Isaiah 7:18

¹⁶ For before the boy knows enough to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.

¹⁷ The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”

On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.

¹⁹ And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and clefts of the rocks, in all the thornbushes and watering holes.

²⁰ On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates —the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.
KJV: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
WEB: It will happen in that day that the LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
ASV: And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
DARBY: And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will hiss for the fly which is at the extremity of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee which is in the land of Assyria;
BLB: And it will come to pass in that day, that YHWH will whistle for the fly that [is] at the farthest of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that [is] in the land of Assyria.

ÅB: På den tid skal Herren pipe til fluen lengst borte ved Egypts strømmer og til bien i Assurs land;
OTB: På den dagen skal Herren plystre etter fluen fra de fjerneste elvene i Egypt og etter bien fra Assyrias land.
B1930: På den tid skal Herren pipe til fluen lengst borte ved Egyptens strømmer og til bien i Assurs land;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 5:26
He lifts a banner for the distant nations and whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Behold—how speedily and swiftly they come!
Read in context
Deuteronomy 1:44
Then the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They routed you from Seir all the way to Hormah.
Read in context
Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 7:20
Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them until even the survivors hiding from you have perished.
Read in context
Joshua 24:12
I sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you, but not by your own sword or bow.
Read in context
Psalms 118:12
They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
Read in context
Exodus 8:21
But if you will not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you and your officials and your people and your houses. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies.
Read in context
Exodus 8:24
And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined by swarms of flies.
Read in context