Isaías 31:3

3 Y el egipcio hombre es, no Dios; y sus caballos carne, y no espíritu, de manera que al extender el SEÑOR su mano, caerá el ayudador, y caerá el ayudado, y todos ellos desfallecerán a una

Isaías 31:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 31:3

Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God
Be it that they are mighty, they are not mighty, as God is; and indeed they are but frail, feeble, mortal, and mutable men, and therefore not to be trusted in, and depended on; or to be put upon an equality with God, and even to be preferred to him, as they were by the Jews; and of what use and service could they be unto them, seeing God was against them?

and their horses flesh, and not spirit;
only flesh, without an immortal soul or spirit, which man has; and therefore a foolish thing in man to trust in them, who must be entirely guided and directed by them; and much less angelic spirits, or like them, which are incorporeal, invisible, and exceedingly mighty and powerful, which excel all creatures in strength, and are called the mighty angels; these are God's cavalry, his horses and chariots; see ( Psalms 68:17 ) ( Habakkuk 3:8 Habakkuk 3:15 ) and what mighty things have been done by them, even by a single one? Witness the destruction of the Assyrian army, in one night, by one of them; wherefore the Egyptian cavalry was not to be named with them ^F17:

When the Lord shall stretch out his hand;
as soon as he does it, before he strikes, and when he does this in order to it:

both he that helpeth shall fall;
or "stumble", take a false step; meaning the Egyptians, sent for and come forth to help the Jews; but, stumbling and falling themselves, would be but poor assistants to them. Aben Ezra interprets this of the king of Assyria destroying the Egyptians, when he came to Jerusalem:

and he that is holpen shall fall down;
the Jews, helped by the Egyptians, who should fall, and be destroyed, though not now; yet hereafter by the Chaldeans, as they were:

and they all shall fail together;
both the Egyptians and the Jews.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 So Ben Melech interprets "spirit" of an angel, as he does the word "God" in the preceding clause.

Isaías 31:3 In-Context

1 ¡Ay de los que descienden a Egipto por ayuda; y confían en caballos; y en carros ponen su esperanza, porque son muchos; y en caballeros, porque son valientes; y no miraron al Santo de Israel, ni buscaron al SEÑOR

2 Mas él también es sabio, para guiar el mal, ni hará mentirosas sus palabras. Se levantará, pues, contra la casa de los malignos, y contra el auxilio de los obradores de iniquidad

3 Y el egipcio hombre es, no Dios; y sus caballos carne, y no espíritu, de manera que al extender el SEÑOR su mano, caerá el ayudador, y caerá el ayudado, y todos ellos desfallecerán a una

4 Porque el SEÑOR me dijo a mí de esta manera: Como el león, y el cachorro del león, brama sobre su presa, contra el cual, si se llega cuadrilla de pastores, no temerá por sus voces, ni se acobardará por el tropel de ellos; así el SEÑOR de los ejércitos descenderá a pelear por el Monte de Sion, y por su collado

5 Como las aves que vuelan, así amparará el SEÑOR de los ejércitos a Jerusalén, amparando, librando, pasando, y salvando