Isaiah

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

1Trouble is coming to those who go down to Egypt for help. They lean on horses and trust in chariots because there are so many. They trust in horsemen because they are so strong. But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not ask the LORD for anything.

2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

2But God is wise too. He will bring disaster, and he will not take back what he has said. He will rise up against the household of those who do wrong, and against everyone who helps people who do evil.

NoteIn 1611 English, "evil" here means disaster or ruin — the trouble God sends — not wickedness.

3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

3The Egyptians are only people, not God. Their horses are only flesh and blood, not spirit. When the LORD reaches out his hand, the one who helps will stumble, and the one being helped will fall. They will all go down together.

4For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

4This is what the LORD said to me. A lion, even a young lion, growls over the animal it has caught. A whole crowd of shepherds is called out to drive it off. The lion is not scared by their shouting or bothered by their noise. In the same way the LORD of Heaven's Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and its hill.

5As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

5Like birds flying above their nest, the LORD of Heaven's Armies will guard Jerusalem. He will shield it and rescue it. He will pass over it and keep it safe.

Note"Passing over" pictures a bird hovering over its nest to protect it, the same picture as the first half of the verse.

6Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

6People of Israel, come back to the God you have turned away from so completely.

7For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.

7On that day every one of you will throw away your idols of silver and your idols of gold. Your own hands made them, and making them was a sin.

8Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.

8Then Assyria will fall by a sword, but not a soldier's sword. A sword will destroy them, but it will not be a human sword. They will run away from that sword, and their young men will be put to forced labor.

NoteThe KJV says "not a mean man." Back then "mean" meant ordinary or low-ranking, not cruel. The point is that no human sword will do this.

9And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

9Their rock of safety will crumble in terror. Their leaders will panic at the sight of the battle flag. This is what the LORD says, whose fire burns in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.