the Fourth Week of Advent
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
Complete Jewish Bible
Isaiah 19
1 This is a prophecy about Egypt:
Look! Adonai is riding a swift cloud,
on his way to Egypt.
Before him Egypt's idols tremble,
Egypt's courage melts within them.
2 "I will incite Egypt against Egypt,
brother will fight against brother,
friend against friend, city against city,
kingdom against kingdom.
3 The courage of Egypt will ebb away within it,
I will reduce its counsel to confusion.
They will consult idols and mediums,
ghosts and spirits.
4 I will hand over the Egyptians to a cruel master.
A harsh king will rule them,"
says the Lord, Adonai-Tzva'ot.
5 The water will ebb from the sea,
the river will be drained dry.
6 The rivers will become foul,
the canals of Egypt's Nile will dwindle and dry up,
the reeds and rushes will wither.
7 The river-plants on the banks of the Nile
and everything sown near the Nile
will dry up, blow away and be no more.
8 Fishermen too will lament,
all who cast hooks in the Nile will mourn,
those who spread nets on the water lose heart.
9 The linen-workers will be in despair,
along with the weavers of white cotton;
10 the spinners will be crushed,
the hired workers dejected.
11 The princes of Tzo‘an are utter fools,
Pharaoh's wisest counselors give stupid advice.
How can you say to Pharaoh,
"I'm a sage, descended from kings of old."
12 Where are they, then, those sages of yours?
Let them tell you, so all can know
what Adonai-Tzva'ot has planned against Egypt!
13 The princes of Tzo‘an have been fooled,
the princes of Nof have been duped,
Egypt's clan chiefs have led her astray.
14 Adonai has mixed up their minds
with a spirit that distorts judgment,
so they make Egypt stagger in whatever she does,
like a drunk staggering in his vomit.
15 Nobody in Egypt
will find work to do —
neither head nor tail,
neither [tall] palm frond nor [lowly] reed.
16 On that day Egypt will be like women trembling with fear, because Adonai-Tzva'ot is shaking his fist at them. 17 Just mentioning the land of Y'hudah to the Egyptians will throw them into panic; they will be afraid because of what Adonai-Tzva'ot has planned for them.
18 On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Kena‘an and swear loyalty to Adonai-Tzva'ot; one of them will be called the City of Destruction.*
19 On that day there will be an altar to Adonai in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a standing-stone for Adonai at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness to Adonai-Tzva'ot in the land of Egypt; so that when they cry out to Adonai for help because of the oppressors, he will send them a savior to defend and rescue them.
21 Adonai will make himself known to Egypt;
on that day, the Egyptians will know Adonai.
They will worship him with sacrifices and offerings,
they will make vows to Adonai and keep them.
22 Yet Adonai will strike Egypt, both striking and healing,
so they will return to Adonai.
He will listen to their prayers,
and he will heal them.
23 On that day there will be a highway
from Egypt to Ashur.
Ashur will come to Egypt and Egypt to Ashur,
and Egypt will worship with Ashur.
24 On that day Isra'el will be a third partner
with Egypt and Ashur, a blessing here on earth;
25 for Adonai-Tzva'ot has blessed him:
"Blessed be Egypt my people,
Ashur the work of my hands
and Isra'el my heritage."
