Isaiah 19:16

16 In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear in the presence of the tall hand of the LORD of the hosts, which he shall raise up over them.

Isaiah 19:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 19:16

In that day shall Egypt be like unto women
Weak and feeble, as the Targum; fearful and timorous, even their military force; and devoid of wisdom, even their princes and nobles: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the
hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it:
which the Lord may be said to do, when he lifts up his rod, and holds it over a people, and threatens them with ruin and destruction; perhaps this may refer to what was done in Judea by Sennacherib's army, which was an intimation to the Egyptians that their turn was next; and if the shaking of the Lord's hand over a people is so terrible, what must the weight of it be? Some think there is an allusion to Moses's shaking his rod over the Red sea when the Egyptians were drowned, in which the hand or power of the Lord was so visibly seen, and which now might be called to mind. Ben Melech observes, that when one man calls to another, he waves his hand to him to come to him; so here it is as if the Lord waved with his hand to the enemy to come and fight against Egypt, which caused fear and dread.

Isaiah 19:16 In-Context

14 The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in its midst, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 Neither shall it be of any value unto Egypt, any work which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

16 In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear in the presence of the tall hand of the LORD of the hosts, which he shall raise up over them.

17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt; every one that makes mention of it shall be afraid in himself because of the counsel of the LORD of the hosts which he has determined against it.

18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan and swear to the LORD of the hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.