Isaiah 19 10

Isaiah 19:10 kjv

And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.

Isaiah 19:10 nkjv

And its foundations will be broken. All who make wages will be troubled of soul.

Isaiah 19:10 niv

The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the wage earners will be sick at heart.

Isaiah 19:10 esv

Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed, and all who work for pay will be grieved.

Isaiah 19:10 nlt

They will be in despair,
and all the workers will be sick at heart.

Isaiah 19 verses

Isaiah 19 10 Meaning

The verse describes the collapse of Egypt's pillars of support. Its leaders are rendered ineffective, its foundation shattered, and its structures destroyed by the Lord.

Isaiah 19 10 Context

Chapter 19 of Isaiah details a prophecy of judgment and eventual restoration for Egypt. This verse specifically describes the utter ruin and collapse that will befall the nation. It follows pronouncements about spiritual confusion and the failure of natural resources, emphasizing a comprehensive breakdown of Egyptian society. Historically, this would have resonated during times when Egypt was either a threat to or a beneficiary of Assyrian and Babylonian imperial powers. The verse paints a picture of internal collapse, indicating that Egypt's own leadership and structures are disintegrating.

Isaiah 19 10 Word Analysis

• וְהָיָה (wə·hā·yāh): "And it shall be." Connects this verse to the preceding prophecies.

• מַרְכְּבֹת (mar·kə·ḇōṯ): "chariots." Symbolizes military power and national strength.

• וְהָיָה (wə·hā·yāh): "and it shall be." Continues the description of the future state.

• רָקִיב (rā·qîḇ): "rottenness" or "decay." Indicates deep-seated corruption and weakness.

• וְרוּחַ (wə·rū·aḥ): "and a spirit." Refers to mental disposition, courage, or resolve.

• בְּתוֹכָהּ (bə·ṯō·ḵāh): "within her." Suggests an internal collapse, not solely an external attack.

• וּפִקַּחְתִּי (ū·p̄i·qaḥ·tî): "and I will open." Implies divine intervention leading to the revealing of flaws or judgments.

• בָהּ (bāh): "in her." Refers back to Egypt.

• רוּחַ (rū·aḥ): "spirit." Further emphasis on internal state.

• מְהוּמָה (mə·hū·māh): "confusion," "tumult," "panic." Signifies utter disorder and loss of direction.

• וְהוֹפַכְתִּי (wə·hō·p̄aḵ·tî): "and I will make to overturn" or "confound." Divine action causing disruption.

• אֶת־ (ʾeṯ-): "object marker."

• מִצְרַיִם (miṣ·rā·yim): "Egypt." The subject of the prophecy.

• רוּחַ (rū·aḥ): "spirit." Repeated emphasis on the mental/spiritual state.

• עִוּוּת (ʿi·wwūṯ): "crookedness," "perverseness," "distortion." Suggests a moral and intellectual debasement.

• וְהִתְיַלְּלוּ (wə·hiṯ·yal·lê·lū): "and they shall call out" or "wail." Expression of distress.

• בְּמִצְרַיִם (bə·miṣ·rā·yim): "in Egypt." Location of the wailing.

• כָּל־ (kāl-): "every" or "all." Emphasizes the universality of the distress.

• פְּעוּלַת (pə·ʿū·laṯ): "deed" or "work." Refers to their actions.

• רּוּחַ (rû·aḥ): "spirit."

• נָגַח (nā·ḡaḥ): "to gore," "to strike," "to dash against." Suggests forceful, destructive impact.

• Chariots and Rottenness: The imagery of "chariots rotten" signifies a complete breakdown of military might and national infrastructure, rendered useless and crumbling from within.

• Spirit of Confusion: The "spirit of confusion" points to a divine judgment causing widespread mental disorientation and lack of direction among the populace and especially the leadership.

• Overturning Egypt: The action of "overturning Egypt in the spirit of crookedness" implies a radical disruption of their societal and political order, making everything they stand for or do perverse and self-destructive.

• Wailing: The collective "wailing" expresses the agony and despair resulting from this total collapse.

Isaiah 19 10 Bonus Section

The concept of divine judgment affecting the "spirit" of a nation is consistent throughout Scripture, indicating that national downfall often stems from or is accompanied by moral and spiritual corruption. The weakening of Egypt, a perennial significant power in the ancient Near East, served as a potent symbol of God's ability to humble the proud and vindicate His people. This prophecy echoes in other judgments against powerful nations like Assyria and Babylon, emphasizing that no earthly power is beyond God's reach. The confusion described is a common feature of divine judgment, rendering adversaries disoriented and ineffective, as seen in passages like 2 Chronicles 20:23 concerning the defeat of the Moabites and Ammonites.

Isaiah 19 10 Commentary

Isaiah 19:10 depicts a total national collapse for Egypt. The Lord will dismantle Egypt's power structure, symbolized by its chariots, making them rotten and unusable. This will be accompanied by an internal spiritual and mental disintegration, a "spirit of confusion," affecting every aspect of Egyptian life and leadership. The nation will essentially turn against itself, bringing about its own destruction through a divinely induced perverseness. This judgment leads to widespread lamentation, as the people recognize the devastating consequences of their actions and the Lord's decree. The verse highlights divine sovereignty in bringing down even powerful nations when they stray from His ways.