Isaiah 19:15

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 officials of Zoan are fools, and the officials of Memphis are deluded. The leaders of the people have led Egypt astray. 14The Lord has sent a spirit of foolishness on them, so all their suggestions are wrong. They cause Egypt to stagger like a drunk in his vomit. There is nothing Egypt can do. All are helpless— the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed. 16In that day the Egyptians will be as weak as women. They will cower in fear beneath the upraised fist of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 17Just to speak the name of Israel will terrorize them, for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has laid out his plans against them.

Isaiah 19:15 word by word

וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְמִצְרַ֖יִם מַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה רֹ֥אשׁ וְזָנָ֖ב כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
• for Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• which the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• or tailזָנָבzânâb · tailH2180
• branchכִּפָּהkippâh · branchH3712
• or rushאַגְמֹן'agmôn · bulrushH100
• may doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Isaiah 19:15

• Isaiah 9:14Therefore, in a single day the Lord will destroy both the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed.
• Psalms 128:2You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
• Proverbs 14:23Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
• Habakkuk 3:17Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
• Haggai 1:11I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.

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

• War

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Rush
• Branch ;bough
• Evil
• Ezekiel
• Head
• Isaiah
• Palm Tree
• Philistines

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