Isaiah 31 - International Standard Version (ISV)

Only the Lord can Help

31 “How terrible it will be for those who go down to[a] Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the chariot,
because there are so many,
and in charioteers,[b]
because they are so strong—
but do not look to[c] the Holy One of Israel
or seek the Lord!
2 Yet he is also wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words,
but will rise up against the house of those who practice evil
and against anyone who assists people who work iniquity.
3 The Egyptians are men, not God,
and their horses are physical,[d] not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
anyone who assists will stumble,
and the one who is helped will fall;
and they will all perish together.”

The Lord will Defend Jerusalem

4 For this is what the Lord told me:

“Just as a lion or a young lion growls over his objects of prey,[e]
even when a whole band of shepherds is called out against it,
it is not alarmed at their shouting
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.
5 Like birds hovering overhead,
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will protect Jerusalem;
he will shield and deliver it;
and[f] he will pass over[g] and bring it to safety.[h]

6 Turn back to him, yes to him whom[i] your people[j] have so greatly betrayed, you people of Israel. 7 For at that time,[k] everyone will throw away their[l] idols of silver and their[m] idols of gold that your hands have sinfully made for yourselves.

8 “Then Assyria will fall by a sword
that is not from human beings only[n]
a sword not wielded by mortal beings will devour them.
They will flee from the sword,
and their young men will be put to forced labor.
9 Their stronghold will vanish by reason of terror,
and their commanders will be filled with alarm
because of the battle standard,”

declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion
and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 31:1 So 1QIsaa LXX; the Heb. lacks to
  2. Isaiah 31:1 Or horsemen
  3. Isaiah 31:1 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read upon
  4. Isaiah 31:3 Or flesh
  5. Isaiah 31:4 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read his prey (sing.)
  6. Isaiah 31:5 So 1QIsaa; cf. LXX; the Heb. lacks and
  7. Isaiah 31:5 I.e. as the Angel of Death passed over the Israelis; cf. Exod 12:13, 23, 27
  8. Isaiah 31:5 So 1QIsaa; MT reads rescue it
  9. Isaiah 31:6 So 1QIsaa; MT reads back to him whom
  10. Isaiah 31:6 Lit. whom they
  11. Isaiah 31:7 Lit. on that day
  12. Isaiah 31:7 Lit. his
  13. Isaiah 31:7 Lit. his
  14. Isaiah 31:8 Lit. not of man

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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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