Isaiah 31
1 Terrible things will happen to those who reply on Egypt to help them, trusting in their soldiers’ horses and their many chariots and their strong chariot-drivers, instead of trusting that Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, will help them.
Woe [to] those going down to Egypt for help, And [who] lean on horses, And trust on chariots, because [they are] many, And on horsemen, because [they are] very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And have not sought YHWH.
2 Yahweh is [very] wise, [but] he also causes people to experience disaster! And [when he decides to do that], he does not change his mind! He will strike/punish the wicked people and [all] those who help them.
And He [is] also wise, and brings in evil, And He has not turned aside His words, And He has risen against a house of evildoers, And against the help of workers of iniquity.
3 The soldiers of Egypt [that you people of Judah are relying on] are humans, not God! And their horses are only horses; they are not [powerful] spirits! So when Yahweh raises his fist to strike/punish the [soldiers of Egypt whom you thought would help you], he will also strike [you who thought that you would be helped], and you and they will stumble and fall down; all of you will die together.
And the Egyptians [are men], and not God, And their horses [are] flesh, and not spirit, And YHWH stretches out His hand, And the helper has stumbled, And the helped one has fallen, And together all of them are consumed.
4 But this is what Yahweh said to me: “When a huge lion stands over the body of a sheep that he has killed and growls, even if a large group of shepherds comes [to chase/shoo away the lion], even if they shout loudly, the lion will not be afraid and will not leave. Similarly, I, the Commander of the armies of angels, will come down to fight [my enemies] on Zion Hill, [and nothing will hinder me].
For thus said YHWH to me: “As the lion and the young lion growl over his prey, Against whom a multitude of shepherds is called, He is not frightened from their voice, And he is not humbled from their noise; So YHWH of Hosts comes down To war on Mount Zion, and on her height.
5 [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, will protect Jerusalem like [SIM] a [mother] bird protects [the baby birds in] her nest: I will defend the city and rescue it from its enemies.”
As birds flying, so does YHWH of Hosts Cover over Jerusalem, covering and delivering, Passing over, and causing to escape.”
6 My people, [even though] you have greatly rebelled against Yahweh, return to him.
Turn back to Him from whom sons of Israel Have deepened apostasy.
7 When you do that, each of you will throw away the idols that you [SYN] have sinned by making, idols that are [covered with] silver and gold.
For in that day each despises His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, That your hands made to you—a sin.
8 [Many of the] Assyrian [soldiers] will be killed, but not by swords that men use. They will be destroyed by the sword of God; and [those who are not killed] will (panic/be very afraid) and flee. And some of them will [be captured] and forced to become slaves.
And Asshur has fallen by sword, not of the high, Indeed, a sword—not of the low, consumes him, And he has fled for himself from the face of a sword, And his young men become tributary.
9 [Even] their very strong soldiers [MTY] will be terrified; they will abandon their battle flags and run away! Yahweh will cause his enemies who attack Jerusalem to be destroyed. Yahweh’s presence on Zion Hill is [like] a fire, [like] a furnace that blazes in Jerusalem; and that is what Yahweh says [about what will happen to the Assyrian army]!
And he passes on [to] his rock from fear, And his princes have been frightened by the ensign—a declaration of YHWH, Who has a light in Zion, And who has a furnace in Jerusalem!
