Isaiah 31
Common English Bible
Doom to those going to Egypt
31 Doom to those going down to Egypt for help!
They rely on horses,
trust in chariots because they are many,
and on riders because they are very strong.
But they don’t look to the holy one of Israel;
they don’t seek the Lord.
2 But God also knows how to bring disaster;
he has not taken back his words.
God will rise up against the house of evildoers
and against the help of those who do wrong.
3 Egypt is human and not divine;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
The Lord will extend his hand;
the helper will stumble,
those helped will fall,
and they will all die together.
4 The Lord has said to me:
When the lion growls,
the young lion, over its prey,
though a band of shepherds is summoned against it,
isn’t scared off by their noise
or frightened by their roar.
So the Lord of heavenly forces will go down
to fight on Mount Zion and on her hill.
5 Like birds flying aloft,
so the Lord of heavenly forces will shield Jerusalem:
shielding and saving, sparing and rescuing.
6 People of Israel, return to the one whom you have deeply betrayed! 7 On that day, you will each reject the idols of silver and the idols of gold, which you have sinfully made for yourselves.
8 Assyria will fall, but not by a human sword—
a sword not made by humans will devour them.
They will flee before the sword;
their young men will become forced laborers.
9 In horror they will flee from their stronghold;
their officers will be terrified at the signal,
says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion
and whose oven is in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 31
Complete Jewish Bible
31 Woe to those going down to Egypt
expecting help — relying on horses;
trusting in chariots, because they have many,
and in the strength of their cavalrymen —
but not looking to the Holy One of Isra’el,
not consulting Adonai.
2 But he too is wise and can bring disaster,
and he does not take back his words;
he will rise against the house of evildoers
and against the help of those who do wrong.
3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God,
and their horses flesh and not spirit.
So when Adonai stretches out his hand,
both he who helps will stumble,
and he who is helped will fall;
both will perish together.
4 For here is what Adonai says to me:
“As a lion or lion cub growls at its prey
and isn’t frightened away by the shouts
of hordes of shepherds called out against him —
their voices do not upset him —
so likewise Adonai-Tzva’ot will descend
to fight on Mount Tziyon, on its hill.
5 Like hovering birds, Adonai-Tzva’ot
will protect Yerushalayim.
In protecting it, he will rescue it;
in sparing it, he will save it.
6 People of Isra’el! Return to him
to whom you have been so deeply disloyal!
7 For on that day everyone will discard
his idols of silver and idols of gold,
which you made for yourselves
with your own sinful hands.
8 Then Ashur will fall by a sword not of mortals,
a sword, not of humans, will devour him;
he will flee before the sword,
and his young men will be put to forced labor.
9 His rock, out of terror, will pass away,
and his panicked officers will desert the standard.”
So says Adonai, whose fire is in Tziyon,
whose furnace is in Yerushalayim.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.