Isaiah uniquely juxtaposes Egypt's "horses" and "chariots" with God's protective "wings" (v. 5), contrasting earthly military might with divine maternal imagery.
Isaiah 31
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek the LORD!
2Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of those who work iniquity.
3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble, and he who is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.
4For the LORD says to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for their noise, so the LORD of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5As birds hovering, so the LORD of Armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it. He will pass over and preserve it.”
6Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel.
7For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.
8“The Assyrian will fall by the sword, not of man; and the sword, not of mankind, shall devour him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become subject to forced labor.
9His rock will pass away by reason of terror, and his princes will be afraid of the banner,” says the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
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Theme
Isaiah condemns Judah's alliance with Egypt against Assyria, warning that relying on human military power instead of trusting in the LORD will lead to disaster. The prophet contrasts Egypt's mortal limitations with God's divine power, using imagery of a lion protecting its prey and birds hovering over their young to describe how the LORD will defend Jerusalem. The chapter concludes with a call to repentance and a promise that Assyria will fall by divine intervention, not human warfare.
Context
This chapter continues the series of woe oracles begun in chapter 28, specifically addressing the political crisis of Judah's temptation to ally with Egypt against the Assyrian threat.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-3 Condemnation of Egyptian Alliance Isaiah pronounces woe on those who trust in Egypt's military might rather than seeking the LORD's help.
- 4-5 Divine Protection Promised God promises to defend Jerusalem like a lion guarding prey and birds protecting their young.
- 6-7 Call to Repentance The prophet urges Israel to return to God and abandon their idols of silver and gold.
- 8-9 Assyria's Divine Defeat God declares that Assyria will fall by supernatural means, not by human sword or warfare.
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
31:1–31:9 prophecy warning
A warning against trusting in Egypt's military power instead of God, with promises of divine protection for Jerusalem and judgment on Assyria.
theme_rarity
Isaiah uniquely juxtaposes Egypt's "horses" and "chariots" with God's protective "wings" (v. 5), contrasting earthly military might with divine maternal imagery.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Isaiah 31:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 16:8 Lexical
Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied o…
2 Samuel 1:6 Lexical
The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and be…
Isaiah 30:12 Lexical
Therefore the Holy One of Israel says, “Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rel…
Isaiah 36:9 Lexical
How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for…
2 Kings 18:24 Lexical
How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for…
Isaiah 31:2 1 reference
Isaiah 31:3 3 references
Lexicals 3
Numbers 16:22 Lexical
They fell on their faces, and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry…
Jeremiah 46:12 Lexical
The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mig…
Psalms 27:2 Lexical
When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
Isaiah 31:4 5 references
Lexicals 5
Amos 3:4 Lexical
Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
Ezekiel 19:6 Lexical
He went up and down among the lions. He became a young lion. He learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.
Isaiah 29:8 Lexical
It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn’t satisfied; or like wh…
Judges 14:5 Lexical
Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young…
Job 4:10 Lexical
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
Isaiah 31:7 1 reference
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v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
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