Isaiah 31:3

Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. NOT SPIRIT - not of divine power (; ; ; ). BOTH HE THAT HELPETH SHALL FALL - Egypt. AND HE THAT IS HOLPEN - Judah....

3._And surely the Egyptian is a man, and not God. _It may be thought that Isaiah here brings forward nothing but what is common and beyond all doubt; for who ever imagined that the Egyptians were not “men,” and must be put in the place of “God?” There is indeed no debate on this point, and it is openly acknowledged; but when it is found necessary to reduce it to practice, men are altogether dull of apprehension, or remain uncertain about that which they formerly appeared to know and firmly to believe. They exalt themselves as highly, and claim as much for themselves, as if they did not believe that they are men, and did not think that they ought to obey God. This is the reason why Scripture so frequently warns “not to trust in men, than whom nothing can be more vain.” (Psalms 146:3.) “Cursed is he who trusteth in man, and relieth on an arm of flesh.” ...

1-5 God will oppose the help sought from workers of iniquity. Sinners may be convicted of folly by plain and self-evident truths, which they cannot deny, but will not believe. There is no escaping the judgments of God; and evil pursues sinners. The Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will appear for the defence of his church. And as birds hovering over their young ones to protect them, with such compassion and affection will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. He will so defend it, as to secure its safety....

Verse Isaiah 31:3. _He that helpeth_ (the Egyptians) _shall fall and he that_ _is holpen_ (the Israelites) _shall fall down - together_....

NOW THE EGYPTIANS ARE MEN - They are nothing but people; they have no power but such as other people possess. The idea here is, that the case in reference to which they sought aid was one in which “divine” help was indispensable, and that, therefore, they relied on the aid of the Egyptians in vain. AND THEIR HORSES FLESH, AND NOT SPIRIT - There is need, not merely of “physical” strength, but of wisdom, and intelligence, and it is in vain to look for that in mere brutes. BOTH HE THAT HELPETH - Egypt, whose aid is sought. AND HE THAT IS HOLPEN - Judah, that had sought the aid of Egypt. Neither of them would be able to stand against the wrath of God....

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 31:1 A FURTHER WARNING AGAINST SEEKING THE ALLIANCE OF EGYPT. This prophecy seems to be quite independent of the last (Isaiah 30:1). It may have been given earlier or later. The chief point brought out, which had not distinctly appeared previously, is the value set on the horses and chariots of Egypt in the conflict with Assyria. ISAIAH 31:1 WOE TO THEM THAT GO DOWN TO EGYPT FOR HELP (comp. Isaiah 30:1,...

NOW THE EGYPTIANS [ARE] MEN, AND NOT GOD,.... Be it that they are mighty, they are not mighty, as God is; and indeed they are but frail, feeble, mortal, and mutable men, and therefore not to be trusted in, and depended on; or to be put upon an equality with God, and even to be preferred to him, as they were by the Jews; and of what use and service could they be unto them, seeing God was against them? AND THEIR HORSES FLESH, AND NOT SPIRIT; only flesh, without an immortal soul or spirit, which man has; and therefore a foolish thing in man to trust in them, who must be entirely guided and directed by them; and much less angelic spirits, or like them, which are incorporeal, invisible, and exceedingly mighty and powerful, which excel all creatures in strength, and are called the mighty angels; these are God's cavalry, his horses and chariots; see Psalms 68:17...

CHAPTER 31 The Fifth Woe Against Them that Go Down to Egypt 1. _The Egyptian Alliance condemned again (Isaiah 31:1)_ 2. _Jehovah promises to deliver Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:4) _ All looks forward towards the future. It is Jerusalem's glorious future. The Lord will deliver it; He will preserve it (Isaiah 31:5)....

ISAIAH 31. THE FOLLY OF RELIANCE ON EGYPT. JERUSALEM WILL BE PROTECTED, AND ASSYRIA OVERTHROWN. vv. Isaiah 31:6 f. seems to be an interpolation. Isaiah 31:4 f_._ creates serious difficulties. Isaiah 31:4 apparently represents Yahweh as attacking (_mg._) Zion, undismayed by its rulers as a lion is undismayed by the shepherds, whereas Isaiah 31:5, with an abrupt change of metaphor, represents Him as Jerusalem's protector. By drastic measures we can remove the discrepancy; the passage then represented Yahweh either as hostile to Jerusalem or as its protector. Of the two the latter is preferable, but it involves the omission of so shall..

MEN, AND NOT GOD. Figure of speech _Pleonasm_. The statement put two ways for great emphasis (positive and negative). MEN. Hebrew. _'ddam._ App-14. GOD. Hebrew El. the mighty God. App-4. FLESH, AND NOT SPIRIT. Figure of speech _Pleonasm_. See above. SPIRIT. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9....