Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryIsaiah 19

The Doom of Egypt This section contains a warning to Egypt, a nation that the people of Israel were often tempted to trust for help instead of relying on God. God announces that Egypt, though once a powerful ally and a place of refuge, will be humbled and brought low. The Lord describes the different ways He will judge Egypt and shows that their idols and worldly power will not be able to save them. v. 1: The Lord declares that He will ride upon a swift cloud and come into Egypt in judgment. This means God Himself will act directly against Egypt, not just through foreign armies but through His own power. When God arrives, the idols of Egypt will tremble and fail to protect their worshippers, and the Egyptians themselves will lose courage. In their desperation, they will turn to their idols and to magicians and fortune-tellers for help, but all of this will be useless (The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst) .

v. 2: God says He will cause the Egyptians to fight among themselves, turning against their own people and cities. Civil war and conflict will break out, so the nation will be weakened from within. God allows these internal divisions as a judgment, showing that no nation is secure when it turns away from Him.

v. 3: The spirit and courage of Egypt will fail. They will be confused and seek answers from idols, magicians, and fortune-tellers, but these will not help them. Instead, their confusion will only increase as they look for guidance in the wrong places (The spirit of Egypt will be emptied out in its midst, and I will destroy its counsel; and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums and the sorcerers) .

v. 4: God will give the Egyptians over to a cruel master, probably someone from among themselves who will rule harshly. This cruel ruler will be a judgment from God, showing that when people reject God's authority, He may allow them to suffer under the power of harsh human leaders.

v. 5–10: The Lord describes how He will dry up the Nile River, Egypt’s main source of life, causing the land to become barren and the people to suffer. The economy, agriculture, and fishing industry will all collapse. Craftsmen and workers will be discouraged, and everyone will feel the loss. God is showing that He is in control of nature and all nations; even a country as rich as Egypt cannot stand against His will.

v. 11–15: The leaders and wise men of Egypt will become foolish, unable to find any solution to their country’s problems. Their advice will fail, and their plans will lead to more trouble. God will confuse their leaders, so that all their efforts only make things worse.

v. 16–17: Egypt will become weak and fearful, trembling because of what the Lord is doing. Even the mention of Judah (Israel) will cause terror, because the Egyptians will know that God is with His people and that His plans cannot be stopped (the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt) (Isaiah 19:17 ). Summary: In these verses, God warns Egypt that their idols, wisdom, and strength will fail in the time of His judgment. Internal conflict, natural disasters, and failed leadership will bring the once-great nation low. God wants His people to see that trusting in human power instead of Him leads to disaster. He alone is worthy of trust and is able to judge or save any nation according to His will.

Promises to EgyptIn this section, God gives hope to Egypt after many warnings of judgment. The greatest blessing promised is not just the return of Egypt’s wealth or power, but the coming of true faith and worship of the one true God. This prophecy looks forward to a time when Egypt will know the Lord

v. 19: There will be an altar to the Lord

v. 20: There will also be a pillar to the Lord

v. 21: The Egyptians will truly know the Lord

v. 22: Even when God allows Egypt to suffer, He will also heal them when they turn to Him. God’s mercy is for all who repent and seek Him, just as He forgave and helped Israel and Nineveh in the past (Isaiah 19:22; Luke 1:74-75 ).

v. 23: There will be peace and friendship between Egypt and Assyria, two nations that were once enemies. There shall be a highway between Egypt and Assyria, and both will worship the Lord

v. 24: Israel will join Egypt and Assyria in worshipping God. The three nations will be united in faith, and together they will be a blessing to the world. God’s plan is to bring people from every nation together in His family .

v. 25: The Lord