Isaiah 19:19-25

19 In that day the altar of the Lord shall be in the midst of the land of Egypt, and the title of the Lord shall be beside the end thereof; (On that day the altar of the Lord shall be in the midst of the land of Egypt, and the pillar of the Lord shall be there at the border;)

20 and it shall be into a sign and witnessing to the Lord of hosts, in the land of Egypt. For they shall cry to the Lord from the face of the troubler, and he shall send a saviour to them, and a for-fighter, that shall deliver them. (and it shall be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts, in the land of Egypt. And when they shall cry to the Lord in the face of the troubler, he shall send a saviour to them, a fighter for them, who shall save them.)

21 And the Lord shall be known of Egypt, and Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day; and they shall worship him in sacrifices and gifts, and they shall make vows to the Lord, and they shall pay. (And the Lord shall make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall acknowledge the Lord on that day; and they shall worship him with sacrifices and gifts, and they shall make vows to the Lord, and they shall pay them.)

22 And the Lord shall smite Egypt with a wound, and (then) shall make it whole; and [the] Egyptians shall turn again to the Lord, and he shall be pleased in them, and he shall make them whole. (And the Lord shall strike Egypt with a wound, and then shall make it whole; and the Egyptians shall return to the Lord, and he shall be pleased with them, and he shall make them whole.)

23 In that day a way shall be from Egypt into Assyrians, and Egyptians shall serve Assur; and Assur shall enter into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyrians. (On that day there shall be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall go to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall go to Assyria, and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians.)

24 In that day Israel shall be the third to Egypt and to Assur, the blessing in the middle of [the] earth; (On that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, and shall be a blessing in the middle of the world;)

25 whom the Lord of hosts blessed, saying, Blessed be my people of Egypt, and the work of mine hands be to Assyrians; but mine heritage be to Israel. (whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be my peoples of Egypt, and of Assyria, the work of my hands; and my inheritance Israel, yea, my possession.)

Isaiah 19:19-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 19

This chapter contains prophecies of various calamities that should come upon Egypt in a short time, and of the conversion of many of them to Christ in Gospel times. The calamities are many; the Lord's coming unto them, which their gods cannot prevent, nor stand before, nor save them, and at which the hearts of the Egyptians are dispirited, Isa 19:1 civil wars among themselves, Isa 19:2 want of counsel, which sends them to idols and wizards, but in vain, Isa 19:3 subjection to a cruel lord, Isa 19:4 drying up of their rivers and waters, so that the paper reeds wither, and fishes die; and hence no business for fishermen, nor for workers in flax, or weavers of nets, Isa 19:5-10,15 the stupidity of their princes and wise counsellors, given up by the Lord to a perverse spirit, so that they concerted wrong measures, and deceived the people, Isa 19:11-14 a general consternation among them, because of the hand and counsel of the Lord; and because of the Lord's people, the Jews, who were a terror to them, Isa 19:16,17 and then follows the prophecy of their conversion in later times, which is signified by their speaking the language of Canaan, and swearing to the Lord, Isa 19:18 by their erecting an altar, and a pillar to the Lord, which should be a sign and witness to him; and by their crying to him, and his sending them a Saviour, and a great one, Isa 19:19,20 by his being known unto them, by their offering sacrifice to him, and by his smiting and healing them Isa 19:21,22 and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy of that harmony, and agreement, and fellowship, that shall be between Jew and Gentile, between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel; and that the blessing of God should be upon them all, Isa 19:23-25.