Focused Passage

Isaiah 19:5-10

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

5 The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty.

6 The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.

7 The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the fields sown along the Nile, will wither, blow away, and be no more.

8 Then the fishermen will mourn, all who cast a hook into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the waters will pine away.

9 The workers in flax will be dismayed, and the weavers of fine linen will turn pale.

10 The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the hired workers will be sick at heart.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

The waters מַ֖יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural of the [Nile] מֵֽהַיָּ֑ם H3220 Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singular will dry up וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃ H3001 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and the riverbed וְנָהָ֖ר H5104 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will be parched יֶחֱרַ֥ב H2717 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and empty וְנִשְּׁתוּ־ H5405 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Verse 6

Original words

The canals נְהָר֔וֹת H5104 Noun - masculine plural will stink וְהֶאֶזְנִ֣יחוּ H2186 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural the streams יְאֹרֵ֣י H2975 Noun - masculine plural construct of Egypt מָצ֑וֹר H4693 Noun - proper - feminine singular will trickle דָּלֲל֥וּ H1809 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and dry up וְחָרְב֖וּ H2717 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural the reeds קָנֶ֥ה H7070 Noun - masculine singular and rushes וָס֖וּף H5488 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will wither קָמֵֽלוּ׃ H7060 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 7

Original words

The bulrushes עָר֥וֹת H6169 Noun - feminine plural by עַל־ H5921 Preposition the Nile יְא֖וֹר H2975 Noun - proper - feminine singular by עַל־ H5921 Preposition the mouth פִּ֣י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct of the river יְא֑וֹר H2975 Noun - proper - feminine singular and all וְכֹל֙ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the fields sown מִזְרַ֣ע H4218 Noun - masculine singular construct along the Nile יְא֔וֹר H2975 Noun - proper - feminine singular will wither יִיבַ֥שׁ H3001 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular blow away נִדַּ֖ף H5086 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and be no [more] וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb | third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

Then the fishermen הַדַּיָּגִ֔ים H1771 Article | Noun - masculine plural will mourn וְאָנוּ֙ H578 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who cast מַשְׁלִיכֵ֥י H7993 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct a hook חַכָּ֑ה H2443 Noun - feminine singular into the Nile בַיְא֖וֹר H2975 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular will lament וְאָ֣בְל֔וּ H56 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural and those who spread וּפֹרְשֵׂ֥י H6566 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct nets מִכְמֹ֛רֶת H4365 Noun - feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . פְּנֵי־ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct the waters מַ֖יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural will pine away אֻמְלָֽלוּ׃ H535 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 9

Original words

The workers עֹבְדֵ֥י H5647 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct in flax פִשְׁתִּ֖ים H6593 Noun - feminine plural will be dismayed וּבֹ֛שׁוּ H954 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural and the weavers וְאֹרְגִ֖ים H707 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural of fine linen שְׂרִיק֑וֹת H8305 Noun - feminine plural will turn pale חוֹרָֽי׃ H2355 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

The workers in cloth שָׁתֹתֶ֖יהָ H8356 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular will be וְהָי֥וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural dejected מְדֻכָּאִ֑ים H1792 Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the hired שֶׂ֖כֶר H7938 Noun - masculine singular workers עֹ֥שֵׂי H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct will be sick אַגְמֵי־ H99 Noun - masculine plural construct at heart נָֽפֶשׁ׃ H5315 Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or Its pillars

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.