Verse

Isaiah 19:4

ESV and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master, and a fierce king will rule over them, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.
NIV I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,' declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
NASB Furthermore, I will hand the Egyptians over to a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them,' declares the Lord God of armies.
CSB I will hand over Egypt to harsh masters, and a strong king will rule it. This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.
NLT I will hand Egypt over to a hard, cruel master. A fierce king will rule them,' says the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
KJV And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

What does Isaiah 19:4 mean?

The impact of the Lord's judgment against the spirit of the people of Egypt (Isaiah 19:1–3) will be devastating. When He incites them into division and infighting, they will turn to their false gods and occult practices. These will be of no help. Their hope and courage will be hollowed out (Isaiah 19:3).

That's when a fierce king will arrive on the scene to rule over them. A hopeless, divided people can offer little resistance against the rise of an unbending tyrant. This ruler likely will have no understanding that his reign is because of God's will. He will owe his success to the Lord God of hosts. It is the one true Lord Who will conquer the will of the people by revealing the futility of their hope in false gods and idols. It is He Who has set these people against each other.

Bible scholars differ as to which king Isaiah's prophecy refers. Some say it is impossible to know, and that this king may have been any of the many rulers which rose to power in Egypt. This tyrant could be either from within or as an invader. Others believe Isaiah was describing the moment in 671 BC When Egypt was conquered by the Assyrian king Esarhaddon.
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