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16 At that time[a] the Egyptians[b] will be like women.[c] They will tremble and fear because the Lord of Heaven’s Armies brandishes his fist against them.[d] 17 The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is planning to do to them.[e]

18 At that time five cities[f] in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 19:16 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV); likewise at the beginning of vv. 18 and 19.
  2. Isaiah 19:16 tn Heb “Egypt,” which stands by metonymy for the country’s inhabitants.
  3. Isaiah 19:16 sn As the rest of the verse indicates, the point of the simile is that the Egyptians will be relatively weak physically and will wilt in fear before the Lord’s onslaught.
  4. Isaiah 19:16 tn Heb “and he will tremble and be afraid because of the brandishing of the hand of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies [traditionally, “the Lord of hosts”], which he brandishes against him.” Since according to the imagery here the Lord’s “hand” is raised as a weapon against the Egyptians, the term “fist” has been used in the translation.
  5. Isaiah 19:17 tn Heb “and the land of Judah will become [a source of] shame to Egypt. Everyone to whom one mentions it [i.e., the land of Judah] will fear because of the plan of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies [traditionally, “the Lord of hosts”] which he is planning against him.”
  6. Isaiah 19:18 sn The significance of the number “five” in this context is uncertain. For a discussion of various proposals, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:376-77.
  7. Isaiah 19:18 tc The Hebrew text has עִיר הַהֶרֶס (ʿir haheres, “City of Destruction”; cf. NASB, NIV) but this does not fit the positive emphasis of vv. 18-22. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and some medieval Hebrew mss read עִיר הָחֶרֶס (ʿir hakheres, “City of the Sun,” i.e., Heliopolis). This reading also finds support from Symmachus’ Greek version, the Targum, and the Vulgate. See HALOT 257 s.v. חֶרֶס and HALOT 355 s.v. II חֶרֶס.

Egypt and Syria Will Worship God

16 At that time,[a] the Egyptians will be like women—they[b] will shudder and be afraid before the uplifted hand of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, when he brandishes his hand against her.[c] 17 And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will be afraid, because of the uplifted hand[d] of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies that[e] is turning in their direction.

18 At that time,[f] there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of the Heavenly Armies. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 19:16 Lit. On that day; so 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsab lacks At that time
  2. Isaiah 19:16 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsab MT read he
  3. Isaiah 19:16 I.e. Egypt; so 1QIsaa; MT reads Armies, which he brandishes against it; LXX reads Armies, which he brandishes against them
  4. Isaiah 19:17 Lit. plotting; so 4QIsab; 1QIsaa MT LXX read plan
  5. Isaiah 19:17 So 4QIsab; 1QIsaa MT LXX read hand that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies
  6. Isaiah 19:18 Lit. On that day
  7. Isaiah 19:18 So 1QIsaa 4QIsab MTmss; MT reads Destruction; LXX reads Asedek City; i.e. City of Righteousness