God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 19:15
15No one—leaders or followers, important or unimportant— can do anything for Egypt.
Isaiah 19:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.
- New International Version (NIV)There is nothing Egypt can do— head or tail, palm branch or reed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And there will be nothing for Egypt that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Neither will there be any work for Egypt, Which the head or tail, Palm branch or bulrush, may do.
Context of Isaiah 19:15
13The leaders of Zoan are acting foolishly. The leaders of Memphis are led astray. The leaders who are the cornerstones of its tribes mislead the Egyptians. 14The Lord mixes up their minds. So they lead the Egyptians astray like a drunk who staggers in his vomit. No one—leaders or followers, important or unimportant— can do anything for Egypt. 16At that time Egyptians will act like women. They will tremble and be terrified because the Lord of Armies will shake his fist at them. 17The land of Judah will terrify the Egyptians. Whenever they are reminded of Judah, they will be terrified of it because of what the Lord of Armies is planning against it.
Read all of Isaiah 19Isaiah 19:15 word by word
וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְמִצְרַ֖יִם מַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה רֹ֥אשׁ וְזָנָ֖ב כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 19:15
- Isaiah 9:14So in one day the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branches and cattails.
- Psalms 128:2You will certainly eat what your own hands have provided. Blessings to you! May things go well for you!
- Proverbs 14:23In hard work there is always something gained, but idle talk leads only to poverty.
- Habakkuk 3:17Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle—
- Haggai 1:11I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you.
Commentaries on Isaiah 19:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15The head or tail, branch or rush - R. D. Kimchi says, there are some who suppose that these words mean the dragon's head and tail; and refer to all those who are conversant in astronomy, astrology, etc.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Neither shall there be any work - The sense is, that there shall be such discord that no man, whether a prince, a politician, or a priest, shall be able to give any advice, or form any plan for the national safety and security, which shall be successful. Which the head or tail - High or low; strong or weak: those in office and those out of office; all shall be dispirited and confounded. Rosenmuller understands by the head here, the “political” orders of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15There is nothing Egypt can do: No leader, idol, or human wisdom can stop God’s judgment. The head and the tail represented all of Egypt's leaders, from the most important to the least important (see Isaiah 9:14–15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1515. work for Egypt--nothing which Egypt can do to extricate itself from the difficulty. head or tail--high or low (Is 19:11-15, and Is 19:8-10). branch or rush--the lofty palm branch or the humble reed (Is 9:14, 15; 10:33, 34).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 19:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 19
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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