Isaiah 19

1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

A declaration about Egypt. See, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt; the idols of Egypt quake before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within themselves.

2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, [and] kingdom against kingdom.

“I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians: A man will fight against his brother, and a man against his neighbor; city will be against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

The spirit of Egypt will be weakened from within. I will destroy his advice, though they sought the advice of idols, dead men's spirits, mediums, and spiritualists.

4 And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a harsh master, and a strong king will rule over them— this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts.”

5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

The waters of the sea will dry up, and the river will dry up and become empty.

6 And they shall turn the rivers far away; [and] the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.

The rivers will become foul; the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up; the reeds and flags will wither away.

7 The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no [more].

The reeds along the Nile, at the mouth of the Nile, and every sown field beside the Nile will become parched, will be driven away, and will be no more.

8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.

The fishermen will wail and mourn, and all who cast a hook into the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will grieve.

9 Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.

The workers in combed flax and those who weave white cloth will turn pale.

10 And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices [and] ponds for fish.

The cloth workers of Egypt will be crushed; all who work for hire will be grieved within themselves.

11 Surely the princes of Zoan [are] fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I [am] the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

The princes of Zoan are completely foolish. The advice of the wisest advisors of Pharaoh has become senseless. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of wise men, a son of ancient kings?”

12 Where [are] they? where [are] thy wise [men]? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you and make known what Yahweh of hosts plans concerning Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, [even they that are] the stay of the tribes thereof.

The princes of Zoan have become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have made Egypt go astray, who are the cornerstones of her tribes.

14 The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken [man] staggereth in his vomit.

Yahweh has mixed a spirit of distortion into her midst, and they have led Egypt astray in all she does, like a drunk staggering in his vomit.

15 Neither shall there be [any] work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

There is nothing anyone can do for Egypt, whether head or tail, palm branch or reed.

16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

In that day, the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the upraised hand of Yahweh of hosts that he raises over them.

17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.

The land of Judah will become a cause of staggering to Egypt. Whenever anyone reminds them of her, they will be afraid, because of the plan of Yahweh, that he is planning against them.

18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to Yahweh of hosts. One of these will be called The City of the Sun.

19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.

In that day there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a stone pillar at the border to Yahweh.

20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.

It will be as a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform [it].

Yahweh will become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will acknowledge Yahweh on that day. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings, and will make vows to Yahweh and fulfill them.

22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal [it: ] and they shall return [even] to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.

Yahweh will afflict Egypt, afflicting and healing. They will return to Yahweh; he will hear their prayer and will heal them.

23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come to Egypt, and the Egyptian to Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, [even] a blessing in the midst of the land:

In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;

25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed [be] Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

Yahweh of hosts will bless them and say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people; Assyria, the work of my hands; and Israel, my inheritance.”