God Judges Egypt
Study note
Egypt was one of the most powerful civilizations in the ancient world. Isaiah pictures God riding on a swift cloud into Egypt, causing its idols to tremble. God will turn Egyptians against each other in civil war. When they turn to their idols and fortune-tellers for help, it will be useless. God will hand them over to a harsh ruler. Most devastating of all, the Nile River, which was the lifeblood of Egypt's economy, will dry up. Without the Nile, the fishermen, the flax workers, and the weavers will all be ruined. Egypt's entire economy depended on the Nile's annual flooding.
1 This is a message about Egypt. Look! The Lord rides a swift cloud straight into Egypt. The idols of Egypt shake with fear before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians turn to jelly. The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
2 "I will set Egyptians fighting against Egyptians. Brother will fight brother. Neighbor will fight neighbor. City will fight city. Kingdom will fight kingdom." And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
3 The Egyptians will lose all their nerve, and I will throw their plans into confusion. They will beg their idols, the spirits of the dead, their fortune-tellers, and their sorcerers for answers. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
4 "I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master. A fierce king will take control of them," announces the Lord who commands heaven's armies. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5 The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will become parched and empty. And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
6 The canals will stink as they dry out. The streams of Egypt will shrink and vanish. Every reed and rush plant will wither and die. And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
7 All the plants along the Nile and at the river's edge will dry up. Every crop planted by the water will shrivel, blow away, and disappear. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishermen will groan and grieve. Everyone who drops a hook into the Nile will be disappointed, and those who cast their nets on the water will waste away with nothing to show for it. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9 The workers who make fine linen will be in despair, and the weavers will turn white with worry. Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.
10 Egypt's most important people will fall apart. Every worker will feel sick with discouragement. And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.
The Foolishness of Egypt's Leaders
Study note
Egypt was famous for its wise men and advisors. The city of Zoan (also called Tanis) was an important political center, and Memphis (Noph) was the ancient capital. Isaiah mocks their so-called wisdom. They cannot even figure out what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has planned. God has mixed a spirit of confusion into Egypt's leadership, causing the nation to stagger like a drunk person. Egypt will become so weak that it will tremble in fear at the very mention of Judah.
11 The leaders of Zoan are complete fools! Pharaoh's smartest advisors give ridiculous advice. How can they tell Pharaoh, "We come from a long line of wise men and ancient kings"? Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 So where are your wise men now, Pharaoh? Let them tell you what the Lord who commands heaven's armies has in store for Egypt. Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
13 The leaders of Zoan have become fools, and the leaders of Memphis have been fooled. The very people who should be guiding Egypt have steered it in the wrong direction. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
14 The Lord has poured a spirit of dizziness into Egypt. Its leaders have made Egypt stumble in everything it does, like a drunk person slipping around in his own vomit. The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
15 There is nothing Egypt can do to fix this. No leader or common person can help. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.
16 When that day comes, the Egyptians will be as scared as frightened children. They will tremble with fear when they see the Lord who commands heaven's armies lift his hand against them. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.
17 The land of Judah will terrify the Egyptians. Everyone who even hears the name Judah will be scared, because of what the Lord who commands heaven's armies has planned against them. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.
Egypt Turns to the Lord
Study note
This is one of the most astonishing prophecies in the Bible. Isaiah foresees a day when five cities in Egypt will worship the God of Israel. An altar to the Lord will stand in the middle of Egypt. When the Egyptians cry out to God, he will send them a savior. God will make himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will worship him. Even more remarkably, a highway will connect Egypt, Israel, and Assyria. God will call Egypt 'my people,' Assyria 'the work of my hands,' and Israel 'my inheritance.' Three former enemies will be united as one family under God.
18 When that day comes, five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and pledge their loyalty to the Lord who commands heaven's armies. One of them will be called the City of the Sun. In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
19 When that day comes, there will be an altar to the Lord right in the middle of Egypt. There will also be a monument to the Lord at its border. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
20 It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord who commands heaven's armies in Egypt. When the people cry out to the Lord because their oppressors are hurting them, he will send a rescuer and defender who will set them free. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21 The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians. When that day comes, they will acknowledge the Lord and worship him with sacrifices and offerings. They will make promises to the Lord and keep them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.
22 The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague — he will strike them, and then he will heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will hear their prayers and restore them. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.
23 When that day comes, a road will connect Egypt and Assyria. Assyrians will visit Egypt, and Egyptians will visit Assyria. Both nations will worship God together. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24 When that day comes, Israel will stand with Egypt and Assyria. The three will be partners. Together they will be a blessing in the earth. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25 The Lord of heaven's armies will bless them. He will say, "Blessed be Egypt my people. Blessed be Assyria, the work of my hands. Blessed be Israel, my prized possession." Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.