Isaiah 19

1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud, and cometh to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt are moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt melteth in the midst of it.

A declaration about Egypt. See, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt; the idols of Egypt quake before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within themselves.

2 And I will incite the Egyptians against the Egyptians; and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

“I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians: A man will fight against his brother, and a man against his neighbor; city will be against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it, and I will destroy the counsel thereof; and they shall seek unto the idols and unto the conjurers, and unto the necromancers, and unto the soothsayers.

The spirit of Egypt will be weakened from within. I will destroy his advice, though they sought the advice of idols, dead men's spirits, mediums, and spiritualists.

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, Jehovah of hosts.

I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a harsh master, and a strong king will rule over them— this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.”

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

The waters of the sea will dry up, and the river will dry up and become empty.

6 and the rivers shall stink, and the streams of Egypt shall be diminished and drain away: the reeds and sedges shall wither.

The rivers will become foul; the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up; the reeds and flags will wither away.

7 The meadows by the Nile, on the banks of the Nile, and everything sown by the Nile, shall be dried up, be driven away, and be no [more].

The reeds along the Nile, at the mouth of the Nile, and every sown field beside the Nile will become parched, will be driven away, and will be no more.

8 And the fishers shall mourn, and all they that cast fish-hook into the Nile shall lament, and they that spread net upon the waters shall languish.

The fishermen will wail and mourn, and all who cast a hook into the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will grieve.

9 And they that work in fine flax, and they that weave white stuffs shall be ashamed.

The workers in combed flax and those who weave white cloth will turn pale.

10 And her pillars shall be broken in pieces, and all workers for hire shall be sad of soul.

The cloth workers of Egypt will be crushed; all who work for hire will be grieved within themselves.

11 They are but fools, the princes of Zoan, the wise counsellors of Pharaoh: [their] counsel is become senseless. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

The princes of Zoan are completely foolish. The advice of the wisest advisors of Pharaoh has become senseless. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of wise men, a son of ancient kings?”

12 Where are they then, thy wise [men]? Let them now tell thee, and let them make known what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you and make known what Yahweh of hosts plans concerning Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan are become foolish, the princes of Noph are deceived; and the corner-stones of its tribes have caused Egypt to err.

The princes of Zoan have become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have made Egypt go astray, who are the cornerstones of her tribes.

14 Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst thereof; and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunkard staggereth in his vomit.

Yahweh has mixed a spirit of distortion into her midst, and they have led Egypt astray in all she does, like a drunk staggering in his vomit.

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

There is nothing anyone can do for Egypt, whether head or tail, palm branch or reed.

16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women; and it shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

In that day, the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the upraised hand of Yahweh of hosts that he raises over them.

17 And the land of Judah shall be a dismay unto Egypt: every one that thinketh of it shall be afraid for himself, because of the counsel of Jehovah of hosts, which he hath purposed against it.

The land of Judah will become a cause of staggering to Egypt. Whenever anyone reminds them of her, they will be afraid, because of the plan of Yahweh, that he is planning against them.

18 In that day shall there be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan, and swearing by Jehovah of hosts: one shall be called, The city of Heres.

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to Yahweh of hosts. One of these will be called The City of the Sun.

19 In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah:

In that day there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a stone pillar at the border to Yahweh.

20 and it shall be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of the oppressors, and he will send them a saviour and defender, who shall deliver them.

It will be as a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

21 And Jehovah shall be known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, and shall serve with sacrifice and oblation; and they shall vow a vow unto Jehovah, and perform it.

Yahweh will become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will acknowledge Yahweh on that day. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings, and will make vows to Yahweh and fulfill them.

22 And Jehovah will smite Egypt; he will smite and heal: and they shall return to Jehovah, and he will be entreated of them, and will heal them.

Yahweh will afflict Egypt, afflicting and healing. They will return to Yahweh; he will hear their prayer and will heal them.

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 Egypt shall serve with Assyria.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come to Egypt, and the Egyptian to Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;

In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;

25 whom Jehovah of hosts will bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance!

Yahweh of hosts will bless them and say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people; Assyria, the work of my hands; and Israel, my inheritance.”