Isaiah 19

Against Egypt

The burden concerning

Egypt:

See, the LORD rides

on a swift cloud and

comes to Egypt;

and the idols of Egypt

will shake at his presence,

and the heart of Egypt

will melt within it.

19:1 For other prophecies about Egypt see Jeremiah chapter 46; Ezekiel chapters 29–32.⚜

2 “And I will set Egyptians

against Egyptians,

and each of them will fight

against his brother,

and each against his neighbour;

city will fight against city,

and kingdom against

kingdom.

19:2 Indicates struggles for power in Egypt and among its allies.⚜

3 And the spirit of Egypt

will fail within it.

And I will destroy its counsel,

and they will resort to idols,

and to enchanters,

and to mediums and spiritists.

19:3 When plans of nations and peoples come to nothing, be sure that it is God which brings them to nothing.⚜

4 And I will hand over

the Egyptians to a cruel ruler,

and a fierce king will rule

over them”,

says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

5 And the waters will fail

from the sea,

and the river will become

parched and dry.

6 And the streams will

turn foul,

and the brooks of

defense will become empty

and dried up;

the reeds and rushes will wither.

7 The plants by the river,

by the mouth of the river,

and everything planted

by the river,

will wither,

be driven away,

and be no more.

8 The fishermen also

will mourn,

and all those who cast hooks

into the river will lament,

and those who spread nets

on the water will pine away.

9 Moreover,

those who work with fine flax,

and those who weave linen,

will be disappointed.

10 And its foundations will be

broken;

all the wage earners will be

troubled in heart.

19:5-10 The whole economy of Egypt was dependent on the Nile river. Drying up of the river would be a terrible disaster. There is no event in history that literally fulfills these verses. Therefore they either refer to the future, or more likely, use figurative, poetical language to suggest the complete downfall of Egypt. “All the wage earners will be troubled in heart” (v 10) – this probably best brings out the meaning of the Hebrew though it differs from the KJV. See notes at Ps 14:6.⚜

11 Surely the princes of Zoan

are fools,

the counsel of Pharaoh’s wise

counsellors has become

stupid.

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I am the son of the wise,

the descendant of ancient kings?”

12 Where are they?

Where are your wise men?

Let them tell you now,

and let them know what the LORD

of hosts has planned

against Egypt.

19:12 See 1 Cor 1:20. There is no wisdom or counsel against the Lord.⚜

13 The princes of Zoan have

become fools,

the princes of Noph are deceived,

and those who are the mainstay

of its tribes have led

Egypt astray.

14 The LORD has mingled

a perverse spirit in its midst,

and they have caused Egypt

to err in all of its actions,

like a drunken man staggers

in his vomit.

15 Nor will there be any work

for Egypt,

which the head or tail,

branch or rush, can do.

16 In that day Egypt will be like women; and it will be afraid and in dread because of the moving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he moves over it. 17 And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt, everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts, which he has determined to fulfil against it. 18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one will be called, The City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20 And it will be as a sign and as a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he will deliver them. 21 And the LORD will become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the LORD, and perform it. 22 And the LORD will strike Egypt; he will strike and heal it; and they will return to the LORD, and he will hear their plea and heal them.

23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian will travel to Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the middle of the region, 25 whom the LORD of hosts will bless, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance”.

19:16-25 This is an obscure and difficult passage and at present not all the details can be satisfactorily interpreted. The passage begins with the words “in that day”, and the same words appear in vs 18,19,23,24. The expression is indefinite but may look forward to the Day of the LORD already referred to by Isaiah (Isa 2:20. Notes on the Day of the LORD at Isa 13:6-13; Joel 1:15; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10). “In that day” (v 16) can hardly mean in the days when the Assyrians or Babylonians invaded the land in the times of the prophets of Israel. Certainly not all of the matters predicted in these verses happened then. What is foretold here is nothing less than the conversion of Egypt to the true God, and complete peace and harmony between Egypt, Israel and Assyria (vs 23,24. These nations fought each other for centuries). But before that happens God will strike Egypt (vs 16,22), and that people will know that God has done it and be terrified of both God and the people of God (Judah – vs 16,17). This will be a means of turning Egypt to God and of making that land a blessing on earth (v 24), and will bring forth from God’s lips the wonderful words of v 25. It is hard to see how all this can have any possible fulfillment except at the return of Christ and His reign over the earth in universal peace (Isa 2:2-4; 9:7; 11:1-16).⚜