 119 16 297 186 26 205 (letter)
Total: 14973 = 3 x 7 x 23 x 31.
1.4.2This means the even positioned words are also divisible by seven.
a) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 b) 291 200 312 326 52 68 100 90 141 31 400 31 257 12 19 106 501 305 a) 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 b) 50 432 291 110 607 586 30 241 41 33 68 110 92 50 30 400 288 73 145 a) 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 b) 129 407 275 95 119 483 196 94 447 116 472 48 56 110 261 257 12 a) 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124 (position) b) 19 106 501 305 31 340 499 156 (letter)
Total: 12453 = 3 x 7 x 593. (Note: The positions of these words add up to 3906 = 2 x 32 x 7 x 31.)
1.5Looking at the first and last letters of each word covers only a small part of the prophecy. What about the rest of the letters? Following Revelation 1:8's principle of complementary opposites, letters can be classified by their position (odd/even) within a word.
1.5.1Odd positioned letters within each word:
a) 1 3 4 6 7 9 11 13 15 16 18 19 21 23 25 27 28 30 31 33 35 37 b) 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 5 10 1 90 90 90 20 80 40 1 200 40 2 30 5 10 20 300 5 30 2 40 a) 38 40 42 43 45 47 48 50 51 53 55 56 58 59 61 62 64 66 68 70 72 b) 1 3 5 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 c) 90 200 40 6 20 10 3 1 70 80 10 40 40 30 6 40 1 10 100 10 1 a) 74 76 77 79 81 83 85 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 99 101 103 104 106 107 b) 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 1 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 c) 3 10 40 300 6 6 9 1 70 50 200 40 5 1 6 30 5 3 10 100 a) 109 111 113 115 117 119 120 122 124 126 128 129 131 133 135 137 b) 1 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 3 c) 100 6 2 60 1 200 2 1 50 200 40 1 90 20 10 2 a) 139 141 142 144 146 147 149 150 152 154 156 158 160 162 164 166 b) 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 400 30 6 20 10 1 90 20 300 50 5 10 400 1 6 400 a) 168 169 171 173 175 177 178 180 182 184 185 187 189 191 192 194 b) 5 1 3 1 3 5 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 70 300 80 400 40 6 20 20 1 200 10 6 1 10 1 100 a) 196 197 199 201 203 205 207 209 211 212 214 216 217 219 220 222 b) 5 1 3 5 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 5 6 2 9 2 20 50 20 40 90 70 10 1 200 20 2 a) 223 225 227 228 230 232 234 236 238 240 242 244 245 247 248 250 b) 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 9 2 40 100 10 20 30 50 100 10 20 40 80 8 6 60 a) 252 254 255 257 259 261 262 264 266 268 270 272 273 275 277 279 b) 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 7 1 3 5 7 c) 3 30 10 10 50 5 6 200 5 30 30 40 2 7 200 400 a) 280 282 283 285 287 289 290 292 294 296 297 299 301 302 304 306 b) 1 3 1 3 5 7 1 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 c) 6 400 5 9 300 400 5 10 5 7 10 7 6 10 4 30 a) 308 310 312 314 316 318 320 322 324 326 327 329 331 333 335 337 b) 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 c) 10 5 10 6 2 40 5 200 6 90 70 10 5 10 6 30 a) 338 340 342 344 346 348 350 352 354 356 357 359 361 363 365 367 b) 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 c) 2 40 5 200 70 10 400 200 2 400 5 10 10 2 300 30 a) 369 371 372 374 376 377 379 381 383 385 387 388 390 392 394 396 b) 3 5 1 3 5 1 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 1 c) 5 5 90 1 400 70 40 300 6 6 9 6 70 50 200 40 a) 398 400 401 403 405 406 408 409 411 413 415 417 419 421 422 424 b) 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 1 3 5 1 3 1 3 c) 5 1 6 30 5 3 10 100 100 6 2 60 1 200 2 1 a) 426 428 430 431 433 435 437 439 441 443 445 447 449 451 452 454 b) 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 5 1 1 c) 50 200 40 1 90 1 40 6 300 10 6 90 1 400 5 90 a) 456 (Position in passage.) b) 3 (Position in word.) c) 6 (Value.)
Total: 15344 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 x 137.
1.5.2Even positioned letters within each word:
a) 2 5 8 10 12 14 17 20 22 24 26 29 32 34 36 39 41 44 46 49 b) 2 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 c) 6 200 30 30 50 10 300 70 200 50 200 6 300 8 10 10 10 2 30 40 a) 52 54 57 60 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 78 80 82 84 87 89 91 93 95 97 b) 2 2 2 2 2 4 6 2 4 2 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 2 4 2 2 c) 30 50 10 20 30 20 40 30 40 30 6 40 20 40 200 30 40 6 1 50 6 a) 100 102 105 108 110 112 114 116 118 121 123 125 127 130 132 134 b) 2 4 2 2 2 2 4 6 2 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 c) 5 1 6 6 6 40 6 5 300 7 6 5 10 200 6 30 a) 136 138 140 143 145 148 151 153 155 157 159 161 163 165 167 170 b) 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 c) 300 10 2 300 50 200 50 1 60 200 40 200 6 20 100 6 a) 172 174 176 179 181 183 186 188 190 193 195 198 200 202 204 206 b) 4 2 4 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 6 2 4 c) 200 300 70 10 5 40 5 5 30 300 9 1 10 5 40 6 a) 208 210 213 215 218 221 224 226 229 231 233 235 237 239 241 243 b) 6 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 c) 10 8 8 30 6 70 30 8 90 200 10 80 10 90 200 400 a) 246 249 251 253 256 258 260 263 265 267 269 271 274 276 278 281 b) 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 6 2 4 6 2 c) 200 2 200 40 5 5 90 20 400 7 7 10 40 40 6 1 a) 284 286 288 291 293 295 298 300 303 305 307 309 311 313 315 317 b) 2 4 6 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 c) 50 10 6 60 200 400 70 2 8 6 70 9 200 40 30 5 a) 319 321 323 325 328 330 332 334 336 339 341 343 345 347 349 351 b) 6 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 c) 400 1 90 100 30 6 70 9 20 5 400 1 90 30 6 8 a) 353 355 358 360 362 364 366 368 370 373 375 378 380 382 384 386 b) 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 c) 80 70 5 1 6 30 10 10 6 2 6 40 40 20 40 200 a) 389 391 393 395 397 399 402 404 407 410 412 414 416 418 420 423 b) 2 4 2 4 2 2 2 4 2 2 2 2 4 6 2 2 c) 40 40 6 1 50 6 5 1 6 6 6 40 6 5 300 7 a) 425 427 429 432 434 436 438 440 442 444 446 448 450 453 455 457 b) 4 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2 4 c) 6 5 10 200 6 30 100 40 40 5 5 2 6 200 10 50 a) Position in passage. b) Position in word. c) Value.
Total: 12082 = 2 x 7 x 863.
There is astonishing structure and order in the prophecy.
1.6We have already seen Isaiah 18's words balancing with every other word being divisible by seven. And we have just seen every other letter within their own words being divisible by seven. Every other letter also has a half a feature. These are the odd positioned letters in the passage.
Odd positioned letters: a) 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 b) 5 10 200 90 90 20 80 40 300 40 2 30 5 10 6 5 30 2 40 10 10 a) 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 b) 6 20 10 40 70 80 10 10 30 6 30 20 40 30 40 30 6 40 300 6 6 a) 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 101 103 105 107 109 111 113 115 117 119 b) 9 30 40 6 1 50 6 6 30 5 6 100 100 6 2 60 1 200 a) 121 123 125 127 129 131 133 135 137 139 141 143 145 147 149 151 b) 7 6 5 10 1 90 20 10 2 400 30 300 50 1 90 50 a) 153 155 157 159 161 163 165 167 169 171 173 175 177 179 181 183 b) 1 60 200 40 200 6 20 100 300 80 400 40 6 10 5 40 a) 185 187 189 191 193 195 197 199 201 203 205 207 209 211 213 215 b) 10 6 1 10 300 9 6 2 9 2 20 50 20 40 8 30 a) 217 219 221 223 225 227 229 231 233 235 237 239 241 243 245 247 b) 1 200 70 9 2 40 90 200 10 80 10 90 200 400 80 8 a) 249 251 253 255 257 259 261 263 265 267 269 271 273 275 277 279 b) 2 200 40 10 10 50 5 20 400 7 7 10 2 7 200 400 a) 281 283 285 287 289 291 293 295 297 299 301 303 305 307 309 311 b) 1 5 9 300 400 60 200 400 10 7 6 8 6 70 9 200 a) 313 315 317 319 321 323 325 327 329 331 333 335 337 339 341 343 b) 40 30 5 400 1 90 100 70 10 5 10 6 30 5 400 1 a) 345 347 349 351 353 355 357 359 361 363 365 367 369 371 373 375 b) 90 30 6 8 80 70 5 10 10 2 300 30 5 5 2 6 a) 377 379 381 383 385 387 389 391 393 395 397 399 401 403 405 407 b) 70 40 300 6 6 9 40 40 6 1 50 6 6 30 5 6 a) 409 411 413 415 417 419 421 423 425 427 429 431 433 435 437 439 b) 100 100 6 2 60 1 200 7 6 5 10 1 90 1 40 6 a) 441 443 445 447 449 451 453 455 457 (Letter in passage.) b) 300 10 6 90 1 400 200 10 50 (Value.)
Total: 14352 = 24 x 3 x 13 x 23.
1.7.1Twenty-seven words have at least five letters. The positions and values of these fifth letters:
a) 15 27 42 47 66 85 103 115 128 146 168 177 196 201 b) 40 10 40 10 10 9 5 60 40 10 70 6 5 9 a) 207 270 277 287 301 318 371 376 387 405 417 430 451 b) 50 30 200 300 6 40 5 400 9 5 60 40 400 a) Position in passage. b) Letter value.
Sum of the positions: 6013 = 7 x 859.
Sum of the letters: 1869 = 3 x 7 x 89.
1.7.2Three words have at least seven letters. The positions and values of these seventh letters.
Positions: 272 279 289 = 840 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 5 x 7 Value: 40 400 400 = 840 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 5 x 7
Amazingly their positions are equal to their values.
One could have taken the first letter of each word, or the second, third, fourth and so on. In essence, this technique could have been applied seven times to the chapter. The odds would suggest only one of those tries succeeding. Instead, two succeeded, twice the expected number. Skeptics would insist it would have been better if three or more tries had succeeded. Be that as it may, there are other reasons why only the fifth and seventh letters of each word succeeded.
1.7.3Add the two results together: 1869 + 840 = 2709 (3 x 3 x 7 x 43. SF: 56 = 23 x 7. SF: 13). Since both numbers were multiples of seven, adding them would also result in a number divisible by seven. This was expected. What was not expected was the sum of the factors going deeper two levels.
1.7.4Subtract one from the other: 1869 − 840 = 1029 (3 x 73). There are now extra factors of seven.
1.8Divide the chapter's 124 words into groups with four words each. Take every other group of four.
1.8.1Odd positioned groups of 4:
21 291 240 200 343 400 30 145 626 129 52 350 68 56 141 412 95 28 119 116 180 31 110 257 90 94 56 447 21 48 12 119 501 16 305 310 56 156 257 90 386 291 371 110 816 12 119 501 16 305 30 25 241 128 68 26 499 205 156 98 110 400 30 170
Total: 12131 = 7 x 1733.
1.8.2Even positioned groups of 4:
501 312 295 326 460 288 268 73 44 100 140 90 695 407 780 275 19 400 261 31 255 483 296 196 47 19 106 106 296 116 688 472 297 50 322 432 499 110 400 261 255 607 596 586 47 19 106 106 26 41 415 33 297 31 186 340 207 92 39 50
Total: 15295 = 5 x 7 x 19 x 23.
1.9Pair up the 124 words. Separate the pairs by their totals if they are odd valued or even valued.
1.9.1Odd valued pairs:
501 312 16 305 268 73 21 48 295 326 297 50 30 145 499 110 343 52 386 291 626 129 400 261 56 141 371 110 780 275 156 257 180 31 26 41 412 95 16 305 19 400 207 92 28 119 26 499 110 257 39 50 56 447 205 156
Total: 11746 = 2 x 7 x 839.
1.9.2Even valued pairs:
21 291 47 19 25 241 695 407 90 12 240 200 106 106 415 33 255 483 47 19 350 68 119 501 128 68 296 196 106 106 44 100 322 432 98 110 116 94 119 501 140 90 255 607 400 30 296 116 297 31 261 31 596 586 170 400 688 472 186 340 90 12 816 30 460 288 310 56
Total: 15680 = 26 x 5 x 72.
The words are balanced in more than one way.
1.10.1Beginning with the first word, and taking every Nth word after, the following values of N produce sequences of words with totals divisible by seven:
Values of N: 2 5 7 14 25 43 44 47 52 54 57
Why these values of N? The sum of these numbers is 350 (2 x 52 x 7).
1.10.2Beginning with the Nth word, and taking every Nth word after, the following values of N produce sequences of words with totals divisible by seven:
Values of N: 2 3 17 41 43 55
Sum of N: 161 = 7 x 23.
1.11Sixteen words have totals that are prime numbers:
Position: 20 21 24 26 29 30 46 52 54 72 101 106 109 110 118 122 Word value: 31 19 31 257 47 19 607 241 41 73 499 257 47 19 31 499
These unique prime numbers are perfectly positioned in the passage. The sum of their positions: 1040 =24 x 5 x 13. SF: 26 = 2 x 13.
1.12Eight words are divisible by 13:
Position: 6 10 53 63 79 105 121 124 Word value: 312 52 26 39 780 156 26 156
The total of the words is also divisible by seven: 1547 = 7 x 13 x 17.
1.13.1Odd valued letters: 364 = 22 x 7 x 13.
1.13.2Even valued letters: 27062 = 2 x 7 x 1933.
1.14The values of the letters from God’s name in Hebrew (10-5-6-5; יהוה) point to four letters in the passage.
Letter from the name: 10 5 6 5 Letter in the passage: 30 200 90 200Total of the letters: 520 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 13.
1.15Letters can be paired, Nth and Nth last to find those that together would be divisible by 13. Coincidentally, there are exactly 13 of them, no more and no less.
a) 4 9 38 45 65 86 95 144 178 180 198 199 222 b) 1 90 90 20 20 1 50 20 20 20 1 2 2 c) 454 449 420 413 393 372 363 314 280 278 260 259 236 d) 90 1 300 6 6 90 2 6 6 6 90 50 50 e) 91 91 390 26 26 91 52 26 26 26 91 52 52 a) Position of the first letter. b) Letter value. c) Nth last position as seen from the beginning. d) Letter value. e) Total of b and c.
The total of line a) 1463 = 7 x 11 x 19.
The total of line c) 4491 (nf).
The total of lines a and c: 5954 = 2 x 13 x 229.
1.16Not only can certain Nth and Nth last individual letters be paired, Nth and Nth last groups of letters can also be paired that together are divisible by seven.
a) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 b) 24 31 39 52 64 119 129 148 202 214 14 42 c) 3094 4186 5243 6055 6762 13055 13545 16562 24535 25578 1533 5509 a) 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 b) 223 22 172 36 60 80 142 154 224 106 209 227 c) 26831 2940 20755 4515 6307 8288 15603 17115 26859 10780 24850 27048 a) 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 b) 11 25 56 169 206 82 117 155 195 29 53 86 c) 854 2611 5698 19642 24108 8218 11837 16597 23653 2513 4977 8043 a) 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 b) 91 187 222 226 228 27 51 71 144 161 40 74 c) 8295 22008 25634 25823 26173 2401 4823 6034 14847 17031 4158 6223 a) 10 10 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 b) 139 170 48 167 25 56 169 206 61 128 162 183 c) 14315 18942 4473 18123 1757 4844 18788 23254 4963 12047 16751 21371 a) 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 b) 185 217 26 196 203 42 223 75 124 138 28 49 c) 21623 24752 2016 22764 22974 3976 25298 5887 11550 13167 1981 4256 a) 17 17 17 17 17 18 19 19 19 19 20 20 b) 62 77 130 186 190 47 46 137 181 200 50 105 c) 4851 6216 12096 21476 21595 3507 3157 12271 20251 21987 3381 8183 a) 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 b) 115 136 150 163 37 45 98 102 126 152 216 218 c) 9534 12222 14126 16079 2107 2905 7385 7847 10738 14406 23303 23520 a) 22 22 23 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 b) 67 204 172 32 44 72 135 31 39 52 64 119 129 c) 4151 21840 17815 1498 2576 4396 11249 1092 2149 2961 3668 9961 10451 a) 25 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 28 28 b) 148 202 214 56 169 206 196 203 51 71 144 161 c) 13468 21441 22484 3087 17031 21497 20748 20958 2422 3633 12446 14630 a) 29 29 29 29 29 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 b) 49 62 77 130 186 190 53 86 91 187 222 226 c) 2275 2870 4235 10115 19495 19614 2464 5530 5782 19495 23121 23310 a) 30 31 31 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 32 32 b) 228 120 123 176 180 201 39 52 64 119 129 148 c) 23660 8883 8953 17920 18389 20349 1057 1869 2576 8869 9359 12376 a) 32 32 33 33 33 34 34 34 34 34 35 35 b) 202 214 44 72 135 73 93 125 188 192 100 111 c) 20349 21392 1078 2898 9751 2898 5397 8631 18634 18725 5565 7049 a) 35 35 35 35 35 36 37 37 37 37 37 38 b) 132 158 175 210 215 199 60 80 142 154 224 45 c) 9450 12922 17045 20461 21427 19901 1792 3773 11088 12600 22344 798 a) 38 38 38 38 38 38 39 39 39 40 40 40 40 b) 98 102 126 152 216 218 54 97 101 52 64 119 129 c) 5278 5740 8631 12299 21196 21413 959 4886 4949 812 1519 7812 8302 a) 40 40 40 41 41 41 42 42 42 42 42 b) 148 202 214 74 139 170 70 178 191 211 213 c) 11319 19292 20335 2065 10157 14784 1666 16611 17773 19572 19950 a) 43 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 45 45 46 46 b) 223 69 90 99 109 164 166 174 72 135 98 102 c) 21322 1596 3850 4564 6006 13083 13713 16009 1820 8673 4480 4942 a) 46 46 46 46 47 47 47 49 50 50 50 50 b) 126 152 216 218 137 181 200 167 62 77 130 186 c) 7833 11501 20398 20615 9114 17094 18830 13650 595 1960 7840 17220 a) 50 51 51 51 51 51 52 52 52 53 53 53 b) 190 105 115 136 150 163 71 144 161 64 119 129 c) 17339 4802 6153 8841 10745 12698 1211 10024 12208 707 7000 7490 a) 53 53 53 54 54 54 54 54 54 55 55 56 b) 148 202 214 86 91 187 222 226 228 97 101 92 c) 10507 18480 19523 3066 3318 17031 20657 20846 21196 3927 3990 3437 a) 56 56 56 57 57 58 58 58 59 59 59 59 b) 112 159 193 169 206 59 79 127 65 153 157 212 c) 5509 11319 17766 13944 