Isaiah 19
19
Concerning Egypt
1An oracle about Egypt.
Look! The LORD is riding upon a swift cloud,
and is coming to Egypt.
Egypt’s idols will tremble before God;
the Egyptians’ hearts will melt within them.
2I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian,
and they will fight,
one against another,
neighbor against neighbor,
city against city,
kingdom against kingdom.
3Egypt’s spirit will fail from within;
I will frustrate their plans.
They will consult the idols and spirits
and ghosts and fortune-tellers.
4I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master;
a strong king will rule them, says the LORD God of heavenly forces.
5The waters of the sea will dry up;
the river will be parched and bare.
6The rivers will stink;
the streams will shrink and dry;
reeds and rushes will decay.
7Grass around the Nile, the grass at the mouth of the Nile,
and all the sown land of the Nile
will dry up, blow away, and be no more.
8Those who fish will lament;
all who cast fishhooks in the Nile will mourn,
and those who spread nets on the water will pine away.
9Workers with flax will be dismayed;
carders and weavers will grow pale.#19.9 DSS (1QIsaa)
10Makers of cloth will be crushed;
all who earn money will become distressed.
11The officials of Tanis are fools;
the wisest of Pharaoh’s counselors give stupid advice.
How can you say to Pharaoh,
“I’m a wise person,
one of the ancient kings”?
12Where now are your wise ones?
Let them tell you,
let them inform you what the LORD of heavenly forces has planned concerning Egypt.
13The officials of Tanis have become fools;
the princes of Memphis are deluded;
the tribal chiefs have led Egypt astray.
14The LORD has poured into them a spirit of confusion.
They will make Egypt stumble in everything it does,
just as a drunk stumbles in his vomit.
15Neither head nor tail, palm branch nor reed
will be able to do anything for Egypt.
Bless God’s people
16On that day, the Egyptians will be like women and will tremble with terror before the hand that the LORD of heavenly forces will raise against them. 17Judah’s land will become what the Egyptians dread; whenever anyone mentions it, they will be terrified because of the plans that the LORD of heavenly forces is making against them.
18On that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the LORD of heavenly forces. One of them will be called “the city of the sun.”#19.18 DSS (1QIsaa), Tg, Vulg; Heb uncertain
19On that day, there will be an altar to the LORD within the land of Egypt, and a standing stone for the LORD at its border. 20It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of heavenly forces in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, God will send them a savior and defender to rescue them. 21The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; the Egyptians will know the LORD on that day. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings, making solemn promises to the LORD and fulfilling them. 22The LORD will strike Egypt; striking and then healing. They will return to the LORD, who will hear their pleas and heal them.
23On that day, there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will come to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.
24On that day, Israel will be the third along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing at the center of the world. 25The LORD of heavenly forces will pronounce this blessing: Bless Egypt my people, and Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 19: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 19
19
A Pronouncement against Egypt
1A pronouncement#Is 13:1 concerning Egypt:#Jr 46:13–26; Ezk 29:1–31:2; 31:18–32:32; Jl 3:19
Look, the Lord rides on a swift cloud#Ps 18:9–10; 104:3; Mt 26:64; Rv 1:7
and is coming to Egypt.
Egypt’s worthless idols will tremble before him,#Ex 12:12; Jr 43:12; 44:8
and Egypt will lose heart.#Jos 2:11; Is 13:7
2I will provoke Egyptians against Egyptians;
each will fight against his brother#Mk 13:12
and each against his friend,
city against city, kingdom against kingdom.#Jdg 7:22; 1Sm 14:20; 2Ch 20:23; Mt 10:21,36; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:10
3Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it,
and I will frustrate its plans.
Then they will inquire of worthless idols, ghosts,
mediums, and spiritists.#1Ch 10:13; Is 8:19; Dn 2:2
4I will hand over Egypt to harsh masters,#Is 20:4; Jr 46:26; Ezk 29:19
and a strong king will rule it.
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.
5The water of the sea will dry up,
and the river will be parched and dry.
6The channels will stink;
they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched.
Reed and rush will wilt.
7The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river,
and all the cultivated areas of the Nile
will wither, blow away, and vanish.
8Then the fishermen will mourn.
All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament,
and those who spread nets on the water will give up.
9Those who work with flax will be dismayed;#Pr 7:16; Ezk 27:7
those combing it and weaving linen will turn pale.#19:9 DSS, Tg; MT reads weavers of white cloth
10Egypt’s weavers#19:10 Or foundations will be dejected;
all her wage earners will be demoralized.
11The princes of Zoan are complete fools;#Nm 13:22; Ps 78:12,43; Is 30:4
Pharaoh’s wisest advisers give stupid advice!
How can you say to Pharaoh,
“I am one#19:11 Lit a son of the wise,
a student of eastern#19:11 Lit a son of ancient kings”?
12Where then are your wise men?
Let them tell you and reveal
what the Lord of Armies has planned against Egypt.
13The princes of Zoan have been fools;
the princes of Memphis are deceived.#Jr 2:16; 46:14,19; Ezk 30:13
Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.
14The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of confusion.
The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,
as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.
15No head or tail, palm or reed,#Is 9:14–16
will be able to do anything for Egypt.
Egypt Will Know the Lord
16On that day Egypt will be like women and will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the Lord of Armies when he raises it against them. 17The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the Lord of Armies has planned#Is 5:19 against it.
18On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Armies. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun.#19:18 Some Hb mss, DSS, Sym, Tg, Vg, Arabic; other Hb mss read of Destruction; LXX reads of Righteousness#19:18 = the ancient Egyptian city Heliopolis
19On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near her border.#Gn 28:18; Ex 24:4; Jos 22:10,26–27 20It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them.#Jdg 3:9,15; 6:7; 10:10 21The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings;#Is 56:7; 60:7; Zch 14:16–18 they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. 22The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will turn to the Lord, and he will be receptive to their prayers and heal them.
23On that day there will be a highway#Is 11:16; 35:8; 49:11; 62:10 from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will go to Egypt, Egypt to Assyria, and Egypt will worship with Assyria.
24On that day Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria — a blessing within the land. 25The Lord of Armies will bless them, saying, “Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork,#Ps 100:3; Is 29:23; 45:11; 60:21; 64:8; Eph 2:10 and Israel my inheritance are blessed.”#Dt 9:26,29; 32:9; Ps 28:9; Is 47:6; 63:17
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers