Verse

Isaiah 19:17

ESV And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the purpose that the LORD of hosts has purposed against them.
NIV And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them.
NASB The land of Judah will become a cause of shame to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in great fear because of the plan of the Lord of armies which He is making against them.
CSB The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the Lord of Armies has planned against it.
NLT Just to speak the name of Israel will terrorize them, for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has laid out his plans against them.
KJV And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.

What does Isaiah 19:17 mean?

Some in Judah thought they had found an answer to the threat of destruction from the Assyrians or the Babylonians. They considered making an alliance with Egypt, their powerful neighbors to the south. With Egypt on their side, they believed they might hold out against those powerful enemies. Yet the Lord does not want His people to put their trust in other nations or false gods of those cultures. He wants His people to trust in Him alone to save them. God has proven repeatedly that He is able to save them. Isaiah's oracle (Isaiah 19:1) has shown just how weak Egypt will be when the Lord decides to bring judgment upon them (Isaiah 19:16). Why would Judah trust in such a vulnerable people or their gods? Why would they trust in a false god who has never protected them?

Now Isaiah points forward to the future, likely the beginning of Christ the Messiah's reign on earth (Isaiah 2:1–5; Revelation 20:1–4). At this time, the Egyptians will tremble before the Lord. Judah will be the source of Egypt's terror in those days, not Assyria or the Babylonians. Everyone in Egypt will understand that they are under the threat of Israel's God, the Lord of hosts. It is His plans against them that will bring them to their knees.
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