Egypt’s Horses Will Stumble
31 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 back His words.
He rises against the house of evildoers,
against help for workers of iniquity.
3 Now Egyptians are men and not God,
and their horses are flesh, not spirit.
When Adonai stretches out His hand,
both he who helps will stumble
and he who is helped will fall,
and both will perish together.
A Lion Protects Zion
4 For thus says Adonai to me:
“As a lion or a young lion
growls over its prey,
though a company of shepherds
is called out against him
—their voice does not disturb him,
nor does their noise upset him—
so Adonai-Tzva’ot will come down
to fight on Mount Zion, on its hill.
5 Like hovering birds,
so Adonai-Tzva’ot will protect Jerusalem.
By protecting, He will deliver.
By passing over, He will save.”
6 Return to the One from whom rebellion is so deep, Bnei-Yisrael.
7 For in that day everyone will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which you made for yourselves with your hands of sin.
8 “Then Assyria will fall, not by a sword of man,
so a sword not of man will devour him
and he will flee from the sword.
His young men will be put to forced labor.
9 His rock will pass away because of fear.
His princes will be afraid of the banner”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
His fire is in Zion,
and His furnace is in Jerusalem.