Isaiah 31
World English Bible
31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
and rely on horses,
and trust in chariots because they are many,
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel,
and they don’t seek Yahweh!
2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster,
and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers,
and against the help of those who work iniquity.
3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;
and their horses flesh, and not spirit.
When Yahweh stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble,
and he who is helped shall fall,
and they all shall be consumed together.
4 For Yahweh says to me,
“As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey,
if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him,
will not be dismayed at their voice,
nor abase himself for their noise,
so Yahweh of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 As birds hovering, so Yahweh of Armies will protect Jerusalem.
He will protect and deliver it.
He will pass over and preserve it.”
6 Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel. 7 For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.
8 “The Assyrian will fall by the sword, not of man;
and the sword, not of mankind, shall devour him.
He will flee from the sword,
and his young men will become subject to forced labor.
9 His rock will pass away by reason of terror,
and his princes will be afraid of the banner,”
says Yahweh, whose fire is in Zion,
and his furnace in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 31
International Standard Version
Only the Lord can Help
31 “How terrible it will be for those who go down to[a] Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the chariot,
because there are so many,
and in charioteers,[b]
because they are so strong—
but do not look to[c] the Holy One of Israel
or seek the Lord!
2 Yet he is also wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words,
but will rise up against the house of those who practice evil
and against anyone who assists people who work iniquity.
3 The Egyptians are men, not God,
and their horses are physical,[d] not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
anyone who assists will stumble,
and the one who is helped will fall;
and they will all perish together.”
The Lord will Defend Jerusalem
4 For this is what the Lord told me:
“Just as a lion or a young lion growls over his objects of prey,[e]—
even when a whole band of shepherds is called out against it,
it is not alarmed at their shouting
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.
5 Like birds hovering overhead,
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will protect Jerusalem;
he will shield and deliver it;
and[f] he will pass over[g] and bring it to safety.[h]
6 Turn back to him, yes to him whom[i] your people[j] have so greatly betrayed, you people of Israel. 7 For at that time,[k] everyone will throw away their[l] idols of silver and their[m] idols of gold that your hands have sinfully made for yourselves.
8 “Then Assyria will fall by a sword
that is not from human beings only[n]—
a sword not wielded by mortal beings will devour them.
They will flee from the sword,
and their young men will be put to forced labor.
9 Their stronghold will vanish by reason of terror,
and their commanders will be filled with alarm
because of the battle standard,”
declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion
and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 31:1 So 1QIsaa LXX; the Heb. lacks to
- Isaiah 31:1 Or horsemen
- Isaiah 31:1 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read upon
- Isaiah 31:3 Or flesh
- Isaiah 31:4 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read his prey (sing.)
- Isaiah 31:5 So 1QIsaa; cf. LXX; the Heb. lacks and
- Isaiah 31:5 I.e. as the Angel of Death passed over the Israelis; cf. Exod 12:13, 23, 27
- Isaiah 31:5 So 1QIsaa; MT reads rescue it
- Isaiah 31:6 So 1QIsaa; MT reads back to him whom
- Isaiah 31:6 Lit. whom they
- Isaiah 31:7 Lit. on that day
- Isaiah 31:7 Lit. his
- Isaiah 31:7 Lit. his
- Isaiah 31:8 Lit. not of man
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