19:1 Yahweh, Lord of creation, the rider on the clouds (Deut. 33:26), comes swiftly to Egypt. This exodus reference is reinforced by a reference to the idols’ trembling at his presence. This echoes Exodus 12:12, which also speaks of a judgment on the gods of Egypt. The Lord’s coming will cause the Egyptians to become completely disoriented.

19:2–3 This threat to their worldview causes disintegration in society: parts of the kingdom are engaged in civil war with other regions and power centers, struggling for dominance. This is not only the disintegration of society but a divine judgment (“I will confound their counsel”), leading to superstition and necromancy. This is an echo of 8:19, in which the leaders of Judah were condemned for exactly the same reason. This is not just about Egypt—it is about all humanity. When people do not obey the true God, they inevitably look for other sources of guidance and authority.

19:4 All of this leads to a weakening of national resolve—a weakness easily exploited by tyrants. The “fierce king” is probably Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib (cf. 37:38), who subdued Egypt in 670 BC (an event alluded to in Nah. 3:8–9). The clear picture is of the decline of Egypt as a big player on the world stage.

19:5–7 A second area of disintegration is the economy of Egypt and its total dependence on the Nile. A significant feature of this section is the repetition of “Nile” and its various synonyms. This is closely connected to the discrediting of Egypt’s religion, for the Egyptians regarded the Nile itself as a god; it was the first deity to be judged by Yahweh at the beginning of the plague narratives (Ex. 7:14–25). The “sea” is the Nile itself, viewed as Egypt’s life-giving water. Instead of abundant water irrigating the land, drought and its unpleasant consequences will come instead. The “canals” and “branches”—irrigation channels of the Nile—will become stagnant and stinking, as the dead frogs stank in the exodus narrative (Ex. 8:13–14). The grain trade of Egypt will be destroyed as plants wither beside the desolate river.

19:8 The fishing industry will collapse, whether involving hook or nets, because aquatic life will perish. Fishing was a major part of Egypt’s economy; there may be a further reference to the exodus narrative, as the people in the desert complained about the lack of the “fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing” (Num. 11:5).

19:9 There will also be the collapse of the weaving industry, which is totally dependent on the Nile for flax. Manufacturing industries, as well as those more immediately related to the river, will be devastated.

19:10 The exact translation here is not obvious. The word shatoteha is translated in the LXX as “weavers,” which would make good sense and follow naturally from verse 9. The ESV translation (“pillars”) takes the word in a metaphorical sense as leaders and anticipates verse 11, while “all who work for pay” would be those they employ. In any case, total economic collapse is envisaged.

19:11 The religious and economic distress is compounded by the fact that Egypt’s leaders, both political and intellectual, are bankrupt of ideas and paralyzed by inaction. Their wisdom, for all its worldwide reputation, is helpless before Yahweh. The main cities are in chaos, and there is no decisive leadership. Zoan is the main city in northern Egypt on the east side of the Delta and would be the first major place encountered by someone traveling south. The counselors there are regarded as an elite class but can tell Pharaoh nothing but nonsense in spite of their illustrious pedigree.

19:12 Here Isaiah anticipates chapters 41–42, in which Yahweh summons the nations and their gods to ascertain if they can understand his purposes; here, as there, they cannot. Paul is to echo this language: “Where is the one who is wise? (1 Cor. 1:20).

19:13–15 The other great city of Lower Egypt, Memphis, is also blamed for leading the Egyptians astray. The condemnation of the leaders of Egypt is reminiscent of that of Judah’s leaders (Isa. 1:10–17). Particularly in totalitarian societies, those in positions of power are responsible for how they lead. The picture here is a disgusting one of Egypt staggering like a drunkard who slips in his own vomit. The whole society from top to bottom is corrupt.

19:16–17 The first “in that day” section addresses the judgment that will lead to repentance and transformation. There may also be a contemporary reference in Judah’s becoming a terror to the Egyptians. During Sennacherib’s invasion (701 BC) Egypt sent an army to relieve Judah, but it was turned back at Eltekeh, north of Ashdod. Then the Assyrian power was humbled at Jerusalem. Doubtless the news of this would have reached Egypt and left them astonished and more than a little afraid. This fear of Yahweh is the same fear the prophet himself experienced in the temple (6:4–5), the fear everyone must experience if there is to be true repentance. Here they realize that the Lord has purposes for the nations, but they do not yet realize that these purposes are ultimately for their blessing.

