English Standard Version
Isaiah 31:1
1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!
Isaiah 31:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay 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 the Lord!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!
- New Living Translation (NLT)What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
Context of Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! 2And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity. 3The 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.
Read all of Isaiah 31Isaiah 31:1 word by word
ה֣וֹי הַיֹּרְדִ֤ים מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה עַל־סוּסִ֖ים יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּ וַיִּבְטְח֨וּ עַל־רֶ֜כֶב כִּ֣י רָ֗ב וְעַ֤ל פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ כִּֽי־עָצְמ֣וּ מְאֹ֔ד וְלֹ֤א שָׁעוּ֙ עַל־קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- to them that go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- for helpעֶזְרָה‛ezrâh ‛ezrâth · helpH5833
- and stayשָׁעַןshâ‛an · to leanH8172
- on horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and trustבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- in chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- and in horsemenפָּרָשׁpârâsh · horsemanH6571
- because they are veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- strongעָצֹם‛âtsam · be vastH6105
- but they lookשָׁעָהshâ‛âh · to gazeH8159
- not unto the Holy Oneקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- neither seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Isaiah 31:1
- Isaiah 30:1"Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
- Isaiah 36:6Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
- Isaiah 57:9You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol.
- Ezekiel 17:15But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?
- Hosea 11:5They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me.
- Isaiah 30:16and you said, "No! We will flee upon horses"; therefore you shall flee away; and, "We will ride upon swift steeds"; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
- Isaiah 36:9How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
- Deuteronomy 17:16Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never return that way again.'
- Psalms 20:7Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
- Psalms 33:16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
- Isaiah 5:12They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord, or see the work of his hands.
- Isaiah 17:7In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 22:11You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.
- 2 Chronicles 16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.
- Jeremiah 2:13for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
- Jeremiah 17:5Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.
Commentaries on Isaiah 31:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Wo to them that go down to Egypt - This is a reproof to the Israelites for forming an alliance with the Egyptians, and not trusting in the Lord. And stay on horses "Who trust in horses" - For ועל veal, and upon, first twenty MSS. of Kennicott's, thirty of De Rossi's, one of my own, and the Septuagint, Arabic, and Vulgate, read על al, upon, without the conjunction, which disturbs the sense.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Wo - (see the note at Isaiah 30:1). To them that go down to Egypt - (see the note at Isaiah 30:2). And stay on horses - (see the note at Isaiah 30:16). And trust in chariots - (see the note at Isaiah 21:7). That they were often used in war, is apparent from the following places Joshua 11:4; Judges 1:19; 1 Samuel 13:5; 2 Samuel 8:4. Because they are many - Because they hope to secure the aid of many. See the references above. It is evident that their…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The sin and folly of seeking help from Egypt. (Is. 31:1-5) God's care for Jerusalem. (Is. 31:6-9) Verses 1-5 God will oppose the help sought from workers of iniquity. Sinners may be convicted of folly by plain and self-evident truths, which they cannot deny, but will not believe. There is no escaping the judgments of God; and evil pursues sinners. The Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will appear for the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Woe: This is the fifth of the six woes (see study note on Isaiah 28:1–33:24). seek the LORD: This suggests seeking God's guidance with a worshipful attitude (see Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 105:3–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91. and stay on horses, and trust in chariots--In their level and fertile plains horses could easily be used and fed (Ex 14:9; 1Ki 10:28). In hilly Palestine horses were not so easily had or available. The Jews were therefore the more eager to get Egyptian chariots as allies against the Assyrian cavalry. In Assyrian sculptures chariots are represented drawn by three horses, and with three men in them (see Is 36:9; Psa 20:7; Da 9:13).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 31:1
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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