Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 19

1 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.

*The message about Egypt: The Lord will arrive quickly on a cloud and go to Egypt. The Egyptian statues will be disturbed by His presence, and Egypt's heart will be shocked in the middle of it all.

2 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.

*I will cause the people of Egypt to fight each other. They will be against their own family members and neighbors. Cities will fight against other cities, and kingdoms will fight against each other.

3 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.

*The Egyptian spirit will lose power within it; I will also ruin their plans. They will then turn to idols, fortune tellers, magical people, and witches for help.

4 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.

*The Lord says that Egypt will be ruled by a harsh leader, and a fierce king will control them, as he is in charge, the God of all armies.

5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

*The sea's water will decrease, and the river will dry up and disappear.

6 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.

*They will make rivers go far away, and the streams that protect will dry up. The tall plants like reeds and flags will become weak and die.

7 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.

*The reeds near the streams, at the stream's edge, and all plants grown by the streams will dry up, be blown away, and disappear forever.

8 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.

*Fishermen will be sad, those who fish in streams will feel sorrowful, and those who set nets in the water will grow weak.

9 Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.

*In addition, those who work with fine flax and those who make nets will be confused.

10 And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.

*And their plans will fail for those who create fish ponds and channels.

11 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?

*The leaders of Zoan are foolish, and Pharaoh's wise advisors have lost their wisdom. How can you tell Pharaoh that you are a wise person, the child of intelligent ancestors?

12 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.

*Where are those smart people? Let them come and explain to you what God has planned for Egypt.

13 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.

*The leaders of Zoan act foolishly, and the leaders of Noph are misled. They have also led Egypt astray, as they were the support for its tribes.

14 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.

*The Lord has mixed a confusing spirit among them: they have led Egypt astray in everything they do, just like a drunk person stumbling in their own vomit.

15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

*No task will remain in Egypt that either the top or bottom, main or small part can do.

16 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.

*On that day, Egypt will be like a frightened woman, trembling because of the LORD's powerful hand shaking it.

17 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.

*The land of Judah will make Egypt very scared. When people talk about it, they'll be afraid inside. This is because God has a plan to punish Egypt.

18 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.

*On that day, five Egyptian cities will use Canaan's language and promise to the Lord of armies. One will be known as the Destruction City.

19 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.

*On that day, an altar for the LORD will be in the center of Egypt's land, and a pillar near its border dedicated to the LORD.

20 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.

*This means that in Egypt, people will use this as a sign and proof to show their belief in God. They will call out to God because they are being treated unfairly. God will then send them a powerful rescuer who will save them from their problems.

21 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.

*In that day, everyone in Egypt will know the LORD, and they will offer sacrifices and gifts to Him. They will make promises to Him and keep them.

22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.

*And God will punish Egypt, healing it as well. They will come back to God, who will listen to them and heal their wounds.

23 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.

*On that day, a path will appear from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will enter Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to Assyria. The Egyptians will work together with the Assyrians.

24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:

*On that day, Israel will be like the third partner alongside Egypt and Assyria, bringing blessings to the area.

25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

*The LORD of hosts will bless those he chooses, saying, "Blessed be Egypt, my people; blessed be Assyria, my creation; and blessed be Israel, my inheritance."

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