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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!
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.
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.

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.
As birds hovering, so Yahweh of Armies will protect Jerusalem.
    He will protect and deliver it.
    He will pass over and preserve it.”
Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel. 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.

“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.
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.

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

31 Woe(A) to those who go down to Egypt(B) for help,
    who rely on horses,(C)
who trust in the multitude of their chariots(D)
    and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One(E) of Israel,
    or seek help from the Lord.(F)
Yet he too is wise(G) and can bring disaster;(H)
    he does not take back his words.(I)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(J)
    against those who help evildoers.
But the Egyptians(K) are mere mortals and not God;(L)
    their horses(M) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(N)
    those who help will stumble,
    those who are helped(O) will fall;
    all will perish together.(P)

This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lion(Q) growls,
    a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds(R)
    is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
    or disturbed by their clamor(S)
so the Lord Almighty will come down(T)
    to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
Like birds hovering(U) overhead,
    the Lord Almighty will shield(V) Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver(W) it,
    he will ‘pass over’(X) it and will rescue it.”

Return,(Y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(Z) against. For in that day(AA) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(AB) your sinful hands have made.(AC)

“Assyria(AD) will fall by no human sword;
    a sword, not of mortals, will devour(AE) them.
They will flee before the sword
    and their young men will be put to forced labor.(AF)
Their stronghold(AG) will fall because of terror;
    at the sight of the battle standard(AH) their commanders will panic,(AI)
declares the Lord,
    whose fire(AJ) is in Zion,
    whose furnace(AK) is in Jerusalem.