Isaiah 19

1 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.

THE VISION OF EGYPT. Behold, the Lord sits on a swift cloud, and shall come to Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and their heart shall faint within them.

2 “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.

And the Egyptians shall be stirred up against the Egyptians: and a man shall fight against his brother, and a man against his neighbor, city against city, and law against law.

3 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.

And the spirit of the Egyptians shall be troubled within them; and I will frustrate their counsel: and they shall enquire of their gods and their images, and them that speak out of the earth, and them that have in them a divining spirit.

4 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.”

And I will deliver Egypt into the hands of men, of cruel lords; and cruel kings shall rule over them: thus says the Lord of hosts.

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

And the Egyptians shall drink the water that is by the sea, but the river shall fail, and be dried up.

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

And the streams shall fail, and the canals of the river; and every reservoir of water shall be dried up, in every marsh also of reed and papyrus.

7 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.

And all the green herbage round about the river, and everything sown by the side of the river, shall be blasted with the wind and dried up.

8 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.

And the fishermen shall groan, and all that cast a hook into the river shall groan; they also that cast nets, and the anglers shall mourn.

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

And shame shall come upon them that work fine flax, and them that make fine linen.

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

And they that work at them shall be in pain, and all that make beer shall be grieved, and be pained in their souls.

11 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?”

And the princes of Tanis shall be fools: [as for] the king's wise counselors, their counsel shall be turned into folly: how will you say to the king, we are sons of wise men, sons of ancient kings?

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

Where are now your wise men? and let them declare to you, and say, What has the Lord of hosts purposed upon Egypt?

13 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.

The princes of Tanis have failed, and the princes of Memphis are lifted up [with pride], and they shall cause Egypt to wander by tribes.

14 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.

For the Lord has prepared for them a spirit of error, and they have caused Egypt to err in all their works, as one staggers who is drunken and vomits also.

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

And there shall be no work to the Egyptians, which shall make head or tail, or beginning or end.

16 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.

But in that day the Egyptians shall be as women, in fear and in trembling because of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shall bring upon them.

17 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.

And the land of the Jews shall be for a terror to the Egyptians: whoever shall name it to them, they shall fear, because of the counsel which the Lord of hosts has purposed concerning it.

18 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.

In that day there shall be five cities in Egypt speaking the language of Chanaan, and swearing by the name of the Lord of hosts; one city shall be called the city of Asedec.

19 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.

In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of the Egyptians, and a pillar to the Lord by its border.

20 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.

And it shall be for a sign to the Lord for ever in the land of Egypt: for they shall presently cry to the Lord by reason of them that afflict them, and he shall send them a man who shall save them; he shall judge and save them.

21 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.

And the Lord shall be known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day; and they shall offer sacrifices, and shall vow vows to the Lord, and pay [them].

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

And the Lord shall strike the Egyptians with a stroke, and shall completely heal them: and they shall return to the Lord, and he shall hear them, and thoroughly heal them.

23 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.

In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptians shall go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrians.

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

In that day shall Israel be third with the Egyptians and the Assyrians, blessed in the land which the Lord of hosts has blessed,

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

saying, Blessed be my people that is in Egypt, and that is among the Assyrians, and Israel mine inheritance.