Isaiah 19

1 The burden of Mitzrayim. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Mitzrayim: and the idols of Mitzrayim shall tremble at his presence; and the heart of Mitzrayim shall melt in the midst of it.

2 I will stir up the Mitzrim against the Mitzrim: and they shall fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, [and] kingdom against kingdom.

3 The spirit of Mitzrayim shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

4 I will give over the Mitzrim into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Lord, the LORD of Hosts.

5 The waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and become dry.

6 The rivers shall become foul; the streams of Mitzrayim shall be diminished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither away.

7 The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more.

8 The fishermen shall lament, and all those who cast angle into the Nile shall mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters shall languish.

9 Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, shall be confounded.

10 The pillars [of Mitzrayim] shall be broken in pieces; all those who work for hire [shall be] grieved in soul.

11 The princes of Tzo`an are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Par`oh is become brutish: how do you say to Par`oh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

12 Where then are your wise men? and let them tell you now; and let them know what the LORD of Hosts has purposed concerning Mitzrayim.

13 The princes of Tzo`an are become fools, the princes of Mof are deceived; they have caused Mitzrayim to go astray, who are the corner-stone of her tribes.

14 The LORD has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Mitzrayim to go astray in every work of it, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 Neither shall there be for Mitzrayim any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.

16 In that day shall the Mitzrim be like women; and they shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of Hosts, which he shakes over them.

17 The land of Yehudah shall become a terror to Mitzrayim; everyone to whom mention is made of it shall be afraid, because of the purpose of the LORD of Hosts, which he purposes against it.

18 In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Mitzrayim that speak the language of Kana`an, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.

19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Mitzrayim, and a pillar at the border of it to the LORD.

20 It shall be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Mitzrayim; for they shall cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior, and a defender, and he will deliver them.

21 The LORD shall be known to Mitzrayim, and the Mitzrim shall know the LORD in that day; yes, they shall worship with sacrifice and offering, and shall vow a vow to the LORD, and shall perform it.

22 The LORD will strike Mitzrayim, smiting and healing; and they shall return to the LORD, and he will be entreated of them, and will heal them.

23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Mitzrayim to Ashshur, and the Ashshur shall come into Mitzrayim, and the Mitzrian into Ashshur; and the Mitzrim shall worship with the Ashshur.

24 In that day shall Yisra'el be the third with Mitzrayim and with Ashshur, a blessing in the midst of the eretz;

25 because the LORD of Hosts has blessed them, saying, Blessed be Mitzrayim my people, and Ashshur the work of my hands, and Yisra'el my inheritance.

Isaiah 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Judgments upon Egypt. (1-17) Its deliverance, and the conversion of the people. (18-25)

Verses 1-17 God shall come into Egypt with his judgments. He will raise up the causes of their destruction from among themselves. When ungodly men escape danger, they are apt to think themselves secure; but evil pursues sinners, and will speedily overtake them, except they repent. The Egyptians will be given over into the hand of one who shall rule them with rigour, as was shortly after fulfilled. The Egyptians were renowned for wisdom and science; yet the Lord would give them up to their own perverse schemes, and to quarrel, till their land would be brought by their contests to become an object of contempt and pity. He renders sinners afraid of those whom they have despised and oppressed; and the Lord of hosts will make the workers of iniquity a terror to themselves, and to each other; and every object around a terror to them.

Verses 18-25 The words, "In that day," do not always refer to the passage just before. At a time which was to come, the Egyptians shall speak the holy language, the Scripture language; not only understand it, but use it. Converting grace, by changing the heart, changes the language; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So many Jews shall come to Egypt, that they shall soon fill five cities. Where the sun was worshipped, a place infamous for idolatry, even there shall be a wonderful reformation. Christ, the great Altar, who sanctifies every gift, shall be owned, and the gospel sacrifices of prayer and praise shall be offered up. Let the broken-hearted and afflicted, whom the Lord has wounded, and thus taught to return to, and call upon him, take courage; for He will heal their souls, and turn their sorrowing supplications into joyful praises. The Gentile nations shall not only unite with each other in the gospel fold under Christ, the great Shepherd, but they shall all be united with the Jews. They shall be owned together by him; they shall all share in one and the same blessing. Meeting at the same throne of grace, and serving with each other in the same business of religion, should end all disputes, and unite the hearts of believers to each other in holy love.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 19

This chapter contains prophecies of various calamities that should come upon Egypt in a short time, and of the conversion of many of them to Christ in Gospel times. The calamities are many; the Lord's coming unto them, which their gods cannot prevent, nor stand before, nor save them, and at which the hearts of the Egyptians are dispirited, Isa 19:1 civil wars among themselves, Isa 19:2 want of counsel, which sends them to idols and wizards, but in vain, Isa 19:3 subjection to a cruel lord, Isa 19:4 drying up of their rivers and waters, so that the paper reeds wither, and fishes die; and hence no business for fishermen, nor for workers in flax, or weavers of nets, Isa 19:5-10,15 the stupidity of their princes and wise counsellors, given up by the Lord to a perverse spirit, so that they concerted wrong measures, and deceived the people, Isa 19:11-14 a general consternation among them, because of the hand and counsel of the Lord; and because of the Lord's people, the Jews, who were a terror to them, Isa 19:16,17 and then follows the prophecy of their conversion in later times, which is signified by their speaking the language of Canaan, and swearing to the Lord, Isa 19:18 by their erecting an altar, and a pillar to the Lord, which should be a sign and witness to him; and by their crying to him, and his sending them a Saviour, and a great one, Isa 19:19,20 by his being known unto them, by their offering sacrifice to him, and by his smiting and healing them Isa 19:21,22 and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy of that harmony, and agreement, and fellowship, that shall be between Jew and Gentile, between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel; and that the blessing of God should be upon them all, Isa 19:23-25.