Isaiah 31:4-9

4 quia haec dicit Dominus ad me quomodo si rugiat leo et catulus leonis super praedam suam cum occurrerit ei multitudo pastorum a voce eorum non formidabit et a multitudine eorum non pavebit sic descendet Dominus exercituum ut proelietur super montem Sion et super collem eius
5 sicut aves volantes sic proteget Dominus exercituum Hierusalem protegens et liberans transiens et salvans
6 convertimini sicut in profundum recesseratis filii Israhel
7 in die enim illa abiciet vir idola argenti sui et idola auri sui quae fecerunt vobis manus vestrae in peccatum
8 et cadet Assur in gladio non viri et gladius non hominis vorabit eum et fugiet non a facie gladii et iuvenes eius vectigales erunt
9 et fortitudo eius a terrore transibit et pavebunt fugientes principes eius dixit Dominus cuius ignis est in Sion et caminus eius in Hierusalem

Isaiah 31:4-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 31

This chapter denounces woe to those that trusted in the Egyptians; assures the Jews of God's care and protection of them; calls them to repentance, and foretells the destruction of the Assyrian army. The sin of those that trusted in Egypt, with the reasons of their trust, and not looking to the Lord, and seeking him, is declared in Isa 31:1 and their folly exposed in so doing; since the Lord is wise, powerful, and unchangeable, and the Egyptians frail and weak; so that the helper and the helped must fall before him, Isa 31:2,3 whereas protection might be expected from the Lord, as is promised, whose power is like that of the lion, and whose tender care is like that of birds to defend their young, Isa 31:4,5 wherefore the Jews are called upon to return to the Lord by repentance, from whom they had revolted; which would be shown by their detestation of idolatry, the sin they had been guilty of, Isa 31:6,7 and the chapter is closed with a prophecy of the ruin of the Assyrian army, and the flight of their king, Isa 31:8,9.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.