Isaiah
Chapter 19
1 Egypt’s trouble. Look, God rides on a fast cloud and will come to Egypt. Egypt’s idols will shake before him, and Egypt’s courage will fail completely.
2 I will make Egyptians fight against each other: they will battle against their own brothers and neighbors, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
3 Egypt’s spirit will weaken within; I will spoil its plans. They will turn to idols, spellcasters, mediums, and sorcerers for guidance.
4 I will let the Egyptians be ruled by a mean ruler; a harsh king will control them, says God, the God over all.
5 The sea will lose its water, and the river will empty and dry up.
6 They will redirect the rivers far away; the streams of protection will be drained and dry up: the reeds and plants will wilt.
7 The reeds by the streams, at the stream mouths, and all that is planted by the streams, will dry up, blow away, and disappear.
8 Fishers will be sad, everyone who fishes in the streams will grieve, and those who lay nets on the waters will grow weak.
9 People who work with fine linen and make nets will be ashamed.
10 They will fail in their plans, all who build waterways and fishponds.
11 The leaders of Zoan are foolish, and Pharaoh’s wise advisors have become senseless. How can you tell Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, descended from ancient kings”?
12 Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now and explain what God has planned for Egypt.
13 The leaders of Zoan have turned into fools, the leaders of Noph are tricked; they have led Egypt astray, even those who should support its people.
14 God has mixed a corrupt spirit among them; they have made Egypt go wrong in all its actions, like a drunk man stumbling in his own sick.
15 Egypt will not have any work to do, from the greatest to the least.
16 On that day, Egypt will be like scared women because of the powerful shaking hand of God over it.
17 The land of Judah will scare Egypt; anyone talking about it will be frightened because of God’s plan against it.
18 On that day, five cities in Egypt will speak Canaan’s language and promise loyalty to God. One city will be named “City of Destruction.”
19 On that day, there will be an altar for God in the middle of Egypt and a monument at its border for God.
20 It will be a sign and evidence to God in Egypt. They will pray to God because of their oppressors, and He will send them a savior, a mighty one, who will rescue them.
21 God will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know God at that time; they will offer sacrifices and gifts, and they will make a promise to God and keep it.
22 God will punish Egypt, but then heal it; they will turn back to God, and when they ask for help, He will heal them.
23 On that day, there will be a road from Egypt to Assyria. Assyrians will go to Egypt, and Egyptians will go to Assyria, and they will work together.
24 On that day, Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the land.
25 God will bless them, saying, “Egypt, my people, will be blessed, Assyria, my creation, and Israel, my inheritance.”