18410 77 2023 7196 455 10815 11158 19047 a) 60 60 61 61 61 61 62 62 62 62 62 63 b) 79 127 80 142 154 224 128 162 183 185 217 77 c) 1946 7119 1981 9296 10808 20552 7084 11788 16408 16660 19789 1365 a) 63 63 63 64 64 64 64 64 65 65 65 65 b) 130 186 190 76 81 140 205 207 119 129 148 202 c) 7245 16625 16744 994 1890 9086 18116 18375 6293 6783 9800 17773 a) 65 66 66 66 67 67 67 67 67 67 68 b) 214 153 157 212 78 113 156 189 198 208 204 c) 18816 10360 10703 18592 1127 4984 10437 16366 17591 18158 17689 a) 69 69 70 70 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 b) 146 194 90 99 109 164 166 174 178 191 211 213 c) 9058 17199 2254 2968 4410 11487 12117 14413 14945 16107 17906 18284 a) 72 72 73 74 74 74 74 75 75 76 76 77 77 b) 144 161 135 93 125 188 192 139 170 124 138 81 140 c) 8813 10997 6853 2499 5733 15736 15827 8092 12719 5663 7280 896 8092 a) 77 77 78 78 78 79 79 79 79 79 80 81 b) 205 207 130 186 190 113 156 189 198 208 127 142 c) 17122 17381 5880 15260 15379 3857 9310 15239 16464 17031 5173 7315 a) 81 81 82 82 82 83 83 83 84 84 84 84 b) 154 224 140 205 207 117 155 195 107 116 122 179 c) 8827 18571 7196 16226 16485 3619 8379 15435 2163 3206 4214 13636 a) 85 85 86 86 87 87 87 87 87 88 89 90 b) 95 171 219 225 91 187 222 226 228 96 173 103 c) 987 11508 17430 17843 252 13965 17591 17780 18130 861 11914 1295 a) 90 91 91 91 91 91 92 92 92 92 93 93 b) 165 99 109 164 166 174 187 222 226 228 112 159 c) 9513 714 2156 9233 9863 12159 13713 17339 17528 17878 2072 7882 a) 93 94 94 94 95 95 95 96 98 99 99 99 99 b) 193 125 188 192 104 145 149 171 101 102 126 152 216 c) 14329 3234 13237 13328 623 6097 6622 10521 63 462 3353 7021 15918 a) 99 100 100 100 100 101 101 101 101 101 101 103 b) 218 109 164 166 174 111 132 158 175 210 215 126 c) 16135 1442 8519 9149 11445 1484 3885 7357 11480 14896 15862 2891 a) 103 103 103 104 105 105 106 106 106 106 107 107 b) 152 216 218 165 145 149 115 136 150 163 209 227 c) 6559 15456 15673 8218 5474 5999 1351 4039 5943 7896 14070 16268 a) 108 108 108 109 110 110 110 112 112 112 112 112 b) 116 122 179 121 164 166 174 132 158 175 210 215 c) 1043 2051 11473 1624 7077 7707 10003 2401 5873 9996 13412 14378 a) 113 113 114 114 114 114 115 115 116 116 116 117 b) 159 193 156 189 198 208 182 221 136 150 163 122 c) 5810 12257 5453 11382 12607 13174 10773 14707 2688 4592 6545 1008 a) 117 118 118 119 119 119 119 120 120 120 120 121 121 b) 179 155 195 131 134 147 184 129 148 202 214 123 176 c) 10430 4760 11816 1085 1337 3507 10248 490 3507 11480 12523 70 9037 a) 121 121 123 124 124 124 125 126 126 127 127 127 b) 180 201 179 176 180 201 138 188 192 152 216 218 c) 9506 11466 9422 8967 9436 11396 1617 10003 10094 3668 12565 12782 a) 129 129 129 129 130 130 130 131 131 132 132 132 133 b) 162 183 185 217 148 202 214 186 190 134 147 184 158 c) 4704 9324 9576 12705 3017 10990 12033 9380 9499 252 2422 9163 3472 a) 133 133 133 134 135 135 137 137 138 138 140 141 141 b) 175 210 215 177 147 184 150 163 181 200 170 205 207 c) 7595 11011 11977 7952 2170 8911 1904 3857 7980 9716 4627 9030 9289 a) 142 142 142 143 143 144 144 145 146 147 148 149 149 b) 160 197 220 154 224 151 168 161 149 194 184 202 214 c) 2338 8666 10983 1512 11256 791 3500 2184 525 8141 6741 7973 9016 a) 151 152 153 153 154 154 155 156 157 157 157 158 159 b) 163 168 216 218 157 212 224 195 189 198 208 212 175 c) 1953 2709 8897 9114 343 8232 9744 7056 5929 7154 7721 7889 4123 a) 159 159 160 161 161 163 163 163 165 165 167 170 176 b) 210 215 193 197 220 183 185 217 166 174 174 206 210 c) 7539 8505 6447 6328 8645 4620 4872 8001 630 2926 2296 4466 3416 a) 176 177 177 179 179 179 181 182 183 184 184 186 187 188 b) 215 180 201 191 211 213 201 200 221 185 217 217 190 222 c) 4382 469 2429 1162 2961 3339 1960 1736 3934 252 3381 3129 119 3626 a) 188 188 189 190 190 192 192 197 198 199 203 206 210 211 b) 226 228 192 198 208 211 213 203 220 208 214 207 227 215 c) 3815 4165 91 1225 1792 1799 2177 210 2317 567 1043 259 2198 966 a) 212 217 220 223 223 227 (Beginning position of group.*) b) 213 218 225 226 228 228 (Ending position of group.*) c) 378 217 413 189 539 350 (Total of the two letter groups.) *Unlike the previous feature where all positions were referenced only from the beginning of the passage, these positions are relative to the beginning or end of the passage.
Total of line a): 40979 (nf). Total of line b): 83593 (nf).
As Revelation 1:8 has Alpha and Omega together, the beginning and end points of the groups here are also put together (lines a + lines b): 124572 = 22 x 3 x 7 x 1483.
1.17Beginning with the first letter, and taking every Nth letter after, the following values of N produce sequences of letters with totals divisible by 13.
Values of N: 2 5 12 13 16 46 55 68 92 97 117 134 151 176 186
Total of N: 1170 = 2 x 32 x 5 x 13. SF: 26 = 2 x 13.
1.18Seventy-three letters had values that were prime numbers:
a) 1 21 25 31 35 44 48 74 96 100 103 104 113 116 120 121 b) 5 2 5 5 2 2 3 3 5 5 5 3 2 5 2 7 a) 125 137 140 156 181 186 188 196 199 202 203 222 225 249 252 256 b) 5 2 2 5 5 5 5 5 2 5 2 2 2 2 3 5 a) 258 261 266 267 269 273 275 283 290 294 296 299 300 310 316 317 b) 5 5 5 7 7 2 7 5 5 5 7 7 2 5 2 5 a) 320 331 338 339 342 354 357 358 363 369 371 373 398 402 405 406 b) 5 5 2 5 5 2 5 5 2 5 5 2 5 5 5 3 a) 415 418 422 423 427 444 446 448 452 (Letter position.) b) 2 5 2 7 5 5 5 2 5 (Letter value.)
Position total: 18564 = 22 x 3 x 7 x 13 x 17.
Letter total: 303 = 3 x 101. SF: 104 = 23 x 13. The sum of these letters is not divisible by seven or thirteen, but the factor of 101 does give a visual representation of the one God who is beginning and end. The sum of these factors is divisible by 13.
The complementary numeric features reminiscent of Revelation 1:8 are a clear indication of the inspiration behind Isaiah 18. The ultimate author can only be God.
But how do these rare and unique numeric features help in interpreting or understanding the prophecy? How can someone know the prophecy is about China and America? This is answered below.
A Prophetic Heading
It was in translating from Hebrew to Chinese that a better understanding of the prophecy was obtained and coincidences were discovered. And it was translating from Chinese into English that produced an English passage also with coincidences. With two foreign languages now confirming God’s prophecy it now becomes clearer what was left out from the Hebrew. There was no prophetic heading because Isaiah did not know the names for nations in the future.
As a thought experiment, a slight amendment can be made to the original data. As seen in the Chinese and English versions, this is the addition of a heading to bring it in line with chapters 13 through to 19. And following Isaiah's pattern set by those chapters, this heading begins with the Hebrew word מַשָּׂ֖א which the KJV translates as the burden of
and the NIV translates as the oracle of.
As the other chapters list only one nation or people as the target of each prophecy, so too should this one. And since the prophecy is more about China than about America, it is China (in Hebrew) which should be in the heading.
In modern Hebrew, the word for China is סין (Syna). In the Bible, the same word can be found 6 times. Strong's Concordance gives this meaning: H5512 seen Of uncertain derivation; Sin, the name of an Egyptian town and (probably) desert adjoining: - Sin.
Over the centuries, as knowledge of geography expanded so did the meaning of this word. It came to mean places that were further than Egypt.
The plural of this word can be found in Isaiah 49:12 סִינִֽים (Sinim). Strong's Concordance gives this definition: H5515 see-neem' Plural of an otherwise unknown name; Sinim, a distant Oriental region: - Sinim.
Smith's Bible Dictionary has this to say, Sinim, a people noticed in Isaiah 49:12, as living at the extremity of the known world. They may be identified with the classical Sinae, the inhabitants of the southern part of China.
The numeric values of these two Hebrew words could be added at the beginning of the numerical data of Isaiah 18 (מַשָּׂ֖א סִינִֽים — Oracle of the Chinese). This is only done with the data as an experiment because no one should add, subtract or tamper with the original Hebrew text. (N.B. As before, the textual variant אשקטה is used in Isaiah 18:4.)
