Isaiah 19 - Introduction
_THE CONFUSION OF EGYPT. THE FOOLISHNESS OF THEIR PRINCES. THE CALLING OF EGYPT TO THE CHURCH. THE COVENANT OF EGYPT, ASSYRIA, AND ISRAEL._ _Before Christ 714._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE CONFUSION OF EGYPT. THE FOOLISHNESS OF THEIR PRINCES. THE CALLING OF EGYPT TO THE CHURCH. THE COVENANT OF EGYPT, ASSYRIA, AND ISRAEL._ _Before Christ 714._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF EGYPT— The fifth discourse of the second book of Isaiah's prophesy contained in this chapter, delivered at another time, and much later than the preceding, copiously sets forth the fate of Egypt, a nation from the remotest antiquity famous in the east. The scene of the prophesy is, acc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL SET THE EGYPTIANS AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS— Two principal misfortunes of Egypt, on which the rest depend, are related in this prophesy; the _first,_ a civil war to arise in Egypt, with its consequence; Isaiah 19:2. The other, the oppression of Egypt by some potent prince or princes. Instead... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE EGYPTIANS WILL I GIVE OVER, &C.— The _second calamity_ is here described, which is the chief, and the description whereof makes the body of this prophesy. The sum of it is, that Egypt for a long time should be delivered up into the power of mighty and severe foreign rulers, who should so har... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WATERS SHALL FAIL— These verses should be rendered thus: _And the waters shall fail from the sea,_ [from the _Nile,_ which is frequently, both in Scripture, and in profane writers, termed the _sea._ See Nahum 3:8. Ezekiel 32:2 and Seneca, _Quaest. Nat._ lib. iv. c. 2.] _and the river_ [_the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FISHERS ALSO SHALL MOURN— The prophet here sets forth the common and universal grief of the Egyptian nation, upon the calamity above described. The 10th verse should be rendered, _And their stamina_ [or _networks_] _shall be broken; all that make drag-nets for pond-fish_ [_shall be confounded_].... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY THE PRINCES OF ZOAN ARE FOOLS, &C.— _Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; the very wisest of Pharaoh's counsellors: counsel is become brutish. How will you boast unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?_ Isaiah 19:13.—_They have also seduced Egypt, even the chiefs of... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SHALL EGYPT BE LIKE UNTO WOMEN— The cowardice and effeminacy of the people in general, joined with their fear and trepidation, is here set forth as the other cause of their calamity; and the reason of this, among other things, is drawn from a sense of the divine judgment. _They shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY, &C.— The latter part of this prophesy contains an account of the salutary benefits, temporal as well as spiritual, which God would bestow on Egypt after the above-mentioned calamity. Isaiah, to whom God had most clearly revealed the mystery of the calling of the nations to the grace of... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SHALL THERE BE AN ALTAR, &C.— In this and the former part of the next verse, we have the second member or article of the general proposition; The discourse rises, as is every where the case with our prophet. It seem strange to assert that the Egyptians, struck by the true God, should tre... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY SHALL CRY UNTO THE LORD— The prophet here sets forth the causes of this happy change in Egypt, with its immediate effects. The _impulsive_ cause he shews to be their cry to Jehovah, on account of their oppressors; the _instrumental_ some _Saviour_ or avenger; some _great one_ so called, who... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SHALL THERE BE A HIGH WAY— We have here the wonderful consequence of this benefit of divine grace toward the Egyptians, namely, their spiritual alliance with the Assyrians and Israelites, with a great abundance of the divine blessing. The sum of the period is, that the Egyptians, being b... [ Continue Reading ]