^19:18At that time five cities³¹ in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.³²^19:19At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar³³ dedicated to the Lord at its border. ^19:20It³⁴ will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of³⁵ the Lord who commands armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender³⁶ who will rescue them. ^19:21The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they³⁷ will acknowledge the Lord’s authority³⁸ at that time.³⁹ They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. ^19:22The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord and he will listen to their prayers⁴⁰ and heal them.

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Footnotes

31 The significance of the number “five” in this context is uncertain. For a discussion of various proposals, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (), 1:.
32 The Hebrew text has עִיר הַהֶרֶס (’ir haheres, “City of Destruction”; cf. , ) but this does not fit the positive emphasis of vv. 18–22. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and some medieval Hebrew read עִיר הָחֶרֶס (’ir hakheres, “City of the Sun,” i.e., Heliopolis). This reading also finds support from Symmachus’ Greek version, the , and the . See חֶרֶס and II חֶרֶס.
33 This word is sometimes used of a sacred pillar associated with pagan worship, but here it is associated with the worship of the Lord.
34 The masculine noun מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbbeakh, “altar”) in v. 19 is probably the subject of the masculine singular verb הָיָה (hayah) rather than the feminine noun מַצֵּבָה (matsevah, “sacred pillar”), also in v. 19.
35 Heb “a sign and a witness to the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] in the land of Egypt.”
36 רָב (rav) is a substantival participle (from רִיב, riv) meaning “one who strives, contends.”
37 Heb “Egypt.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, the present translation uses the pronoun (“they”) here.
38 Heb “will know the Lord.”
39 Heb “in that day” (so ), likewise at the beginning of vv. 23 and 24.
40 Heb “he will be entreated.” The Niphal has a tolerative sense here, “he will allow himself to be entreated.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them. The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Armies. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun.

On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near her border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will turn to the Lord, and he will be receptive to their prayers and heal them.

NLTNew Living Translation

In that day five of Egypt’s cities will follow the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. They will even begin to speak Hebrew, the language of Canaan. One of these cities will be Heliopolis, the City of the Sun.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and there will be a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is worshiped in the land of Egypt. When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them. The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians. Yes, they will know the Lord and will give their sacrifices and offerings to him. They will make a vow to the Lord and will keep it. The Lord will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

On that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear an oath to Yahweh of hosts. One will be called “City of the Sun.”

On that day, there will be an altar for Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a stone pillar for Yahweh at her border. And it will be a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry out to Yahweh because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them. And Yahweh will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know Yahweh on that day, and they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to Yahweh, and they will fulfill them. And Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing; and they will return to Yahweh, and he will respond to their prayer, and he will heal them.

KJV 1900King James Version

In 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.

In 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.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

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