Can China
, or Chinese
be replaced in the heading with America
or the United States
? In Hebrew, America
is spelt אמריקה, with a value of 356. United States
is spelt ארצות הברית, with a value of 1314. Americans
is spelt אמריקאים, with a value of 402. (N.B. Unlike the Hebrew for China, none of these words for America exist in the Hebrew Old Testament.) The Hebrew word מַשָּׂ֖א (burden/oracle
) has a value of 341. The original Hebrew (no heading) of Isaiah 18 had a numeric total of 27426. Given this situation, only United States
can replace Chinese
in the heading.
Original Oracle/ United States total burden 27426 + 341 + 1314 = 29081 = 13 x 2237.
This would add three Hebrew words to the original data for a total of 127 words. This is not divisible by 7 or 13, whereas Oracle (of the) Chinese
only added two Hebrew words for a total of 126 words (2 x 3 x 3 x 7).
Oracle (of the) United States
would add 13 Hebrew letters to the original data for a total of 470 letters. This also has no feature. On the other hand, Oracle (of the) Chinese
would give Isaiah 18 a total of 465 letters, and there is a feature in the sum of the factors.
There is one further check. Coincidence 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 below give the totals for the odd positioned words, and the even positioned words of Isaiah 18 with Oracle (of the) Chinese
as the heading. Both are divisible by 13 demonstrating perfect balance. If Oracle (of the) United States
is used as the heading, this coincidence completely disappears.
Replacing Oracle (of the) Chinese
with Oracle (of the) United States
results in fewer numeric features. The numbers make it clear that if there was a heading to the prophecy, it would be Oracle (of the) Chinese.
2.1.1The number of words: 126 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 7. (There are now 465 letters. This is not divisible by seven or thirteen. It factors into 3 x 5 x 31. The sum of the factors is 39, which factors 3 x 13.)
2.1.2The numeric total of the passage and heading: 27937 = 7 x 13 x 307.
2.1.3The odd positioned words: 15314 = 2 x 13 x 19 x 31. SF: 65 = 5 x 13.
2.1.4The even positioned words: 12623 = 13 x 971.
2.1.5Odd positioned words that are in odd positions: 5694 = 2 x 3 x 13 x 73. SF: 91 = 7 x 13.
2.1.6The first and last words of the prophecy (oracle, Zion): 497 = 7 x 71. SF: 78 = 2 x 3 x 13. These two words show another meaning of the prophecy. It is a prophecy of the coming elevation and glorification of God’s city, Mount Zion.
2.2.1The first letter of each word: 5691 = 3 x 7 x 271.
2.2.2The last letter of each word: 8667 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 107. The coincidence is in the sum of the factors: 119 = 7 x 17.
2.2.3The positions of the last letter of each word: 29274 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 17 x 41. SF: 70 = 2 x 5 x 7. SF: 14 = 2 x 7. (This goes three levels to make up for the letter values not working.)
2.3.1The odd positioned letters: 14413 = 7 x 29 x 71.
2.3.2The even positioned letters: 13524 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 7 x 7 x 23.
2.4.1The divine name applied to the passage five times: 4165 = 5 x 7 x 7 x 17.
2.4.2The divine name applied thirteen times: 12068 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 431. SF: 442 = 2 x 13 x 17.
2.5Thirteen words that are equidistant from the beginning and end can be paired together since they divisible by seven.
a) Word position from the beginning. b) Value of the word from the beginning. c) Word position end (from the perspective of the beginning). d) Value of word from the end. e) Sum of the two words. a) 1 7 8 15 16 21 30 32 33 41 48 53 58 b) 341 501 312 44 100 180 12 19 106 322 607 25 33 c) 126 120 119 112 111 106 97 95 94 86 79 74 69 d) 156 31 297 19 47 261 688 296 447 119 695 73 170 e) 497 532 609 63 147 441 700 315 553 441 1302 98 203
The sum of the positions from line a) 363.
The sum of the positions from line c) 1288.
Line a) and c) together (beginning and end): 1651 = 13 x 127. SF: 140 = 2 x 2 x 5 x 7.
2.6Rather than taking just one word N-positions from the beginning and one word N-positions from the end, the same can be done with groups of words. The chart below lists groups that together are divisible by 7.
a) Starting position from the beginning (or end). b) End position of the group from the beginning (or end). c) Sum of the two groups. a) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 b) 5 25 28 50 56 59 61 63 5 25 28 50 c) 2289 9772 10549 23254 25697 26873 27489 27937 1792 9275 10052 22757 a) 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 b) 56 59 61 63 31 32 33 37 45 54 9 c) 25200 26376 26992 27440 11102 11417 11970 13174 17591 24010 3024 a) 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 b) 13 19 22 39 43 49 52 53 60 6 7 8 c) 4837 5866 7035 14035 15722 20650 22883 22981 25949 966 1498 2107 a) 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 b) 18 35 42 25 28 50 56 59 61 63 8 18 c) 5236 11508 14924 7483 8260 20965 23408 24584 25200 25648 1141 4270 a) 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 b) 35 42 18 35 42 18 35 42 13 19 22 39 c) 10542 13958 3738 10010 13426 3129 9401 12817 1813 2842 4011 11011 a) 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 b) 43 49 52 53 60 12 14 15 16 24 26 34 c) 12698 17626 19859 19957 22925 1015 1645 1708 1855 4697 5355 8246 a) 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 b) 46 20 21 23 27 29 30 36 44 47 48 51 c) 14595 1953 2394 2954 4669 5509 6209 8232 12215 14413 15715 18613 a) 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 b) 62 14 15 16 24 26 34 46 19 22 39 43 49 c) 22036 630 693 840 3682 4340 7231 13580 1029 2198 9198 10885 15813 a) 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 b) 52 53 60 16 24 26 34 46 24 26 34 46 c) 18046 18144 21112 210 3052 3710 6601 12950 2989 3647 6538 12887 a) 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 19 19 b) 24 26 34 46 38 40 41 55 57 58 35 42 c) 2842 3500 6391 12740 7882 8967 9408 18431 19747 19950 6272 9688 a) 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 b) 22 39 43 49 52 53 60 23 27 29 30 36 c) 1169 8169 9856 14784 17017 17115 20083 1001 2716 3556 4256 6279 a) 21 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 b) 44 47 48 51 62 23 27 29 30 36 44 47 c) 10262 12460 13762 16660 20083 560 2275 3115 3815 5838 9821 12019 a) 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 b) 48 51 62 39 43 49 52 53 60 27 29 30 c) 13321 16219 19642 7000 8687 13615 15848 15946 18914 1715 2555 3255 a) 24 24 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 26 b) 36 44 47 48 51 62 26 34 46 28 50 56 c) 5278 9261 11459 12761 15659 19082 658 3549 9898 777 13482 15925 a) 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 b) 59 61 63 34 46 29 30 36 44 47 48 51 c) 17101 17717 18165 2891 9240 840 1540 3563 7546 9744 11046 13944 a) 28 29 29 29 29 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 b) 62 50 56 59 61 63 36 44 47 48 51 62 c) 17367 12705 15148 16324 16940 17388 2723 6706 8904 10206 13104 16527 a) 31 31 31 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 b) 36 44 47 48 51 62 33 37 45 54 37 45 54 c) 2023 6006 8204 9506 12404 15827 868 2072 6489 12908 1757 6174 12593 a) 34 34 34 35 36 37 37 37 37 37 38 38 b) 37 45 54 46 42 44 47 48 51 62 45 54 c) 1204 5621 12040 6349 3416 3983 6181 7483 10381 13804 4417 10836 a) 39 39 39 39 39 40 40 40 40 40 41 41 b) 40 41 55 57 58 43 49 52 53 60 55 57 c) 1085 1526 10549 11865 12068 1687 6615 8848 8946 11914 9464 10780 a) 41 42 42 42 44 44 44 44 45 45 45 45 b) 58 55 57 58 49 52 53 60 47 48 51 62 c) 10983 9023 10339 10542 4928 7161 7259 10227 2198 3500 6398 9821 a) 46 48 48 49 49 50 50 50 51 51 51 51 52 b) 54 51 62 51 62 52 53 60 56 59 61 63 62 c) 6419 4200 7623 2898 6321 2233 2331 5299 2443 3619 4235 4683 3423 a) 53 54 56 56 57 57 57 60 60 62 b) 60 60 57 58 59 61 63 61 63 63 c) 3066 2968 1316 1519 1176 1792 2240 616 1064 448
2.6.1The sum of the beginning and end positions together (lines a and b): 17227 = 7 x 23 x 107.
2.6.2Seven word groups begin at the thirteenth position from the beginning (or end). This naturally means the starting positions of these groups added together would be divisible by 7 and 13.
a) 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 b) 14 15 16 24 26 34 46 c) 630 693 840 3682 4340 7231 13580
The curious coincidence is that the ending positions of these groups is also divisible by 7: 175 = 5 x 5 x 7.
2.6.3Three other groups are similar except they end at the same position, rather than beginning at the same position.
a) 1 2 6 26 = 35 = 5 x 7 b) 28 28 28 28 = 112 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 c) 10549 10052 8260 777 = 29638 = 2 x 7 x 29 x 73 a) 12 21 22 24 28 30 31 = 168 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 7 b) 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 = 252 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 7 c) 8232 6279 5838 5278 3563 2723 2023 = 33936 = 2^4 x 3 x 7 x 101 a) 5 7 8 9 19 36 = 84 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 7 b) 42 42 42 42 42 42 = 252 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 7 c) 14924 13958 13426 12817 9688 3416 = 68229 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 7 x 19 x 19
The positions that did not change: 13 28 36 42 = 119 = 7 x 17.
2.6.4One group, ranging from the third position of the beginning to the fifty-fourth position produces a total of 24010 = 2 x 5 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7. SF: 35 = 5 x 7. This is the only group that produces the highest number Numerics Gematria of sevens. Coincidentally, adding up all the positions from 3 to 54 gives a total 1482 = 2 x 3 x 13 x 19.
