Isaiah 31

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

¹Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,

who rely on horses,

who trust in the multitude of their chariots

and in the great strength of their horsemen,

but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,

or seek help from the Lord.

²Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster;

he does not take back his words.

He will rise up against that wicked nation,

against those who help evildoers.

³But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God;

their horses are flesh and not spirit.

When the Lord stretches out his hand,

those who help will stumble,

those who are helped will fall;

all will perish together.

⁴This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lion growls,

a great lion over its prey—

and though a whole band of shepherds

is called together against it,

it is not frightened by their shouts

or disturbed by their clamor—

so the Lord Almighty will come down

to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

⁵Like birds hovering overhead,

the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem;

he will shield it and deliver it,

he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”

⁶Return, you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted against. ⁷For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made.

⁸“Assyria will fall by no human sword;

a sword, not of mortals, will devour them.

They will flee before the sword

and their young men will be put to forced labor.

⁹Their stronghold will fall because of terror;

at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,”

declares the Lord,

whose fire is in Zion,

whose furnace is in Jerusalem.