Isaiah 31

Contemporary English Version

Don't Trust the Power of Egypt

31 You are in for trouble
    if you go to Egypt for help,
or if you depend on
an army of chariots
    or a powerful cavalry.
Instead you should depend on
and trust the holy Lord God
    of Israel.
²The Lord isn't stupid!
He does what he promises,
    and he can bring doom.
If you are cruel yourself,
or help those who are evil,
    you will be destroyed.

³The Egyptians are mere humans.
    They aren't God.
Their horses are made of flesh;
    they can't live forever.
When the Lord shows his power,
he will destroy the Egyptians
    and all who depend on them.
Together they will fall.

⁴The Lord All-Powerful
    said to me,
“I will roar and attack
    like a fearless lion
not frightened by the shouts
of shepherds trying to protect
    their sheep.
That's how I will come down
    and fight on Mount Zion.
⁵I, the Lord All-Powerful,
    will protect Jerusalem
like a mother bird circling
    over her nest.”

Come Back to the Lord

⁶People of Israel, come back!
You have completely turned
    from the Lord.
⁷The time is coming
    when you will throw away
your idols of silver and gold,
    made by your sinful hands.

⁸The Assyrians will be killed,
but not by the swords
    of humans.
Their young men will try
    to escape,
but they will be captured
    and forced into slavery.
⁹Their fortress^[a] will fall
    when terror strikes;
their army officers
will be frightened
    and run from the battle.
This is what the Lord has said,
the Lord whose fiery furnace
    is built on Mount Zion.

Footnotes

31.9 fortress: The Hebrew text has “rock,” which may refer to the Assyrian god or king, or to their army.

Isaiah 31

New International Reader's Version

The Lord Will Judge Those Who Depend on Egypt

31 How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help!
    How terrible for those who depend on horses!
They trust in how many chariots they have.
    They trust in how strong their horsemen are.
But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel.
    They don’t ask the Lord for his help.
²He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble.
    He does what he says he’ll do.
He’ll rise up against that evil nation.
    He’ll fight against those who help them.
³The men of Egypt are only human beings.
    They aren’t God.
Their horses are only flesh and blood.
    They aren’t spirits.
The Lord will reach out his powerful hand
    to punish everyone.
The Egyptians provide help.
    But they will be tripped up.
The people of Judah receive the help.
    But they will fall down.
    All of them will be destroyed.

⁴The Lord says to me,

“A powerful lion stands over its food and growls.
    A lot of shepherds can be brought together to drive it away.
But the lion is not frightened by their shouts.
    It is not upset by the noise they make.
In the same way, I will come down from heaven.
    I will fight on Mount Zion and on its hills.
Nothing will drive me away.
    I am the Lord who rules over all.
⁵Like a bird hovering over its nest, I will guard Jerusalem.
    I will keep it safe.
I will ‘pass over’ it and save it.
    I am the Lord who rules over all.”

⁶People of Israel, return to the Lord. He’s the God you have so strongly opposed. ⁷You sinned when you made your gods out of silver and gold. The time will come when all of you will turn away from them.

⁸The Lord says, “The Assyrians will be killed by swords.
    But the swords that kill them will not be used by human beings.
The Assyrians will run away from those swords.
    But their young men will be caught
    and forced to work hard.
⁹Their hiding places will be destroyed
    when terror strikes them.
Their commanders will see their enemy’s battle flags.
    Then they will be filled with panic,”
    announces the Lord.
His fire blazes out from Mount Zion.
    His furnace burns in Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)