2.6.4.1Two of the groups produce a pair of thirteens in the factors, the group from 25 to 34, and the one from 41 to 55. And once again coincidentally adding up the positions from 25 to 34, and from 41 to 55 gives a total of 1015 = 5 x 7 x 29.
2.6.5The same can be done with symmetrically positioned groups divisible by 13.
a) Group's start position. b) Group's end position. c) Total of both groups. a) 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 b) 10 54 58 62 63 18 22 45 5 12 21 27 c) 4758 24882 26715 27638 27937 6448 7930 17966 1417 4901 7124 9399 a) 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 b) 31 41 5 12 21 27 31 41 28 37 42 43 c) 11102 15301 897 4381 6604 8879 10582 14781 8840 12337 14924 15405 a) 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 b) 12 21 27 31 41 48 50 9 16 25 29 35 c) 3484 5707 7982 9685 13884 18642 20579 1209 3406 6565 7904 10010 a) 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 b) 38 39 46 51 56 14 30 44 49 61 16 25 c) 11440 12220 16146 21008 22490 2587 7995 14001 18226 23673 2197 5356 a) 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 b) 29 35 38 39 46 51 56 54 58 62 63 c) 6695 8801 10231 11011 14937 19799 21281 20124 21957 22880 23179 a) 12 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 b) 26 21 27 31 41 20 23 36 40 55 59 60 c) 4511 2223 4498 6201 10400 1326 2327 7605 9503 18967 20644 21112 a) 15 15 15 15 16 16 17 17 17 17 17 17 b) 30 44 49 61 17 57 25 29 35 38 39 46 c) 5408 11414 15639 21086 299 20046 3159 4498 6604 8034 8814 12740 a) 17 17 18 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 b) 51 56 57 22 45 24 32 34 52 23 36 40 c) 17602 19084 19747 1482 11518 2197 5031 5746 17017 1001 6279 8177 a) 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 24 24 24 24 24 b) 55 59 60 27 31 41 45 36 40 55 59 60 c) 17641 19318 19786 2275 3978 8177 10036 5278 7176 16640 18317 18785 a) 25 25 25 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 28 28 29 b) 32 34 52 29 35 38 39 46 51 56 31 41 37 c) 2834 3549 14820 1339 3445 4875 5655 9581 14443 15925 1703 5902 3497 a) 29 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 32 b) 42 43 35 38 39 46 51 56 44 49 61 41 c) 6084 6565 2106 3536 4316 8242 13104 14586 6006 10231 15678 4199 a) 33 33 34 35 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 b) 34 52 53 52 38 39 46 51 56 40 55 59 c) 715 11986 11531 11271 1430 2210 6136 10998 12480 1898 11362 13039 a) 37 38 38 39 39 39 40 40 40 41 41 41 b) 60 42 43 46 51 56 46 51 56 55 59 60 c) 13507 2587 3068 4706 9568 11050 3926 8788 10270 9464 11141 11609 a) 45 45 47 47 49 50 52 55 55 55 56 56 59 b) 49 61 51 56 50 61 56 58 62 63 59 60 62 c) 4225 9672 4862 6344 1937 5447 1482 1833 2756 3055 1677 2145 923 a) 59 b) 63 c) 1222
2.6.5.1Three groups have totals divisible by 2197 (13 x 13 x 13). The first group's words range from 10 to 16. The second group's words range from 20 to 24, and the third group is from 40 to 51. The sum of the starting positions of the three groups: 10 20 40 = 70 = 2 x 5 x 7. SF: 14 = 2 x 7. The sum of the ending positions of the three groups: 16 24 51 = 91 = 7 x 13. And of course, the start and end positions together would be 70 + 91 = 161 = 7 x 23.
2.7.1Divide the entire passage into segments of nine words each.
2.7.1.1The sum of the odd positioned segments of nine: 13671 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 7 x 31.
2.7.1.2The sum of the even positioned segments of nine: 14266 = 2 x 7 x 1019.
2.7.2Divide the entire passage into segments of 21 words each.
2.7.2.1The sum of the odd positioned segments of nine: 14807 = 13 x 17 x 67.
2.7.2.2The sum of the even positioned segments of nine: 13130 = 2 x 5 x 13 x 101.
2.8Eight words are divisible by 13:
Word position: 8 12 55 65 81 107 123 126 Word value: 312 52 26 39 780 156 26 156
Total: 1547 = 7 x 13 x 17.
2.9The words of the prophecy, along with the heading, can be arranged in a three dimension block (7 x 6 x 3).
2.9.1The outside of the block: 24869 = 13 x 1913.
2.9.2The inside of the block: 3068 = 22 x 13 x 59.
2.10They can be arranged as a 7 x 3 x 6 block.
2.10.1The outside: 24102 = 2 x 32 x 13 x 103.
2.10.2The inside: 3835 = 5 x 13 x 59. SF: 77 = 7 x 11.
2.11They can also be a 32 x 14 block.
2.11.1Outside: 25508 = 22 x 7 x 911.
2.11.1Inside: 2429 = 7 x 347.
2.11.3First and last rows of each layer: 18538 = 2 x 13 x 23 x 31.
2.11.4Middle rows through each layer: 9399 = 3 x 13 x 241.
2.11.5Eight corners: 2149 = 7 x 307.
2.11.6Wire frame: 14118 = 2 x 3 x 13 x 181.
2.12The words also fit a two dimension rectangle (21 x 6).
2.12.1Perimeter: 9667 = 7 x 1381.
2.12.2Inside: 18270 = 2 x 32 x 5 x 7 x 29. SF: 49 = 72 SF: 14 = 2 x 7.
2.12.3Odd positioned columns: 15414 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 367.
2.12.4Even positioned columns: 12523 = 7 x 1789.
2.12.5Four corners: 938 = 2 x 7 x 67.
2.13Even the letters can form a block (5 x 31 x 3).
2.13.1Outside: 21336 = 23 x 3 x 7 x 127. SF: 143 = 11 x 13.
2.13.2Inside: 6601 = 7 x 23 x 41.
2.13.3Odd positioned rows: 12818 = 2 x 13 x 17 x 29.
2.13.4Even positioned rows: 15119 = 13 x 1163. SF: 1176 = 23 x 3 x 72
2.13.5Eight corners: 679 = 7 x 97. SF: A4 = 23 x 13.
2.14They can also form a 15 x 31 rectangle.
2.14.1Perimeter: 5271 = 3 x 7 x 251.
2.14.2Inside: 22666 = 2 x 7 x 1619.
2.14.3Odd positioned columns: 13403 = 13 x A31.
2.14.4Even positioned columns: 14534 = 2 x 132 x 43.
2.14.5Pillars: 6877 = 13 x 232
2.14.6Four perimeters within each other (odd positioned perimeters): 14203 = 7 x 2029.
2.14.7Alternate four perimeters (even positioned): 13734 = 2 x 32 x 7 x A9.
It is now clear why English and Chinese translations following the original Hebrew more closely have numeric features. They have features because the original Hebrew had numeric features.
Crosschecking
Is there any way to double check that the prophecy is about China?
Since the values of the Hebrew letters of God’s name are applied to count through verses for verification, then the term for China
should be used here. (Of course, China is not God, so consistent numeric features as those described in Revelation 1:8 should not be expected.)
There are several terms to choose from: China (English), 中國 (Chinese), סין (Hebrew), Syna (Hebrew Anglicized), or Synim (Hebrew plural Anglicized). To avoid ambiguity the Chinese term 中國 is used, because any of the others are only rough phonetic approximations of the name by which Chinese know their own country.
There are actually two Chinese terms for China: 中國 (Cantonese: jung gwok; Mandarin zhong gwo), and 中園 (Cantonese: jung yun; Mandarin: zhong yuan).
The more common term is 中國, meaning The Middle Kingdom, or the nation in the centre.
中園 means Middle Garden, or the garden in the centre and is an older designation for the land of China itself. Chinese civilization developed on the plains along the Yellow river, and as this area was more fertile in comparison with other regions was considered a garden. But some have wondered if the term Middle Garden might have originally come from an extremely ancient tradition: the Garden of Eden.
If the prophecy is about China, then applying China to the prophecy itself should show something. The Chinese numbers of these characters are applied to Isaiah 18.
The values of the characters for China 中國 (101 3243) are used 13 times to count through the words of Isaiah 18.
Why 13 times? Because besides being a factor of the Hebrew divine name ( יהוה ), it is also a number denoting imperial periods. From the first emperor ruling all of China in 221 B.C., to the first president over all of republican China in 1912 A.D., there were 2132 years (2 x 2 x 13 x 41).
First Method
a) 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 b) 101 3344 169 3286 111 3354 179 3296 121 3364 189 3306 c) 101 68 43 10 111 78 53 20 121 88 63 30 d) 310 30 386 326 47 129 25 141 186 483 207 12 a) 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 b) 131 3248 199 3316 141 3258 209 3326 151 3268 219 3336 c) 5 98 73 40 15 108 83 50 25 118 93 60 d) 240 472 268 50 44 257 412 586 261 305 56 68 a) 101 3243 a) Value of 中國. b) 161 3278 b) Count through Isaiah 18 (with heading). c) 35 2 c) Adjusted count. d) 119 170 d) Word found in Isaiah 18.
Word total: 5590 = 2 x 5 x 13 x 43. SF: 63 = 3 x 3 x 7. SF: 13.
