Isaiah 19:9

9 Those who work with flax will be dismayed; the combers and weavers will turn pale.^[a]

Isaiah 19:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 19:9

Moreover they that work in fine flax
Of which they made fine linen cloth, and yarn, and was much wore by the Egyptians, and was the commodity of the country, and for which other nations traded with them, ( 1 Kings 10:28 ) ( Ezekiel 27:7 ) but now would have no flax to work, that being withered and gone which was sown by the sides of the brooks, ( Isaiah 19:7 Isaiah 19:15 ) and no linen cloth or yarn to sell, and consequently in great confusion and distress, as they are here represented ^F12. The Targum renders the whole verse thus,

``they shall be confounded which work flax, which they comb, and of it weave nets;''

and so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, not of persons that wrought in flax, to make yarn or linen of it; but who combed it, to make nets of it, as follows: and they that weave networks shall be confounded:
because they would have no sale for their nets, the fishermen having no use for them, the rivers being dried up. The word for "networks" signifies "holes", because nets are made with holes large enough to let the water through, and so small that the fishes may not get out. Some render the word "white works" ^F13, white linen, white cloth, of which white garments are made, such as nobles and princes formerly wore; hence, in the Hebrew language, they are called by a name of the same root and signification; but the former sense seems best.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F12 (twqyrv) is by us rendered "fine"; and so, Ben Melech says, in the Arabic language the best and finest linen is called (qrvla) ; and so says Kimchi in Sepher Shorash.; with which Schindler agrees, Arab. (qrvla) , sericum or "muslin"; but it is a question whether this is of so early a date, and especially not fit to make nets of. De Dieu and Bochart think it denotes the colour of the linen, which was yellow, that being the best; but others render it "combed".
F13 (yrwx Mygrwaw) "et textores alborum operum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Isaiah 19:9 In-Context

7 The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the cultivated areas of the Nile will wither, blow away, and vanish.

8 Then the fishermen will mourn. All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up.

9 Those who work with flax will be dismayed; the combers and weavers will turn pale.

10 [Egypt's] weavers will be dejected; all her wage earners will be demoralized.

11 The princes of Zoan are complete fools; Pharaoh's wisest advisers give stupid advice! How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the wise, a student of eastern kings."

Footnotes

• [a]. DSS, Tg; MT reads weavers of white cloth