Isaiah 19:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom;

NIV: "I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian— brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

NASB: '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.

CSB: I will provoke Egyptians against Egyptians; each will fight against his brother and each against his friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

NLT: 'I will make Egyptian fight against Egyptian — brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, province against province.

KJV: And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

NKJV: “I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; Everyone will fight against his brother, And everyone against his neighbor, City against city, kingdom against kingdom.

Isaiah has begun his oracle against Egypt. He is describing the judgment which the Lord will bring on this sometimes-great nation. It is the true Lord God, not the false idol Baal, who is riding into Egypt on a swift cloud. The Lord's arrival will terrify both the people and their idols (Isaiah 19:1).

The result of God's judgment will be the disintegration of Egypt into endless factions. The Lord is the one who will bring about this division. He will incite the people to fight each other. This will come to all levels of society, from individual people to the highest levels of government.

Historically, Egypt broke into a dozens of self-governing city-states for several centuries starting around 2200 BC. Then the nation fell into chaos again around 1785 BC. Many rulers attempted to unite the realm, but their attempts were often frustrated by the competing false gods worshipped in the various regions. The general belief for the realm was that anyone who would be king must be a god, of some kind, himself.

In this way, the Lord used the people idols against them to divide the nation in His judgment.

Isaiah 19:1–15 is an oracle against the nation of Egypt. Isaiah describes the Lord, not Egypt's imaginary god Baal, as arriving on a swift cloud to judge the nation. The hearts of the people will melt, and their spirits will be emptied out. They will turn on each other. Neither their gods nor their wise men will be able to save them. Even the Nile River will dry up. Yet, in the kingdom of the Messiah, Egypt will turn to the Lord and be blessed by Him.

Isaiah's oracle describes the Lord's coming judgment on Egypt. The idols will fear when God arrives, and the people will turn on each other. A fierce king will conquer them. The Nile River will dry up, leaving many destitute. The advisors serving Egypt's leaders will be revealed as confused fools. Far in the future, Egypt will recognize Israel's God and repent, turning to worship the Lord. Assyria will join in that worship, blessing the earth along with Egypt and Israel.

Isaiah 19 introduces the next oracle against the nations of the earth. The Lord has been showing His people not to put their trust and hope in the foreign nations or their gods. They are to trust in Him alone to save them. The Lord's arrival in Egypt reveals the worthlessness of idols and spiritists. The terrified people will turn on each other. They will become destitute when the Nile dries up and the wise are shown to be foolish. In the far future, Egypt will worship the Lord and be blessed by Him.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).