Isaiah 31 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Israel Should Depend on God’s Power

31 Look at the people going down to Egypt for help. They think the horses they get will save them. They hope the many chariots and powerful soldiers will protect them. But the people don’t trust the Holy One of Israel. They didn’t ask the Lord for help. 2 But he is the wise one who is bringing the disaster. And they will not be able to stop what he commanded. The Lord will attack those who are evil and all who try to help them.

3 The Egyptians are only human, not God. The horses from Egypt are only animals, not spirit. The Lord will stretch out his arm, and the helper will be defeated. And those who wanted help will fall. They will all be destroyed together.

4 The Lord told me: “When a lion or its cub catches an animal to eat, the lion stands over the dead animal and roars, and nothing can frighten it away. If men come and yell at the lion, the lion will not be afraid. They might make a lot of noise, but the lion will not run away.”

In the same way, the Lord All-Powerful will come down to Mount Zion. He will fight on that hill. 5 Just as birds fly over their nest to protect it, so the Lord All-Powerful will defend[a] Jerusalem. He will save her. He will “pass over” and save Jerusalem.

6 People of Israel, you should come back to the God you turned away from. 7 That is because when those things happen, people will reject the gold and silver idols you made when you sinned against me.

8 It is true that Assyria will be defeated with a sword, but it will not be a human sword that defeats him. Assyria will be destroyed, but that destruction will not come from a man’s sword. Assyria will run away from God’s sword, but the young men will be caught and made slaves. 9 Their place of safety will be destroyed. Their leaders will be defeated, and they will abandon their flag.

The Lord, whose fireplace is on Zion and whose oven[b] is in Jerusalem, is the one who said this.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 31:5 defend Literally, “fight on” or “fight against.”
  2. Isaiah 31:9 fireplace … oven That is, the altar in the Temple.

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Isaiah 31 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

31 Wo [to] those going down to Egypt for help, And on horses lean, And trust on chariots, because many, And on horsemen, because very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And Jehovah have not sought. 2 And He also [is] wise, and bringeth in evil, And His words He hath not turned as...
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Isaiah 31 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

31 Woe to them that go down into Egypt to help, and hope in horses, and have trust on carts, for they be many, and on knights, for they be full strong; and they trust not on the Holy of Israel, and they sought not the Lord. (Woe to them who go down to Egypt for help, and hope in horses, and have tru...
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Isaiah 31 - World English Bible (WEB)

31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek Yahweh!2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster, and will not call ba...
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Isaiah 31 - The Voice (VOICE)

31 O how bad it will be for you who look to the south to Egypt for help and depend on her horses,Who trust in its many chariots and fix your hopes on its strong drivers. Yet you do not look to the Holy One of Israel for relief or even bother to consult Him.2 God is both wise and willing to wreak dis...
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Isaiah 31 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Egypt’s Horses Will Stumble31 Oy, those going down to Egypt for help.They are relying on horses,trusting in chariots since they are many, and in horsemen since they are very mighty,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel nor seek Adonai! 2 Yet He is also wise.He brings disaster, and does not take ...
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Isaiah 31 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Alliance with Egypt Is Futile31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses,who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!2 And yet he is wise and brings disaster, he does not c...
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Isaiah 31 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Alliance with Egypt Is Futile31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses,who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!2 And yet he is wise and brings disaster, he does not c...
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Isaiah 31 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Alliance with Egypt Is Futile31 Alas for those who go down to Egypt for help and who rely on horses,who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!2 Yet he too is wise and brings disaster; he does...
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Isaiah 31 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Alliance with Egypt Is Futile31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who rely on horses,who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!(A)2 Yet he is wise and can bring disaster; he does...
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Isaiah 31 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Futility of Relying on Egypt31 What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteersand depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.2 In his wisdom, the Lord will send great disaster; he will not...
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Isaiah 31 - New Life Version (NLV)

Help Comes from the Lord, Not Egypt31 It is bad for those who go down to Egypt for help, and trust in the many horses and war-wagons, and in the much strength of their horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel or ask the Lord for help. 2 Yet He is wise and brings trouble, and does not ta...
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Isaiah 31 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Folly of Not Trusting God31 Woe to those (A)who go down to Egypt for help,And (B)rely on horses,Who trust in chariots because they are many,And in horsemen because they are very strong,But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,(C)Nor seek the Lord!2 Yet He also is wise and will bring disaste...
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Isaiah 31 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Woe to those who rely on Egypt31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses,who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen,but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; ...
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Isaiah 31 - New International Version (NIV)

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt31 Woe(A) to those who go down to Egypt(B) for help, who rely on horses,(C)who trust in the multitude of their chariots(D) and in the great strength of their horsemen,but do not look to the Holy One(E) of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.(F)2 Yet he too is wise(G) and...
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Isaiah 31 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Lord Will Judge Those Who Depend on Egypt31 How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses!They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are.But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’...
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Isaiah 31 - New English Translation (NET)

Egypt Will Disappoint31 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead;[a]those who rely on war horses,and trust in Egypt’s many chariots[b]and in their many, many horsemen.[c]But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel[d]and do not seek help from the Lord.2 Yet he too is wise[e] and he ...
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