The big picture
Isaiah 19 opens in verse 1 with “The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also…”, and closes in verse 25 with “Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the…” Repeated or prominent terms include Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 25Isaiah 19:1-7
1–7: The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and…
Isaiah 19:1–7 opens with “The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and…” and reaches “The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 19 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians, with particular weight carried by Egypt, brooks, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 19:1-7
King James Version1The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
2And 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.
3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
4And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
6And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
7The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
Isaiah 19:8-14
8–14: The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the…
Isaiah 19:8–14 opens with “The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and…” and reaches “The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 19 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians, with particular weight carried by Egypt, princes, wise.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 19:8-14
King James Version8The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.
10And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.
11Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
13The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
14The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Isaiah 19:15-21
15–21: Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail…
Isaiah 19:15–21 opens with “Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.” and reaches “And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 19 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians, with particular weight carried by LORD, Egypt, hosts.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 19:15-21
King James Version15Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.
16In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.
17And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.
18In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
19In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD .
20And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD , and perform it.
Isaiah 19:22-25
22–25: The LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall…
Isaiah 19:22–25 opens with “And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the…” and reaches “Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 19 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians, with particular weight carried by Egypt, Assyria, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD , and he shall be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 19:22-25
King James Version22And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD , and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.
23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 19:1 begins with “The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the…”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 19:12 forms a natural hinge: “Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.”
The final note
Isaiah 19:25 leaves the reader with “Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Egypt, LORD, hosts, brooks, Egyptians, land help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the narrator emphasize about the rescue?
Mercy amid hesitation and God remembering Abraham, rather than Lot's flawless judgment.
How does the ending resist a simple happy ending?
Fear and abusive choices continue after physical escape.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.