Isaiah 31:1
New International Version
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.

New Living Translation
What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

English Standard Version
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

King James Bible
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

New King James Version
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD!

New American Standard Bible
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 do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

NASB 1995
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 do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

NASB 1977
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 do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

Legacy Standard Bible
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 mighty, But they do not regard at the Holy One of Israel, nor seek Yahweh!

Amplified Bible
Woe (judgment is coming) to those who go down to Egypt for help, Who rely on horses And trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the LORD!

Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the abundance of chariots and in the large number of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the abundance of chariots and in the large number of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel and they do not seek the LORD’s help.

American Standard Version
Woe to them that 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 look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah!

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Woe to those who go down to Egypt to be helped, and they trust upon horses, and they trust upon many chariots and upon horsemen, because they are very strong, and they have not trusted on The Holy One of Israel, and they have not sought LORD JEHOVAH!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, who trust in horses and chariots, for they are many; and in horses, which are a great multitude; and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
You are in for trouble if you go to Egypt for help, or if you depend on an army of chariots or a powerful cavalry. Instead you should depend on and trust the holy LORD God of Israel.

Douay-Rheims Bible
WOE to them that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in horses, and putting their confidence in chariots, because they me many: and in horsemen, because they me very strong: and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought after the Lord.

English Revised Version
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay on horses; and trust in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How horrible it will be for those who go to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who depend on many chariots, who depend on very strong war horses. They don't look to the Holy One of Israel. They don't seek the LORD.

Good News Translation
Those who go to Egypt for help are doomed! They are relying on Egypt's vast military strength--horses, chariots, and soldiers. But they do not rely on the LORD, the holy God of Israel, or ask him for help.

International Standard Version
"How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the chariot, because there are so many, and in charioteers, because they are so strong— but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD!

JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, And trust in chariots, because they are many, And in horsemen, because they are exceeding mighty; But they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, Neither seek the LORD!

Literal Standard Version
Woe [to] those going down to Egypt for help, | And [who] lean on horses, | And trust on chariots, because [they are] many, | And on horsemen, because [they are] very strong, | And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, | And have not sought YHWH.

Majority Standard Bible
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

New American Bible
Ah! Those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses; Who put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because of their combined power, But look not to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the LORD!

NET Bible
Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt's many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
Alas for those who go down to Egypt for help and who rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

New Heart English Bible
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 do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to them that 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 look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

World English Bible
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!

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to those going down to Egypt for help, And on horses lean, And trust on chariots, because many, And on horsemen, because very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And Jehovah have not sought.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. 2Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 17:16
But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, 'You are never to go back that way again.'

Deuteronomy 20:1
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

Isaiah 2:7
Their land is full of silver and gold, with no limit to their treasures; their land is full of horses, with no limit to their chariots.

Isaiah 9:13
But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.

Isaiah 10:17
And the Light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame. In a single day it will burn and devour Assyria's thorns and thistles.

Isaiah 20:5
Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.

Isaiah 30:2
They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh's protection and take refuge in Egypt's shade.


Treasury of Scripture

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

to them

Isaiah 30:1-7
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: …

Isaiah 36:6
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

Isaiah 57:9
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.

stay on horses

Isaiah 30:16
But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

Isaiah 36:9
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

Deuteronomy 17:16
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

the look

Isaiah 5:12
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

Isaiah 17:7,8
At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel…

Isaiah 22:11
Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

neither

Isaiah 9:13
For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 64:7
And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Daniel 9:13
As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

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Chariots Egypt Exceeding Help Holy Horsemen Horses Israel Mighty Rely Seek Strong Trust Woe
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Chariots Egypt Exceeding Help Holy Horsemen Horses Israel Mighty Rely Seek Strong Trust Woe
Isaiah 31
1. The prophet shows the folly and danger of trusting Egypt, and forsaking God
6. He exhorts to conversion
8. He shows the fall of Assyria














XXXI.

