Isaiah 19

1 The burden of Egypt. “Behold, 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 within it.

The doom of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and is coming to Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved because of his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in its inward parts.

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 stir up Egyptians against Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his fellow; city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

3 The spirit of the Egyptians will fail within them. I will destroy their counsel. They will seek the idols, the charmers, those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards.

And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied out in its inward parts, and its counsel will I frustrate; and they will inquire of the idols, and of the charmers, and of those that have familiar spirits, and of 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, GOD of Armies.

And I will surrender the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord; and a rigorous king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Eternal 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 river 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 the rivers shall become foul; and shallow and dried up shall become the deep streams: 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 well-rooted plants by the stream, by the mouth of the stream, and every thing sown by the stream, shall dry up, be scattered [by the wind, ] 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 lament, and all they that cast an angle into the stream shall mourn; and they that spread nets upon the face of the waters shall languish.

9 Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, will be confounded.

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

10 The pillars will be broken in pieces. All those who work for hire will be grieved in soul.

And its foundations shall be beaten down, all that build sluices shall be grieved in soul.

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 fools are the princes of Zo'an! the wise of the counsellors of Pharaoh [impart] silly counsel: how can ye say unto Pharaoh, I am a son of the wise, a son of the ancient kings?

12 Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you now; and let them know what the LORD of Armies has purposed concerning Egypt.

Where are they, these, thy wise men? that they may tell thee now, that they know what the Lord of hosts hath resolved on over Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go astray, those who are the cornerstone of her tribes.

The princes of Zo'an are become fools, deceived are the princes of Noph; and Egypt is led astray by the chiefs of its tribes.

14 The LORD has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the middle 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 poured out in the midst thereof a spirit of perverseness: and they have led Egypt astray in all its work, as a drunkard reeleth astray in his vomit.

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

And there shall not be for Egypt [successful] work, which the head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.

16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the LORD of Armies’s hand, which he shakes over them.

On that day shall Egypt be like the women: and it shall tremble and be in dread because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he waveth 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 Armies, which he determines against it.

And the land of Judah shall become unto Egypt a terror, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be in dread, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath resolved against it.

18 In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of Armies. One will be called “The city of destruction.”

On that day shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan, and swearing by the Lord of hosts; “The city of destruction” shall one be called.

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

On that day shall there be all 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 Armies 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 testimony unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he will send them a helper, and a chief, 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 vow a vow to the LORD, and will perform it.

And the Lord will be made known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord on that day, and will do service [with] sacrifice and oblation; yea, they will make vows unto the Lord and perform [them].

22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to the LORD, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them.

And the Lord will thus strike Egypt, striking and healing it: and they will return unto the Lord, and he will be entreated of them, and 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.

On that day there shall be a highway out of Egypt to Asshur, and Asshur shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptians into Asshur, and the Egyptians shall serve with Asshur [the Lord].

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

On that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Asshur, a blessing in the midst of the earth.

25 because the LORD of Armies has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

Whom the Lord of hosts will have blessed, saying, Blessed be my people Egypt, and Asshur the work of my hands, and my heritage Israel.