Isaiah 19:13

13 The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived; the cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray.

Isaiah 19:13 in Other Translations

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools, and the princes of Memphis are deluded; those who are the cornerstones of her tribes have made Egypt stagger.

13 The officials of Zoan are fools, and the officials of Memphis are deluded. The leaders of the people have led Egypt astray.

13 As it is, the princes of Zoan are all fools and the princes of Memphis, dunces. The honored pillars of your society have led Egypt into detours and dead ends.

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes.

13 The leaders of Zoan are acting foolishly. The leaders of Memphis are led astray. The leaders who are the cornerstones of its tribes mislead the Egyptians.

13 The princes of Zoan have been fools; the princes of Memphis are deceived. Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.

13 The officials of Zoan have become foolish. The leaders of Memphis have been lied to. The most important leaders in Egypt have led its people down the wrong path.

Isaiah 19:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 19:13

The princes of Zoan are become fools
Or infatuated, in their counsels to Pharaoh, and by giving heed to the magicians and diviners; (See Gill on Isaiah 19:11): the princes of Noph are deceived;
called Moph, in ( Hosea 9:6 ) where our translation renders it Memphis; and so do the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions here; the Arabic version has it Menphis; the Syriac version Mophis; and the Targum Mephes; the city of Memphis is no doubt intended, which was the chief of the first of the nomes or provinces of Egypt, from whence it was called Memphites: it was the metropolis of upper Egypt, and the seat of their kings and princes; it was built by their first king Menes ^F20, or Mizraim, and had in it the famous temple of Vulcan; it continues to this day, and goes by the name of Alkair, or Grand Cairo: they have also seduced Egypt;
the princes of the above places, being deceived themselves by the diviners and astrologers, deceived the common people that inhabited the nomes and provinces where they dwelt; it being usual with such to follow their superiors in principle and practice: [even they that are] the stay of the tribes thereof;
or, "who are the corner of its tribes" ^F21; meaning the nomes or provinces of Egypt, especially the Tanitic and Memphitic nomes, whose provinces are mentioned; these are called tribes by the prophet, in the language of the Jews, which land were divided into tribes, as the land of Egypt was divided into nomes; and about this time it was divided into twelve kingdoms, as Israel was into twelve tribes: now, the princes of these tribes and kingdoms, who should have been as cornerstones, to which civil magistrates are compared, see ( Psalms 118:22 ) ( Zechariah 10:4 ) the stay and support of the people, and should have kept them right, these led them wrong, into mistakes and errors.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Ib. (Herodot. l. 2.) c. 99.
F21 (hyjbv tnp) "angulus [vel] tribuum ejus"; so some in Vatablus.

Isaiah 19:13 In-Context

11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings”?

12 Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make known what the LORD Almighty has planned against Egypt.

13 The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived; the cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray.

14 The LORD has poured into them a spirit of dizziness; they make Egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit.

15 There is nothing Egypt can do— head or tail, palm branch or reed.

Cross References

• 1. S Numbers 13:22
• 2. Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 44:1; Jeremiah 46:14,19; Ezekiel 30:13,16; Hosea 9:6
• 3. S Psalms 118:22