Although there are no letters in Chinese, the value of these two characters can also be used 13 times to count through the letters of Isaiah 18.
a) 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 b) 101 3344 190 3433 279 3522 368 3611 457 3700 546 3324 c) 101 89 190 178 279 267 368 356 457 445 81 69 d) 1 6 1 6 10 50 1 10 1 40 30 6 a) 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 101 3243 b) 170 3413 259 3502 348 3591 437 3680 526 3304 150 3393 c) 170 158 259 247 348 336 437 425 61 49 150 138 d) 1 20 200 90 40 30 10 60 80 10 6 200 a) 101 3243 a) Value of 中國. b) 239 3482 b) Count through Isaiah 18 (with heading). c) 239 227 c) Adjusted count. d) 200 200 d) Letter found in Isaiah 18.
Letter total: 1309 = 7 x 11 x 17. SF: 35 = 5 x 7. (Note: If 中國 was used only once, it would point to two letters with values 1 and 6 (together a value of 7).
The numbers for 中園 (Middle Garden) are 101 and 4778. The total: 4879 (7 x 17 x 41). The sum of the factors is 65 (5 x 13).
The numbers for 中園 are used seven times to count words:
a) 101 4778 101 4778 101 4778 101 4778 101 4778 101 4778 b) 101 4879 192 4844 157 4809 122 4900 213 4865 178 4830 c) 101 91 66 56 31 21 122 112 87 77 52 42 d) 310 116 50 41 47 180 340 19 255 626 30 432 a) 101 4778 a) Value of 中園. b) 143 4795 b) Count through Isaiah 18 (with heading). c) 17 7 c) Adjusted count. d) 140 501 d) Word found in Isaiah 18.
Word total: 3087 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 7 x 7.
The numbers for 中華民國 (101 4505 386 3243; The Republic of China) are used thirteen times to count through the prophecy:
a) 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 b) 101 4606 456 3321 146 4525 501 3366 191 4570 420 3285 c) 101 70 78 45 20 115 123 90 65 34 42 9 d) 310 400 129 371 141 119 26 196 39 106 432 295 a) 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 b) 110 4615 465 3330 155 4534 510 3249 200 4579 429 3294 c) 110 79 87 54 29 124 6 99 74 43 51 18 d) 12 695 255 241 90 499 200 21 73 386 816 90 a) 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 b) 119 4624 474 3339 164 4543 393 3258 209 4588 438 3303 c) 119 88 96 63 38 7 15 108 83 52 60 27 d) 297 483 116 207 305 501 44 257 412 30 68 110 a) 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 101 4505 386 3243 b) 128 4507 483 3348 173 4552 402 3267 218 4597 447 3312 c) 2 97 105 72 47 16 24 117 92 61 69 36 d) 170 688 400 288 255 100 400 16 94 98 170 501 a) 101 4505 386 3243 a) Value of 中華民國. b) 137 4516 492 3357 b) Count through Isaiah 18 (with heading). c) 11 106 114 81 c) Adjusted count. d) 343 261 106 780 d) Word found in Isaiah 18.
Word total: 13442 = 2 x 11 x 13 x 47.
It also works when this phrase is applied 13 times: 中華人民共和國 (101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243; The People's Communist Republic Of China).
a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 b) 101 4606 79 465 600 1390 3247 198 4577 50 436 571 c) 101 70 79 87 96 4 97 72 41 50 58 67 d) 310 400 695 255 116 291 688 288 322 586 33 400 a) 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 b) 1361 3344 169 4548 21 407 542 1332 3315 140 4519 118 c) 101 68 43 12 21 29 38 72 39 14 109 118 d) 310 30 386 52 180 90 305 288 297 68 90 305 a) 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 b) 504 639 1303 3286 111 4616 89 475 610 1400 3257 208 c) 126 9 43 10 111 80 89 97 106 14 107 82 d) 156 295 386 326 47 407 296 688 261 68 156 275 a) 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 b) 4587 60 446 581 1371 3354 179 4558 31 417 552 1342 3325 c) 51 60 68 77 111 78 53 22 31 39 48 82 49 d) 816 68 30 626 47 129 25 31 47 297 607 275 596 a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 b) 150 4529 128 388 523 1313 3296 121 4626 99 485 620 1410 c) 24 119 2 10 19 53 20 121 90 99 107 116 24 d) 400 297 170 326 56 25 141 186 196 21 156 501 400 a) 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 b) 3267 218 4597 70 456 591 1381 3364 189 4568 41 427 c) 117 92 61 70 78 87 121 88 63 32 41 49 d) 16 94 98 400 129 255 186 483 207 19 322 596 a) 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 b) 562 1352 3335 160 4539 12 398 533 1323 3306 131 4510 c) 58 92 59 34 3 12 20 29 63 30 5 100 d) 33 94 128 106 21 52 141 90 207 12 240 48 a) 9 386 513 1294 3243 a) Value of 中華人民共和國. b) 109 495 630 1420 3277 b) Count (with heading). c) 109 117 126 34 1 c) Adjusted count. d) 90 16 156 106 341 d) Word found in Isaiah 18.
Word total: 21301 = 7 x 17 x 179. SF: 203 = 7 x 29.
It can also count through the letters:
a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 b) 101 4606 430 816 864 1693 3541 387 4892 251 637 685 c) 101 421 430 351 399 298 286 387 242 251 172 220 d) 1 6 2 1 40 5 6 40 30 400 6 90 a) 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 b) 1514 3362 208 4713 72 458 971 1335 3648 494 4534 358 c) 119 107 208 63 72 458 41 405 393 29 349 358 d) 6 6 10 10 1 6 30 50 6 2 400 400 a) 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 b) 744 792 1621 3469 315 4820 179 565 613 1442 3290 136 c) 279 327 226 214 315 170 179 100 148 47 35 136 d) 10 400 6 6 70 1 80 200 2 10 10 40 a) 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 b) 4641 465 851 899 1728 3576 422 4927 286 672 720 1549 c) 456 465 386 434 333 321 422 277 286 207 255 154 d) 2 50 40 50 100 40 40 7 6 2 8 10 a) 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 b) 3397 243 4748 107 493 541 1370 3683 529 4569 393 779 c) 142 243 98 107 28 76 440 428 64 384 393 314 d) 30 80 50 6 70 100 200 300 40 400 6 30 a) 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 b) 827 1656 3504 350 4855 214 600 648 1477 3325 171 4676 c) 362 261 249 350 205 214 135 183 82 70 171 26 d) 2 40 200 5 6 6 10 40 3 40 6 200 a) 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 b) 35 421 934 1298 3611 457 4962 321 707 755 1584 3432 c) 35 421 4 368 356 457 312 321 242 290 189 177 d) 10 6 60 1 10 1 4 40 30 400 5 300 a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 a) Value of 中華人民共和國. b) 278 4783 142 528 576 1405 3253 b) Count (with heading). c) 278 133 142 63 111 10 463 c) Adjusted count. d) 30 5 30 10 5 6 10 d) Letter found.
Letter total: 5577 = 3 x 11 x 13 x 13.
The previous tries were all based on Isaiah 18 with the heading included. But the heading is not in the original Hebrew. What if the original Hebrew was tried (i.e. without the heading)? In this case, only 中華人民共和國 yields confirmation.
中華人民共和國 is used seven times to count the words:
a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 b) 101 4606 27 413 554 1352 3355 108 4613 34 420 561 1359 c) 101 18 27 41 58 112 7 108 25 34 48 65 119 d) 499 141 90 386 68 106 295 12 110 501 586 400 186 a) 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 b) 3362 115 4620 41 427 568 1366 3245 122 4627 48 434 c) 14 115 32 41 55 72 2 21 122 39 48 62 d) 100 16 106 386 415 73 291 19 499 322 586 92 a) 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 b) 575 1373 3252 129 4510 55 441 582 1380 3259 136 4517 c) 79 9 28 5 46 55 69 86 16 35 12 53 d) 780 343 12 501 607 415 460 483 90 16 68 26 a) 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 b) 62 448 589 1387 3266 143 4524 69 455 596 1394 3273 c) 62 76 93 23 42 19 60 69 83 100 30 49 d) 92 129 296 261 291 180 110 460 28 56 19 816 a) Value of 中華人民共和國. b) Count (through Isaiah 18 without heading). c) Adjusted count. d) Word found.
Word total: 12824 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 x 229.
中華人民共和國 is used seven times to count letters:
a) 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 b) 101 4606 45 431 944 1324 3653 555 4603 42 428 941 1321 c) 101 36 45 431 30 410 454 98 33 42 428 27 407 d) 30 10 20 1 300 6 90 1 30 40 200 10 6 a) 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 b) 3650 552 4600 39 425 938 1318 3647 549 4597 36 422 935 c) 451 95 30 39 425 24 404 448 92 27 36 422 21 d) 400 50 300 10 6 50 1 2 200 10 10 2 2 a) 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 b) 1315 3644 546 4594 33 419 932 1312 3641 543 4591 30 c) 401 445 89 24 33 419 18 398 442 86 21 30 d) 6 6 40 50 30 1 200 5 40 1 2 300 a) 386 513 1294 3243 101 4505 9 386 513 1294 3243 b) 416 929 1309 3638 540 4588 27 413 926 1306 3635 c) 416 15 395 439 83 18 27 413 12 392 436 d) 6 40 1 6 6 200 10 6 50 50 30 a) Value of 中華人民共和國. b) Count (through Isaiah 18 without heading). c) Adjusted count. d) Word found.
Letter total: 2873 = 13 x 13 x 17.
Why is 中華人民共和國 the phrase that works with the original Hebrew, but not the others? 中園 (Middle Garden) is an older and less common term for China. Its use is associated more with ancient China. Although 中國 is the common term for China, it lacks specificity because China's history is over three thousand years long. 中華民國 (Republic of China) was only in use for a brief period from 1911 to 1948. The term now refers more to Taiwan. 中華人民共和國 The People's Communist Republic of China is the most accurate term for the bulk of China's land and people.
