1How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses! They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are. But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t ask the LORD for his help.2He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble. He does what he says he’ll do. He’ll rise up against that evil nation. He’ll fight against those who help them.3The men of Egypt are only human beings. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The LORD will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians provide help. But they will be tripped up. The people of Judah receive the help. But they will fall down. All of them will be destroyed.4The LORD says to me, ‘A powerful lion stands over its food and growls. A lot of shepherds can be brought together to drive it away. But the lion is not frightened by their shouts. It is not upset by the noise they make. In the same way, I will come down from heaven. I will fight on Mount Zion and on its hills. Nothing will drive me away. I am the LORD who rules over all.5Like a bird hovering over its nest, I will guard Jerusalem. I will keep it safe. I will “pass over” it and save it. I am the LORD who rules over all.’6People of Israel, return to the LORD. He’s the God you have so strongly opposed.7You sinned when you made your gods out of silver and gold. The time will come when all of you will turn away from them.8The LORD says, ‘The Assyrians will be killed by swords. But the swords that kill them will not be used by human beings. The Assyrians will run away from those swords. But their young men will be caught and forced to work hard.9Their hiding places will be destroyed when terror strikes them. Their commanders will see their enemy’s battle flags. Then they will be filled with panic,’ announces the LORD. His fire blazes out from Mount Zion. His furnace burns in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 31
English Standard Version
Woe to Those Who Go Down to Egypt
1Woe[1] to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! (Ps 20:7; Isa 22:11; Isa 30:2; Isa 30:16; Isa 36:6; Isa 36:9)2And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity. (Nu 23:19; Ps 94:4; Ps 94:8; Isa 22:14)3The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together. (Jer 17:5)4For thus the Lord said to me, “As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight[2] on Mount Zion and on its hill. (Isa 42:13; Ho 11:10; Am 1:2; Am 3:8)5Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it.” (De 32:11; Ps 91:4)6Turn to him from whom people[3] have deeply revolted, O children of Israel. (Isa 1:5; Isa 30:15)7For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you. (Isa 2:20; Isa 30:22)8“And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, shall devour him; and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be put to forced labor. (Ge 49:15; Pr 12:24; Isa 37:36)9His rock shall pass away in terror, and his officers desert the standard in panic,” declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. (De 32:31; Ps 21:9; Isa 30:29; Isa 30:33; Mal 4:1)