Focused Passage

Isaiah 19:11-15

The Oracle Against Egypt, the Collapse of False Wisdom, and the Healing of the Nations

The chapter moves from the LORD riding on a swift cloud into Egypt, to idols trembling and hearts melting, to internal conflict and harsh rule, to the drying of the Nile and collapse of Egypt’s economy, to the humiliation of Egypt’s wisdom and leaders, to Egypt fearing Judah and the LORD, to cities speaking Canaan’s language, to altar and pillar worship, to Egypt crying to the LORD and being delivered, to the LORD striking and healing Egypt, and finally to a highway of worship joining Egypt, Assyria, and Israel under blessing.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11 The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?

12 Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you and reveal what the LORD of Hosts has planned against Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan have become fools; the princes of Memphis are deceived. The cornerstones of her tribes have led Egypt astray.

14 The LORD has poured into her a spirit of confusion. Egypt has been led astray in all she does, as a drunkard staggers through his own vomit.

15 There is nothing Egypt can do—head or tail, palm or reed.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Cross-references

Psalms 33:10 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 3:19 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 15:31 Classic cross-references Isaiah 30:4 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 OliveGrove study links Colossians 2:3 OliveGrove study links James 1:5 OliveGrove study links

Original words

The princes שָׂ֣רֵי H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct of Zoan צֹ֔עַן H6814 Noun - proper - feminine singular are mere אַךְ־ H389 Adverb fools אֱוִלִים֙ H191 Noun - masculine plural Pharaoh’s פַרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular wise חַכְמֵי֙ H2450 Adjective - masculine plural construct counselors עֵצָ֖ה H6098 Noun - feminine singular give senseless נִבְעָרָ֑ה H1197 Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular advice יֹעֲצֵ֣י H6098 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct How אֵ֚יךְ H349 Interjection can you say תֹּאמְר֣וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am one בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of the wise חֲכָמִ֥ים H2450 Adjective - masculine plural a son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of eastern קֶֽדֶם׃ H6924 Noun - masculine singular kings מַלְכֵי־ H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct

Verse 12

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 1:20 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 OliveGrove study links Colossians 2:3 OliveGrove study links James 1:5 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Where אַיָּם֙ H335 Interrogative | third person masculine plural are your wise men חֲכָמֶ֔יךָ H2450 Adjective - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular now אֵפ֣וֹא H645 Conjunction Let them tell וְיַגִּ֥ידוּ H5046 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . נָ֖א H4994 Interjection you לָ֑ךְ Preposition | second person feminine singular and reveal וְיֵ֣דְע֔וּ H3045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural what מַה־ H4100 Interrogative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural has planned יָּעַ֛ץ H3289 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular against עַל־ H5921 Preposition Egypt מִצְרָֽיִם׃ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

Ezekiel 30:13 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:16 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 44:1 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:14 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:19 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 OliveGrove study links Colossians 2:3 OliveGrove study links James 1:5 OliveGrove study links

Original words

The princes שָׂ֣רֵי H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct of Zoan צֹ֔עַן H6814 Noun - proper - feminine singular have become fools נֽוֹאֲלוּ֙ H2973 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural the princes שָׂ֣רֵי H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct of Memphis נֹ֑ף H5297 Noun - proper - feminine singular are deceived נִשְּׁא֖וּ H5377 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural The cornerstones פִּנַּ֥ת H6438 Noun - feminine singular construct of her tribes שְׁבָטֶֽיהָ׃ H7626 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular have led Egypt מִצְרַ֖יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular astray הִתְע֥וּ H8582 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker

BSB notes

LXX; Hebrew Noph

Verse 14

Cross-references

Isaiah 24:20 Classic cross-references Isaiah 29:9 Classic cross-references Psalms 107:27 Classic cross-references 1 Kings 22:20 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 18:22 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 OliveGrove study links Colossians 2:3 OliveGrove study links James 1:5 OliveGrove study links

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has poured מָסַ֥ךְ H4537 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular into her בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular a spirit ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of confusion עִוְעִ֑ים H5773 Noun - masculine plural Egypt מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular has been led astray וְהִתְע֤וּ H8582 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker in all בְּכָֽל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct she does מַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ H4639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular as a drunkard שִׁכּ֖וֹר H7910 Adjective - masculine singular staggers through כְּהִתָּע֥וֹת H8582 Preposition-k | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct his own vomit בְּקִיאֽוֹ׃ H6892 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Isaiah 9:14 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 OliveGrove study links Colossians 2:3 OliveGrove study links James 1:5 OliveGrove study links

Original words

There is יִהְיֶ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular nothing וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Egypt לְמִצְרַ֖יִם H4714 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular can do יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - מַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה H4639 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֧ר H834 Pronoun - relative head רֹ֥אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular or tail וְזָנָ֖ב H2180 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular palm כִּפָּ֥ה H3712 Noun - feminine singular or reed וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃ס H100 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

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