Isaiah 19:1-13 ▼

1 The pronouncement concerning Egypt: Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

2 “So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians; And they will fight, each against his brother and each against his neighbor, City against city and kingdom against kingdom.

3 “Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confuse their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead, And to mediums and spiritists.

4 “Furthermore, I will hand the Egyptians over to a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of armies.

5 The waters from the sea will dry up, And the river will be parched and dry.

6 The canals will emit a stench, The streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up; The reeds and rushes will rot away.

7 The bulrushes by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile And all the sown fields by the Nile Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.

8 And the fishermen will grieve, And all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn, And those who spread nets on the waters will dwindle away.

9 Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax And the weavers of white cloth will be utterly dejected.

10 And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed; All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul.

11 The officials of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become stupid. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”?

12 Well then, where are your wise men? Please let them tell you, And let them understand what the LORD of armies Has planned against Egypt.

13 The officials of Zoan have turned out to be fools, The officials of Memphis are deluded; Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes Have led Egypt astray.