< Isaiah 19 >
1 The burden of Egypt: "Look, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.
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.
2 I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
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.
3 The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst. I will destroy its counsel. They will seek the idols, spirits of the dead, mediums, and spiritists.
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of her; and I will destroy its counsel: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to the mediums, and to the wizards.
4 I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them," says the LORD of hosts.
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.
5 The waters will fail from the sea, and the river will be wasted and become dry.
And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the rivers shall be wasted and dried up.
6 The rivers will become foul. The streams of Egypt will be diminished and dried up. The reeds and flags will wither away.
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.
7 The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.
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.
8 The fishermen will lament, and all those who fish in the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will languish.
The fishermen also shall mourn, and all they that cast a line into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9 Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, will be confounded.
Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave fine cloths, shall be confounded.
10 The pillars will be broken in pieces. All those who work for hire will be grieved in soul.
And they shall be broken in its purposes, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.
11 The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish. The counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become stupid. How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?"
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become stupid: how say ye to Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 Where then are your sages? And let them tell you now; and let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed concerning Egypt.
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.
13 The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the cornerstone of her tribes.
The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the support of its tribes.
14 The LORD has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works, like a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst of it: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work of it, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
15 Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do.
Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may perform.
16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shakes over them.
In that day shall Egypt be like 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.
17 The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom mention is made of it will be afraid, because of the plans of the LORD of hosts, which he determines against it.
And the land of Judah shall be a terror to Egypt, every one that maketh mention of it shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.
18 In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear loyalty to the LORD of hosts. One will be called the City of the Sun.
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.
19 In that day, there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at its border to the LORD.
20 It will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.
And it shall be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21 The LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make vows to the LORD, and will perform them.
And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall offer sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow to the LORD, and perform it.
22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas, and will heal them.
And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be entreated by them, and shall heal them.
23 In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.
In that day shall there be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24 In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;
In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25 because the LORD of hosts has blessed them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance."
Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.