Isaiah 31:2,3

‘Those who may help’ refers to the *Egyptians. ‘Evil people’ here describes the people of God, because they are refusing to obey the *Lord.

God will defend *Jerusalem

v4 (The *Lord gave Isaiah this message.) People could call for a whole crowd of shepherds to shout very loudly. But a hungry lion will not leave a sheep that it has killed to eat. Their cries will never force the lion to leave that meat behind. In the same manner, nothing can stop what the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) intends to do. He will come down to fight on behalf of *Mount Zion. He will protect *Jerusalem from the *Assyrian army’s attack. v5 Just as a bird flies above its nest to protect its young birds, so the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) will defend *Jerusalem. He will be over it. He will rescue it from the enemy.

v6 People in Israel, return to the *Lord. You have seriously offended him by your wicked practices. v7 The time is coming when you will throw away all your evil images of silver and gold. You made them with your own hands. That was a wicked thing to do.

v8 The *Assyrian soldiers will die by the sword. But it will not be by a sword that any man holds. The enemy will try to escape from this danger. But it will be in vain. The soldiers will become prisoners. And they will become slaves. v9 Their king will run away in terror. His officers will be so afraid that they will abandon (leave behind) their army’s flags. The *Lord has declared this. The *Lord himself will act like a fierce fire in *Zion and in *Jerusalem.