Second Method
The common term for China, 中國 (101, 3243) points out the 101st word of the prophecy, and the 3243rd word (which is the 19th word). Without the prophetic heading, these two words have the values 499 and 180. Their total: 679 = 7 x 97. SF: 104 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 13.
The term 中園 (101, 4778) points out the 101st, and 66th words of Isaiah 18. Without the heading, the 101st and 66th words have the values 499 and 30. Together they total 529 (23 x 23). The pair of 23s stands for the 46 chromosomes of the average person. It is the number of humans. And there are 1.3 billion humans in China.
中華民國 and 中華人民共和國 both fail in this technique. Since 中華民國 covers only Taiwan, this is understandable. But why would 中華人民共和國 fail here? It worked when applied across the prophecy. It fails when it is specific to just a part. Perhaps this is a hint that Communist China, like Taiwan, is also too specific. Isaiah 18 is concerned with the people, land and nation, not the ideology. Ideologies change, and in China's long history, they have changed many times.
Third Method
There is also a third way of counting through the words of Isaiah 18. The Hebrew (including the added heading) has 126 words. The total for 中園 (4879) can be used to count completely through the words of the prophecy 38 times. On the incomplete 39th time (3 x 13) it will land on the 91st word of the passage with a value of 116.
Rather than continue with another count of 4879, the 91st word's value, 116 is used as another position. The 116th word is 501. There is no 501st word, but the count goes through the passage three times, and on the fourth time it finishes on the 123rd position. The word value is 26.
Continue this chain until it repeats. (The twelfth try is the last because it is the last new word found. The 371st word would point back to the 119th word.)
Position: 91 116 123 26 31 47 3 21 54 115 119 45 Word found: 116 501 26 31 47 255 21 180 241 119 297 371
The sum of the words found: 2205 = 32 x 5 x 72.
All these features may not be categorical proof Isaiah 18 is about China, but it can't just be coincidence when it keeps happening.
Fourth Method (Thought Experiment)
Even if the prophetic heading is about China, how can someone be certain the prophecy is about China bringing gifts? And how can one be sure it is some other nation that is cut down before the harvest, and not China? The following thought experiment shows there is only one way to identify these nations. (This is a thought experiment because one should not tamper with God’s word by changing the original text, and adding or subtracting from it.)
A proper understanding of the words in Isaiah 18 identifies the two main nations in the prophecy: China and the United States. If this understanding is correct, then inserting these two nations into the data generated from the original text would hopefully
produce a new numeric feature following Revelation 1:8. At the same time, since this could be considered tampering with God’s word, most of the numeric features already presented should disappear. If on the other hand, the identification of China and the United States as being in the prophecy is incorrect, this should result in destroying all numeric features and producing no new features. (Note: This has to be a thought experiment
on inserting into the data because actually inserting words into the text might not be following proper Hebrew grammar.)
To carry out this experiment, English words for the United States
and China
are translated into Hebrew.
| English | Hebrew | Numeric Total | Letter Values | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | America | אמריקה | 356 | 5-100-10-200-40-1 |
| 2 | Americans | אמריקאים | 402 | 40-10-1-100-10-200-40-1 |
| 3 | United-States | ארצות הברית | 1314 (697 617) | 400-10-200-2-5 400-6-90-200-1 |
| 4 | China | סין | 120 | 50-10-60 |
| 5 | Chinese | סִינִֽים | 170 | 40-10-50-10-60 |
The Hebrew words for Chinaand Chinesewere from the Hebrew text (Isaiah 49:12). The words for America, Americans, and United Stateswere from Google Translate™ | ||||
The original text of Isaiah 18, without the prophetic heading, has a total of 27426. It is divisible by seven. This means if one was going to choose a combination of words from the table representing China and the United States, the combination would also have to be divisible by seven when added together.
America & China: 356 + 120 = 476 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 17 Americans & China: 402 + 120 = 522 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 29 United States & China: 1314 + 120 = 1434 = 2 x 3 x 239 America & Chinese: 356 + 170 = 526 = 2 x 263 Americans & Chinese: 402 + 170 = 572 = 2 x 2 x 11 x 13 United States & Chinese: 1314 + 170 = 1484 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 53
There are only two possibilities divisible by seven: 1) America & China, and 2) United States & Chinese.
Or, if one wanted the end total to be divisible by thirteen, the combination of words from the table would need a total having a remainder of 4 when divided by thirteen. (Original passage totaling 27426 divided by thirteen leaves a remainder of nine. Nine plus a remainder of 4 from the chosen words would equal thirteen.)
Thus there is only one possibility if one wanted the resulting passage to be divisible by thirteen. The words from the table would have to be, 3) United States & China.
Since this entire experiment is to clarify the meaning of the prophecy, the best place to insert the Hebrew equivalents would be right at the beginning just before the description of each nation.
The first insertion would be immediately after the first word Woe.
Woe China/Chinese
or Woe America/United States
could not be any clearer. There would be no mistaking which land or nation was the one with extreme noise or sending ambassadors.
The second insertion would be just before the twenty-first word, which is nation.
Ambassadors are going to America/United States (the) nation
or going to China/Chinese (the) nation.
This would clearly identify where the ambassadors of the first nation are headed.
If the first possibility (1) is used (America & China), this produces two more possibilities:
1A. Woe! America land of—
and
Go swift envoys to China (the) nation—
The two words could also be switched.
1B. Woe! China land of—
and
Go swift envoys to America (the) nation—
In both cases, Isaiah 18 is still divisible by seven: 27426 + 476 = 27902 (2 x 7 x 1993. SF: 2002 = 2 x 7 x 11 x 13). The sum of the factors goes further. Unfortunately there are no other numeric features, even if the two words exchange places in the text.
If the second possibility (2) is used (United States & Chinese), the opening would be:
2A. Woe! United States land of—
and
Go swift envoys to (the) Chinese nation—
The two words could also be switched.
2B. Woe! Chinese land of—
and
Go swift envoys to (the) United States (a) nation—
If the third possibility (3) is used (United States & China), the opening would be:
3A. Woe! United States land of—
and
Go swift envoys to China (the) nation—
The two words could also be switched.
3B. Woe! China land of—
and
Go swift envoys to (the) United States (a) nation—
Only possibility 2A (United States & Chinese) produces more numeric features following Revelation 1:8 than a simple total.
For 2A, the numeric total is 28910 = 2 x 5 x 72 x 59. There are two factors of seven, a one in forty-nine chance.
Odd positioned letters within each word: 16590 = 2 x 3 x 5 x 7 x 79.
Even positioned letters within each word: 12320 = 25 x 5 x 7 x 11.
Odd positioned letters: 13118 = 2 x 7 x 937.
Even positioned letters: 15792 = 24 x 3 x 7 x 47. SF: 65 = 5 x 13.
Although the first and last letters of each word have no feature, the positions of the first letter of each word total 29785 = 5 x 7 x 23 x 37.
All told, there are six/seven new features of seven. This is at least a one in 117649 chance. The fact that the position of the letters within their own words, and the position of the letters in the passage both produce the same type of feature makes it unlikely this is simply random chance. These numeric features make it clear, the land of extreme noise is America. The ambassadors from America are sent to China. Thus it is China that sends gifts to The LORD of Hosts. And it is America that is cut down with its remnant left for the world to scavenge.
To confirm all this, the prophetic heading (מַשָּׂ֖א סִינִֽים; Oracle/Prophecy of [the] Chinese; numeric total: 511) could be added to the beginning of the data. This would produce a passage with 129 words and 480 letters. The numeric total: 29421 = 32 x 7 x 467. (The sum of the factors coincidentally equals the number of letters. 480 is reminiscent of the time between the Exodus and the building of Solomon's temple in 1 Kings 6:1. In the future, a nation bringing gifts to God would seem an appropriate parallel.)
The odd positioned words: 14140 = 22 x 5 x 7 x 101. SF: 117 = 32 x 13.
The even positioned words: 15281 = 7 x 37 x 59.
The odd valued letters: 371 = 7 x 53.
The even valued letters: 29050 = 2 x 52 x 7 x 83.
There are 70 (2 x 5 x 7) letters between the United States and Chinese.
There are 78 (2 x 3 x 13) letters between Chinese and Chinese.
Even with the heading included, there are at least five numeric features.
In these experiments, China fits the prophecy very well. It fits the meaning of the Hebrew. Chinese numeric values can count through the Hebrew of Isaiah 18. Conversely, the Hebrew term for China numerically fits. China fits numerically as a prophetic heading. It fits numerically even if inserted into the text. But China doesn't just fit with one or two features. Each method yields several features. It can only mean the prophecy is about China.
Syna (China) In The Hebrew Text
In Hebrew, China
is spelled סין (Syna), with values 60-10-50. Find these letters in Isaiah 18 following the exact same order (60-10-50), and record their positions. There are five possible occurrences since the letter 60 only occurs 5 times in the passage.
A B C D 115 127 145 = 387 = 32 x 43 155 158 207 = 520 = 23 x 5 x 13 250 255 259 = 764 = 22 x 191 291 292 392 = 975 = 3 x 52 x 13 417 429 457 = 1303 = 1303 A: Position of the letter 60. B: Position of the letter 10. C: Position of the letter 50. D: A + B + C.
The total of all these positions: 3949 = 11 x 359. This is not divisible by 7 or 13. It is divisible by 11 because 中國 (China in Chinese) has a total of 3344 (24 x 11 x 19).
Aside from the grand total, the individual set totals don't seem to have a feature, unless it is that the even positioned sets are divisible by 13. This draws attention to the second set.
All letters before the second set (letters from 1 to 154) total: 8379 = 32 x 72 x 19. SF: 39 = 3 x 13.
All letters covered by the second set (from 155 to 207) total: 6279 = 3 x 7 x 13 x 23. SF: 46 = 2 x 23. (Twenty-three shows this is about people.)
