Isaiah 31
1 Tragedy is coming to those who appeal to Egypt for help, depending on their horses and trusting in all their chariots and charioteers! They don't look to the Holy One of Israel for help; they don't ask the Lord for advice.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and lean on horses, and trust in chariots (for they are many) and in horsemen (for they are countless). But they are not concerned about the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Yahweh!
2 Yet he's also wise! He will bring disaster and won't withdraw his orders. He will take action against this wicked nation and the evil people who help them.
Yet he is wise, and he will bring disaster and will not retract his words. He will arise against the evil house and against the helpers of those who commit sin.
3 The Egyptians are only human beings—they're not God! Their horses are only physical, not spiritual. When the Lord lifts up his hand to attack, those who came to help will stumble, and those who are helped will fall. They will all die together.
Egypt is a man and not God, their horses flesh and not spirit. When Yahweh reaches out with his hand, both the one who helps will stumble, and the one who is helped will fall; both will perish together.
4 This is what the Lord told me: It's like a young lion growling as it stands over its prey. Even though a lot of shepherds come to protest, it's not frightened off by their shouting or intimidated by all their noise. In the same way the Lord Almighty will come down to fight on Mount Zion.
This is what Yahweh says to me, “As a lion, even a young lion, growls over its torn prey, when a group of shepherds is called out against it, but it does not tremble at their voices, nor creep away from their sound; thus Yahweh of hosts will descend to fight on Mount Zion, on that hill.
5 Like birds that hover above, so the Lord Almighty will take care of Jerusalem. He will protect it and save it; he will pass over it and rescue it.
Like birds in flight, so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and rescue as he passes over it and preserves it.
6 Come back, Israelites, to the one you so blatantly rebelled against.
Return to him from whom you have deeply turned away, people of Israel.
7 For at that time every one of you will throw away all the idols of silver and gold made by your own sinful hands.
For in that day each one will get rid of his idols of silver and his idols of gold that your own hands have sinfully made.
8 The Assyrians will be killed by the sword of one who is not a man. They will destroyed by the sword of one who is not mortal. They will run away at the sight of the sword, and the young Assyrian men will be taken away as slave laborers.
Assyria will fall by the sword; a sword not wielded by man will consume him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will be forced to do hard labor.
9 Their “rock” will be scared to death, and their officers will be terrified and in panic at the sight of the battle flag, declares the Lord, who has his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
They will lose all confidence because of terror, and his princes will be afraid at the sight of Yahweh's battle flag— this is Yahweh's declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose firepot is in Jerusalem.”
