Isaiah 31

1 Tragedy is coming to those who appeal to Egypt for help, depending on their horses and trusting in all their chariots and charioteers! They don't look to the Holy One of Israel for help; they don't ask the Lord for advice.

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, who trust in horses and chariots, for they are many; and in horses, [which are] a great multitude; and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought the Lord.

2 Yet he's also wise! He will bring disaster and won't withdraw his orders. He will take action against this wicked nation and the evil people who help them.

Therefore he has wisely brought evils upon them, and his word shall not be frustrated; and he shall rise up against the houses of wicked men, and against their vain hope,

3 The Egyptians are only human beings—they're not God! Their horses are only physical, not spiritual. When the Lord lifts up his hand to attack, those who came to help will stumble, and those who are helped will fall. They will all die together.

[even] an Egyptian, a man, and not God; the flesh of horses, and there is no help [in them]: but the Lord shall bring his hand upon them, and the helpers shall fail, and all shall perish together.

4 This is what the Lord told me: It's like a young lion growling as it stands over its prey. Even though a lot of shepherds come to protest, it's not frightened off by their shouting or intimidated by all their noise. In the same way the Lord Almighty will come down to fight on Mount Zion.

For thus said the Lord to me, As a lion would roar, or a lion's whelp over prey which he has taken, and cry over it, until the mountains are filled with his voice, and [the animals] are awe-struck and tremble at the fierceness of his wrath: so the Lord of hosts shall descend to fight upon the mount Sion, [even] upon her mountains.

5 Like birds that hover above, so the Lord Almighty will take care of Jerusalem. He will protect it and save it; he will pass over it and rescue it.

As birds flying, so shall the Lord of hosts defend; he shall defend Jerusalem, and he shall rescue, and save and deliver.

6 Come back, Israelites, to the one you so blatantly rebelled against.

Turn, you children of Israel, who devise a deep and sinful counsel.

7 For at that time every one of you will throw away all the idols of silver and gold made by your own sinful hands.

For in that day men shall renounce their silver idols and [their] golden idols, which their hands made.

8 The Assyrians will be killed by the sword of one who is not a man. They will destroyed by the sword of one who is not mortal. They will run away at the sight of the sword, and the young Assyrian men will be taken away as slave laborers.

And the Assyrian shall fall: not the sword of a great man, nor the sword of a mean man shall devour him; neither shall he flee from the face of the sword: but the young men shall be overthrown:

9 Their “rock” will be scared to death, and their officers will be terrified and in panic at the sight of the battle flag, declares the Lord, who has his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

for they shall be compassed with rocks as with a trench, and shall be worsted; and he that flees shall be taken. Thus says the Lord, Blesses is he that has a seed in Sion, and household friends in Jerusalem.