Isaiah 31:1-7

1 Woe to those that go down to Egypt for help; and trust in horses and place their hope in chariots because they are many and in horsemen, because they are valiant, but they did not look unto the Holy One of Israel, neither did they seek the LORD!

2 Yet he also is wise to guide evil and will not cause his words to lie but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the help of those that work iniquity.

3 Now the Egyptian is a man, and not God, and his horses flesh, and not spirit, so that as the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helps shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they shall all fail together.

4 For thus has the LORD spoken unto me, Like the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, even if a multitude of shepherds come forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voices, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of the hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion and for his hill.

5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of the hosts defend Jerusalem; defending, delivering, passing over, and saving it.

6 Turn ye unto him against whom ye have deeply revolted, O sons of Israel.

7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you as a sin.

Isaiah 31:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 31

This chapter denounces woe to those that trusted in the Egyptians; assures the Jews of God's care and protection of them; calls them to repentance, and foretells the destruction of the Assyrian army. The sin of those that trusted in Egypt, with the reasons of their trust, and not looking to the Lord, and seeking him, is declared in Isa 31:1 and their folly exposed in so doing; since the Lord is wise, powerful, and unchangeable, and the Egyptians frail and weak; so that the helper and the helped must fall before him, Isa 31:2,3 whereas protection might be expected from the Lord, as is promised, whose power is like that of the lion, and whose tender care is like that of birds to defend their young, Isa 31:4,5 wherefore the Jews are called upon to return to the Lord by repentance, from whom they had revolted; which would be shown by their detestation of idolatry, the sin they had been guilty of, Isa 31:6,7 and the chapter is closed with a prophecy of the ruin of the Assyrian army, and the flight of their king, Isa 31:8,9.