19:18 This second “in that day” section has provoked much discussion, but the general meaning is clear enough. The first evidence of Egypt’s turning to Yahweh is their speaking the “language of Canaan.” This is in many ways a reversal of Babel and an anticipation of Pentecost, when everyone hears “in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11). This is followed by swearing allegiance to the Lord. The “five cities” have been variously interpreted but may suggest small beginnings of what is to be a great movement. The “City of Destruction” is obscure; the phrase has also been translated “City of the Sun” (ESV mg.). Heliopolis, known as On in the OT, was the center of worship of Amun-Ra, the sun god. This would make good sense here, as the heart of pagan worship is one day seen as welcoming the sun of righteousness. If so, it would anticipate how “nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isa. 60:3).

19:19–20 The altar is the place where guilty people can be reconciled to a holy God. Since this is “in the midst of the land of Egypt,” it is also a “pillar” of witness akin to the altar built by the returning tribes from the Transjordan to symbolize their full membership of Israel (Josh. 22:24). This incorporation into the covenant community will be symbolized by prayer to the only one who can save.

19:21 The Egyptians will receive revelation from the Lord. Their religion, like other pagan worldviews, is essentially a search for God through other means. The repetition of “in that day” points to the time when we shall know as we are known (in contrast to the insincere offerings of Isa. 1:11–15). This will be demonstrated by personal commitment to the Lord.

19:22 There will be discipline on that day, but such striking will show God’s love and lead to a return to him and to healing. The historical Egypt, like Babylon, represents the world called to repent and turn to Israel’s God. This shows that what will happen fully “in that day” will be anticipated in the present world, in which there is still need for painful learning and subsequent healing (Hos. 6:1–2).

19:23 There will be true harmony in worship “in that day,” as the various voices worshiping different gods will be silenced and true worship of the true God will fill the whole earth. The “highway” (cf. Isa. 40:3) marks free mutual movement in a world in which warring nations represented by Egypt and Assyria are at peace and, in place of trampling armies, worshipers come to Zion (35:10) to praise God together.

19:24–25 In this final “in that day” section the nations are now equal and blessed by the Lord. Israel here is blessed alongside Egypt and Assyria. As Paul puts it, “The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph. 3:6). The terms used here (“my people,” “work of my hands,” “my inheritance”) were used regularly of Israel but now are used of the one body, the united people of God.

20:1 The year is 711 BC and the background is still Egypt’s fomenting discontent and seeking to form an anti-Assyrian alliance in Palestine. The Philistine city of Ashdod is some 30 miles (50 km) from Jerusalem; Sargon’s puppet ruler has been deposed and a pro-Egyptian installed. This is the occasion of the Assyrian commander-in-chief’s expedition that results in the fall of Ashdod. Sargon is one of the most powerful Assyrian kings (r. 722–705 BC). In his annals he claims credit for the capture of Samaria begun by his predecessor, Shalmaneser V. This may gain some credence from 2 Kings 17:6, which states simply that the city is captured by the “king of Assyria.” It is interesting that Hezekiah is not threatened at this time; the subjugation of the Philistines is listed in 2 Kings 18:8 as one of his achievements.

20:2 “At that time” is a common narrative phrase placing an event in the same time frame as another event rather than offering a specific date. Isaiah is likely given this oracle some three years before the fall of Ashdod and has carried out this acted parable for all or part of this period. This is the only such sign-act reported of Isaiah, but these are fairly frequent with Ezekiel and to a lesser extent Jeremiah, who face more consistently hostile audiences. This is no easy assignment, whether Isaiah goes completely naked or only partially so. Sackcloth suggests mourning or the rough dress of prophets such as Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist (Matt. 3:4).

20:3–4 Significantly, Isaiah is called “my servant,” underlining the fact that this apparently eccentric behavior is a sign not of personal oddity but of obedience to Yahweh’s word. Egypt and Cush are linked, as an Ethiopian dynasty rules over the whole country. The deportation of Egypt and Cush will not occur for some forty years, when Esarhaddon invades in 671 BC (although some Egyptians are deported after the Battle of Eltekeh in 701 BC). However, the humbling of the pride of the once all-conquering Egypt is underlined here; Ashdod’s fate is simply an illustration of this.

20:5–6 Ashdod has looked to Egypt for help against Assyria and has been let down; thus, the message is hammered home once again, saying in effect, “Do not trust in Egypt.” The theme of trust is important, for Assyria is still powerful and the greatest threat under Sennacherib is still to come.