Isaiah 31

1 Cursed are those who go down to Egypt for help, and who put their faith in horses; looking to war-carriages for salvation, because of their numbers; and to horsemen, because they are very strong; but they are not looking to the Holy One of Israel, or turning their hearts to the Lord;

Woe to those that go down to Egypt for help; and depend for support on horses, and trust on chariots, because they are many; and on horsemen, because they are very strong; but who turn not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not the Lord!

2 Though he is wise, and able to send evil, and his purpose will not be changed; but he will go against the house of the evil-doers, and against those to whom they are looking for help.

Yet he also is wise, and bringeth evil, and taketh not back his words; and riseth up against the house of evil-doers, and against the help of those that work injustice.

3 For the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord's hand is stretched out, the helper and he who is helped will come down together.

But the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit; and the Lord will stretch out his hand, and there shall stumble the helper, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they all shall perish together.

4 For the Lord has said to me, As a lion, or a young lion, makes an angry noise over his food, and if a band of herdsmen come out against him, he will not be in fear of their voices, or give up his food for their noise: so the Lord of armies will come down to make war against Mount Zion and its hill.

For thus hath said the Lord unto me, Just as the lion or the young lion growleth over his prey, against whom is called forth the company of shepherds, of whose voice he is not afraid, and is not depressed because of their multitude: thus will the Lord come down, to fight on mount Zion and on its hill.

5 Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.

As fluttering birds, so will the Lord of hosts shield Jerusalem; shielding and delivering; sparing and preserving.

6 Come back to him who has been so deeply sinned against by the children of Israel.

Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

7 For in that day they will all give up their images of silver and of gold, the sin which they made for themselves.

For on that day shall every man despise his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.

8 Then the Assyrian will come down by the sword, but not of man; the sword, not of men, will be the cause of his destruction: and he will go in flight from the sword, and his young men will be put to forced work.

Then shall Asshur fall by the sword of one who is not a man; and the sword of one who is not a son of earth shall devour him; and he shall flee him from the sword, and his young men shall become tributary.

9 And his rock will come to nothing because of fear, and his chiefs will go in flight from the flag, says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his altar in Jerusalem.

And his stronghold shall pass away for fear, and his princes shall be terrified because of the ensign, saith the Lord, who hath a fire in Zion, and a furnace in Jerusalem.