(1) Woe to them that go down . . .--The Egyptian alliance was, of course, the absorbing topic of the time, and Isaiah returns to it yet again. As in Isaiah 30:16, the princes of Judah were attracted by the prospect of strengthening themselves in their weakest point, and reinforcing the cavalry of Judah, which could hardly be mentioned by an Assyrian ambassador without a smile (Isaiah 36:9), with an Egyptian contingent. Isaiah once more condemns this as trusting in an "arm of flesh "instead of in the "Holy One of Israel."

Verses 1-3. - A FURTHER WARNING AGAINST SEEKING THE ALLIANCE OF EGYPT. This prophecy seems to be quite independent of the last (Isaiah 30:1-7). It may have been given earlier or later. The chief point brought out, which had not distinctly appeared previously, is the value set on the horses and chariots of Egypt in the conflict with Assyria (comp. 2 Kings 18:24). Verse 1. - Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help (comp. Isaiah 30:1, 2; and see also the earlier prophecy, Isaiah 20:2-6). The examples of Samaria, Gaza, and Ashdod might well have taught the lesson of distrust of Egypt, without any Divine warnings (see G. Smith's 'Eponym Canon,' pp. 125-131). But the Jews were infatuated, and relied on Egypt despite her previous failures to give effective aid. And stay on horses. The Assyrian cavalry was very numerous, and very efficient. It is often represented on the monuments. Egyptian cavalry, on the other hand, is not represented at all; and it may be questioned whether, in the early times, the Egyptian war-horses were not entirely employed in the chariot-service (see 'Pulpit Commentary' on Exodus, p. 321). The later dynasties of Egyptian kings, however, employed cavalry, as appears from 2 Chronicles 12:3; Herod., 2:162; 'Records of the Past,' vol. it. pp. 68, 70, 72, etc. And trust in chariots, because they are many. The large number of the chariots maintained by the Pharaohs is abundantly evidenced. Diodorus assigns to Sesostris twenty-seven thousand (1. 54, § 4). This is, no doubt, an exaggeration; but the six hundred of the Pharaoh of the Exodus (Exodus 14:7), and even the one thousand two hundred of Shishak(2 Chronicles 12:3) are moderate computations, quite in accord with the monuments, and with all that we otherwise know of Egyptian warfare. Egypt exported chariots to the neighboring countries (1 Kings 10:29), and was at this time the only power which seemed capable of furnishing such a chariot-force as could hope to contend on tolerably even terms with the force of Assyria. They look not unto the Holy One of Israel (comp. Isaiah 30:11, 12). The trust in the Egyptian alliance was accompanied by a distrust of Jehovah and his power, and a disinclination to look to him for aid.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Woe
ה֣וֹי (hō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 1945: Ah! alas! ha!

to those who go down
הַיֹּרְדִ֤ים (hay·yō·rə·ḏîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to Egypt
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

for help,
לְעֶזְרָ֔ה (lə·‘ez·rāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5833: Help, helper, assistance

who rely
יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּ (yiš·šā·‘ê·nū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8172: To lean, support oneself

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

horses,
סוּסִ֖ים (sū·sîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

who trust
וַיִּבְטְח֨וּ (way·yiḇ·ṭə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 982: To trust, be confident, sure

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their abundance
רָ֗ב (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

of chariots
רֶ֜כֶב (re·ḵeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

and in
וְעַ֤ל (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their multitude
מְאֹ֔ד (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

of horsemen.
פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ (pā·rā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6571: A steed, a driver, cavalry

They do not
וְלֹ֤א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

look
שָׁעוּ֙ (šā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8159: To gaze at, about, to inspect, consider, compassionate, be nonplussed, bewildered

to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the Holy
קְד֣וֹשׁ (qə·ḏō·wōš)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary

One of Israel;
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

they do not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

seek
דָרָֽשׁוּ׃ (ḏā·rā·šū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

the LORD.
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 30:33
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