Isaiah 19:2-12

2 I will stir up the Mitzrim against the Mitzrim: and they shall fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, [and] kingdom against kingdom.
3 The spirit of Mitzrayim shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
4 I will give over the Mitzrim into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Lord, the LORD of Hosts.
5 The waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and become dry.
6 The rivers shall become foul; the streams of Mitzrayim shall be diminished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither away.
7 The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishermen shall lament, and all those who cast angle into the Nile shall mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters shall languish.
9 Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, shall be confounded.
10 The pillars [of Mitzrayim] shall be broken in pieces; all those who work for hire [shall be] grieved in soul.
11 The princes of Tzo`an are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Par`oh is become brutish: how do you say to Par`oh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 Where then are your wise men? and let them tell you now; and let them know what the LORD of Hosts has purposed concerning Mitzrayim.

Isaiah 19:2-12 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.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.