Isaiah 19:1-17
An Oracle against Egypt
1 An oracle(A) against Egypt:(B)
2 3
2 3
Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it,
and I will frustrate its plans.
Then they will seek idols, ghosts,
spirits of the dead, and spiritists.(H)
4 and I will frustrate its plans.
Then they will seek idols, ghosts,
spirits of the dead, and spiritists.(H)
I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh masters,(I)
and a strong king will rule it.
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Hosts.
and a strong king will rule it.
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Hosts.
5
The waters of the sea will dry up,
and the river will be parched and dry.
6 and the river will be parched and dry.
The channels will stink;
they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched.
Reed and rush will die.(a)
7 they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched.
Reed and rush will die.(a)
The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river,
and all the cultivated areas of the Nile
will wither, blow away, and vanish.
8 and all the cultivated areas of the Nile
will wither, blow away, and vanish.
Then the fishermen will mourn.
All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament,
and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up.
9
10 All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament,
and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up.
11
12
Where then are your wise men?
Let them tell you and reveal
what the Lord of Hosts has planned against Egypt.
13 Let them tell you and reveal
what the Lord of Hosts has planned against Egypt.
The princes of Zoan have been fools;
the princes of Memphis are deceived.(L)
Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.
14 the princes of Memphis are deceived.(L)
Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.
The 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.
15
The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,
as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.
Egypt Will Know the Lord
16 On that day Egypt will be like women. She will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the Lord of Hosts when He raises it against her.
17 The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the Lord of Hosts has planned(N) against it.
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 19:6: Or wilt, or become black
b.
Isaiah 19:9: DSS, Tg; MT reads weavers of white cloth
c.
Isaiah 19:10: Or foundations
d.
Isaiah 19:11: Lit a son
e.
Isaiah 19:11: Lit a son of ancient