American Standard Version
Isaiah 31:3
3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit: and when Jehovah shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.
Isaiah 31:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.
- New International Version (NIV)But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; And their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, Both he who helps will fall, And he who is helped will fall down; They all will perish together.
Context of Isaiah 31:3
1Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah! 2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit: and when Jehovah shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together. 4For thus saith Jehovah unto me, As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so will Jehovah of hosts come down to fight upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof. 5As birds hovering, so will Jehovah of hosts protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it, he will pass over and preserve it.
Read all of Isaiah 31Isaiah 31:3 word by word
וּמִצְרַ֤יִם אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וְסוּסֵיהֶ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וְלֹא־ר֑וּחַ וַֽיהוָ֞ה יַטֶּ֣ה יָד֗וֹ וְכָשַׁ֤ל עוֹזֵר֙ וְנָפַ֣ל עָזֻ֔ר וְיַחְדָּ֖ו כֻּלָּ֥ם יִכְלָיֽוּן׃ סRead the interlinear
- menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- horsesסוּסsûs sûs · swallowH5483
- fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- stretchנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- stumbleכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
- helpedעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
- fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
Cross-references for Isaiah 31:3
- Isaiah 36:6Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.
- Deuteronomy 32:30How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, And Jehovah had delivered them up?
- Psalms 9:20Put them in fear, O Jehovah: Let the nations know themselves to be but men. [Selah
- Psalms 146:3Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
- Ezekiel 28:9Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou art man, and not God, in the hand of him that woundeth thee.
- Acts 12:22And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
- Psalms 33:17A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth he deliver any by his great power.
- Isaiah 9:17Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is profane and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
- Jeremiah 15:6Thou hast rejected me, saith Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting.
- Ezekiel 20:33As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you.
- Jeremiah 37:7Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
Commentaries on Isaiah 31:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He that helpeth (the Egyptians) shall fall and he that is holpen (the Israelites) shall fall down-together.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Now the Egyptians are men - They are nothing but people; they have no power but such as other people possess. The idea here is, that the case in reference to which they sought aid was one in which “divine” help was indispensable, and that, therefore, they relied on the aid of the Egyptians in vain. And their horses flesh, and not spirit - There is need, not merely of “physical” strength, but of wisdom, and intelligence, and it is in vain to look for that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Isaiah delivered another vision regarding Judah’s negotiations with Egypt, which probably took place in 705–701 BC. During that time, the conquering Assyrians were on the move, threatening Judah. At first, Hezekiah tried political and military means to avert being totally conquered (see 2 Kings 18:13–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. not spirit--not of divine power (Psa 56:4; 146:3, 5; Zec 4:6). he that helpeth--Egypt. holpen--Judah.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 31:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries