The Lord, the Only Help

31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help t

and who depend on horses!

They trust in the abundance of chariots

and in the large number of horsemen. u

They do not look v to the Holy One of Israel

and they do not seek the Lord’s help.

2 But He also is wise and brings disaster. w

He does not go back on what He says; x

He will rise up against the house of wicked men

and against the allies of evildoers.

3 Egyptians are men, not God;

their horses are flesh, not spirit.

When the Lord raises His hand to strike,

the helper will stumble

and the one who is helped will fall;

both will perish together.

4 For this is what the Lord said to me:

As a lion or young lion growls over its prey y

when a band of shepherds is called out against it,

and is not terrified by their shouting

or subdued by their noise,

so the Lord of * Hosts will come down

to fight on Mount * Zion

and on its hill. z

5 Like hovering birds,

so the Lord of Hosts will protect Jerusalem a—

by protecting it, He will rescue it,

by sparing it, He will deliver it.

6 Return to the One the Israelites have greatly rebelled against. b 7 For on that day, every one of you will reject the silver and gold idols that your own hands have sinfully made. c

8 Then Assyria will fall,

but not by human sword;

a sword will devour him,

but not one made by man. d

He will flee from the sword;

his young men will be put to forced labor. e

9 His rock f will pass away because of fear, g

and his officers will be afraid because of the signal flag. h

This is the Lord’s declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. i