Isaiah 19

VIN(i) 1 the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him. The hearts of the Egyptians melt (their courage fails) within them. 2 "I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian. Brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. 3 "The Egyptians will become discouraged. I will bring their plans to nothing. They will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. 4 "I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them." This is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts, the Almighty. 5 The waters of the Nile River will dry up. The riverbed will be parched and dry. 6 The canals will stink. The streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up. The reeds and rushes will wither. 7 The plants (rushes) along the Nile, at the mouth of the river will wither. Every sown field along the Nile will become parched and blow away to be no more. 8 The fishermen will groan and lament. All who cast hooks into the Nile and throw nets on the water will be weak and sick. 9 Those who work with combed flax will despair. The weavers of fine linen (and cotton) will lose hope. 10 The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the wage earners will be sick at heart. 11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools. The wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh: "I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings?" 12 Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make known what the LORD Almighty has purposed (planned) (resolved) against Egypt. 13 The officials of Zoan have become fools. The leaders of Memphis (Noph) are deceived. The cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray. 14 the LORD has poured into them a spirit of dizziness. They make Egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. 15 There is nothing Egypt can do head or tail, palm branch or reed. 16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women and they will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD Almighty, which he shakes over them. 17 And the land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt, everyone to whom one mentions it will be afraid in himself because of the plan of the LORD Almighty that he is planning against him. 18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan and swear to the LORD Almighty; one shall be called the City of Ruin. 19 In that day, there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20 And it will be a sign and a witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt; when they cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them. 21 the LORD will make himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. 22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas, and will heal them. 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will come to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third together with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the earth: 25 the LORD Almighty has blessed, saying: Blessed is Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.