All letters after the second set (from 208 to 457) total: 12768 = 25 x 3 x 7 x 19. SF: 39 = 3 x 13.
Note how the before and after are both divisible by 7 and 19. This is a 1 in 133 chance, much rarer than a 7 or 13, or 7 and 13. Also note how before and after have the sum of the factors amounting to the same thing: 39.
Does this hold for the fourth set? Sort of.
Letters before the fourth set (from 1 to 290): 17808 = 24 x 3 x 7 x 53. This is promising with a 7 and four of China's six factors.
Letters covered by the fourth set (from 291 to 392): 6350 = 2 x 52 x 127. This is extremely weak with only the least important factor of China.
Letters after the fourth set (from 393 to 457): 3268 = 22 x 19 x 43. This is slightly better with three of China's six factors.
Curiously, the third set works almost as well as the second set.
Total of letters before the third set (from 1 to 249): 14658 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 349.
Total of letters covered by the third set (from 250 to 259): 413 = 7 x 59.
Total of letters after the third set (from 260 to 457): 12355 = 5 x 7 x 353.
Thus out of five sets, two of them divided the passage's letters into three parts with each part divisible by 7. One set was a partial success. This is way more than the odds would suggest.
Is this some sort of fluke? It would be a fluke if this was the only time something like this happened, but it is not. This same feature occurred in the Hebrew of Isaiah 8:11-9:8, and in the Greek Septuagint version of Isaiah 8:11-9:8 as well. A similar feature can also be found in Isaiah 18-23, and one for America (feature 1.28). This is not coincidence.
Corroboration From History
Why is China's fate different? China is one of the few countries that fulfills the fifth commandment of honouring father and mother (Exodus 20:12). Filial piety was practiced centuries before Confucius articulated it. God promised that anyone who fulfilled the fifth commandment would live long on the land. China is the world's oldest continuous civilization. This is not a fluke. It is a result of God's promise. Not only did God promise living long on the land, He also promised anyone doing this would do well on the land (Deuteronomy 5:16). This is why there was a Silk Road in the first place. Long stability over centuries allowed China to accumulate knowledge, art and craftsmanship to produce goods the world sought. God’s promise holds true.
The fifth commandment, or filial piety, is not the only ancient and longstanding relationship China has with God. The Chinese have always known of the one supreme God. Though they have no name for God (Exodus 6:3), they do have a title, 上帝 (the Highest Sovereign). Even more interesting, they have never built any idol or image of God. They acknowledge Him as creator of everything, and superior to all other gods.
(See: Notions of the Chinese Concerning God and Spirits by James Legge.)
(Note: The numeric total of 上帝 is 1963 (13 x 151). It is divisible by 13 just like the numeric total for יהוה the Hebrew name for God.)
Worship of 上帝 was reserved for the emperor alone. He was the only one deemed worthy enough to stand in place of the people before God. Worship of 上帝 was also a sign of the emperor's legitimacy. No one else was allowed to carry out the ceremony. As a result, even though the Chinese knew of 上帝, many still worshiped a plethora of lesser gods.
There is also a curious parallel between worship of 上帝 and the priestly system set up by Moses. Most religions have their gods and sacrifices as a part of the centre of their cities and nations. The Chinese ceremonies for worshiping 上帝 are known as the 郊社之禮, the Border Sacrifices.
6 They were carried out at the northern periphery of the empire. In Leviticus 16:27, the sin offering (bull or goat) was carried outside the camp. Hebrews 13:12 tells us Jesus suffered outside the temple.
Not only does China fit the description and numbers of the prophecy, Chinese religion, culture and history point in the same direction.
Conclusion
Divine inspiration can clearly be seen in Isaiah's prophecy. Not only do the Hebrew words describe our modern world, but the numeric values of those words and letters are marvelously constructed to show orderly features pointing back to Revelation 1:8. The prophecy bears God’s signature. What God predicted over two thousand years ago will happen and actually is already happening.
Isaiah's prophecy of China and America is actually related to the prophecy on Egypt in chapter 19. China and America are both very far from Israel. Egypt, on the other, is right next door. The two chapters together show a distant nation that honours God, and a nation nearby that has to be punished into recognizing God. The two chapters can stand together or stand alone. God gives an even wider picture when the kings of the east
(clearly a reference to China) in The Sixth Bowl Of Wrath are considered with Isaiah 18.
Now that the meaning of the original Hebrew text is clear, one can see how inaccurate and misleading are current English translations. New translations are necessary. Since the prophecy is of China and America it would seem reasonable that translations following this new understanding be in Chinese and English.
中 國 要 回 歸 上 帝
Numbers might convince someone to decide to turn to God, but that is only the very first step. Everything else comes from reading the Bible. There are no how to's
in the numbers.
Notes
- English reference quotes are from the Revised Standard Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1972).
- The earliest Jewish understanding of this chapter can be found in the Septuagint. A check with two online versions of Greek-English interlinears shows even the Jews did not understand the prophecy (Isaiah 8:16-17). Quite a number of Greek words do not follow the Hebrew.
The Jewish Study Bible (from the Jewish Publication Society) gives a more recent understanding.
The modern understanding is not much better. Woe has been turned into a simpleAh land in the deep shadow of wings (explained also as
most sheltered land
), beyond the rivers of Nubia. Go swift messengers to a nation far and remote, to a people thrust forth and away, a nation of gibber and chatter (explained as how the ancient Israelites viewed foreigners, whose language they did not understand), whose land is cut off by streams, which sends out envoys by sea in papyrus vessels upon the water (brought to the end of the verse for clarity. The Hebrew wordsends
gender agrees withnation
, not withland
).Ah.
Deep shadow of wings
is an interpretation of Isaiah's words, not a translation, and this is further interpreted asmost sheltered land
in the brackets. In the Jewish Study Bible notes, the section highlighted in green indicates uncertainty in meaning.Gibber and chatter
is another interpretation, and not a translation of the actual prophecy.
And finally, an entire clause (sends out envoys by sea in papyrus vessels
) is moved from theland in the deep shadow
and attributed toa nation far and remote
because of the gender of the wordsends.
Rather than clarifying the prophecy, this does the opposite. Why is Ah used to open the description of theland in the deep shadow
if all it does it send ambassadors? And ifWoe
was restored, why is it bad or wrong for theland in the deep shadow
to be sending ambassadors to a distant land? Never mind thatsends out envoys by sea in papyrus vessels
is not what Isaiah wrote at all?
In translating Hebrew to Greek, the Septuagint does not make use of the gender noted by the Jewish Study Bible. Could this have been an oversight? Or did it not really matter? Modern English translations couldn't have been ignorant either. Since the Septuagint and English translators basically follow Isaiah's word and phrase order, I think it best that the clause not be moved. Besides, strict grammar rules may not apply to poetry. (See also Isaiah 8:16-17 and 28:1-13 for two reasons from the Bible itself why the Jewish understanding, ancient or modern, should be taken with caution.)
It is also important to realize that many languages (English and Chinese are just two of them) do not have gender agreement at all. In Chinese, even plural forms, tense, and much else can disappear. (If it was translated, it would require many Chinese characters, resulting in unwieldy translations.) This is not to say the original language's words should be moved out of order, but it is something to ponder when considering Bible translation, and the fact that it was God who arranged all our languages (Genesis 11:9). - I like to think the translators of the KJV were honest (and more pious) and did the best they could with the limited resources they had. Even though they didn't understand the prophecy, they had to write something. They couldn't leave a blank spot in the English Bible! Their hope would be for later translators to fix it or do a better job. To make it obvious, they eschewed their usual consistency and deliberately chose English words that diverged from the Hebrew to alert later scholars. And they made certain the English would not quite make sense. They knew their own notes, discussions and writings might not be transmitted, but they knew the Bible would be reprinted and handed down. This was the best way to do it without adding footnotes (which didn't exist at that time) or side notations that would reduce confidence in the Bible. The Bible they were translating was for all people and they couldn't be sure of the scholarship and reading level of the recipient. If anyone didn't understand, it was expected they would ask their minister.
Unfortunately, the KJV's reputation grew so much, later translators all followed in its footsteps. Even if the original Hebrew was utilized, words and meanings were stretched further in an attempt to make sense of the prophecy. (This carried into the translation of the Chinese Bible. Even the Chinese New Version which was recently completed borrows much of Isaiah 18 from later English translations.)
Although the KJV translators had nothing to hide, I suspect later translators did. England in 1611 was just one nation among many competing in the world. They were not responsible for the world. Four hundred years later, the United States is the preeminent world power. No matter how you look at it, America is responsible for much of what happens (or does not happen) in the world. This changed the attitude of later translators. - The Hebrew or Greek text is from Bibleworks 3.0 by Hermeneutika, Michael S. Bushell, 1995, translated into HTML entities. Vowel marks and punctuation from the Hebrew have been removed. Greek accent marks and punctuation have also been removed.
There is a textual variant in verse 4. The Hebrew word אשקוטה is sometimes spelt with one less letter as אשקטה. If the former spelling is used, Isaiah 18 has no numeric features. This numeric study uses the second spelling: אשקטה. Seeing that the Hebrew word שקט means:to rest, to lie quiet, to be undisturbed, unmolested, inactive
, (Fonolexika Langenscheidt Hebrew-English: A Complete Hebrew-English Pocket-Dictionary to the Old Testament, compiled by Professor Karl Feyerabend, Ph.d, 3rd edition, 1910, Germany, page 362.), it would appear the second spelling, the variant, is the proper form of the word. - Strong's Exchaustive Concordance Of The Bible, by James Strong, Riverside Book & Bible House, Iowa.
- 中庸 (The State of Equilibrium and Harmony) also known as
The Doctrine of the Mean
, section 19.