Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah 31:3
3But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish 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 those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. 2Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers. But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together. 4For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey— and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor— so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights. 5Like birds hovering overhead, so the LORD of Hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will shield it and deliver it; He will pass over it 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
- But the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- are menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- their horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- are fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- When the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- stretches outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- His handיָדyâd · handH3027
- the helperעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
- will stumbleכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
- will fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- bothכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- will perishכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: destroyH3615
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
Cross-references for Isaiah 31:3
- Isaiah 36:6Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
- Deuteronomy 32:30How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
- Psalms 9:20Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah
- Psalms 146:3Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.
- Ezekiel 28:9Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.
- Acts 12:22And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- Psalms 33:17A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.
- Isaiah 9:17Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Jeremiah 15:6You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.
- Ezekiel 20:33As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.
- Jeremiah 37:7“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.
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
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