Isaiah 31

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

Woe^a to those who go down to Egypt^b for help,

who rely on horses,^c

who trust in the multitude of their chariots^d

and in the great strength of their horsemen,

but do not look to the Holy One^e of Israel,

or seek help from the Lord.^f

Yet he too is wise^g and can bring disaster;^h

he does not take back his words.ⁱ

He will rise up against the house of the wicked,^j

against those who help evildoers.

But the Egyptians^k are mortals and not God;^l

their horses^m are flesh and not spirit.

When the Lord stretches out his hand,ⁿ

those who help will stumble,

those who are helped^o will fall;

all will perish together.^p

This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lion^q growls,

a great lion over its prey—

and though a whole band of shepherds^r

is called together against it,

it is not frightened by their shouts

or disturbed by their clamor^s—

so the Lord Almighty will come down^t

to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

Like birds hovering^u overhead,

the Lord Almighty will shield^v Jerusalem;

he will shield it and deliver^w it,

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

Return,^y you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted^z against. For in that day^a every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold^b your sinful hands have made.^c

“Assyria^d will fall by no human sword;

a sword, not of mortals, will devour^e them.

They will flee before the sword

and their young men will be put to forced labor.^f

Their stronghold^g will fall because of terror;

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

declares the Lord,

whose fire^j is in Zion,

whose furnace^k is in Jerusalem.