Isaiah 19:11 kjv
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Isaiah 19:11 nkjv
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, The son of ancient kings?"
Isaiah 19:11 niv
The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings"?
Isaiah 19:11 esv
The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the wisest counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings"?
Isaiah 19:11 nlt
What fools are the officials of Zoan!
Their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong.
Will they still boast to Pharaoh of their wisdom?
Will they dare brag about all their wise ancestors?
Isaiah 19 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 19:11 | Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh’s wisest counselors give absurd advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the wisest of the sons of the ancient kings"? | Counsel of the foolish |
| Isa 19:3 | The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring disorder to them; they will call on the idols of Egypt, on the spirits of the dead and on mediums and psychics. | Reliance on false gods |
| Jer 2:8 | The priests did not ask, "Where is the Lord?" Those who dispense the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that are no help. | False prophets and leaders |
| Jer 50:36 | A sword against the false prophets! They will be shown to be fools. A sword against her warriors! They will be struck down. | Judgment on false wisdom |
| Prov 26:12 | As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. | The nature of foolishness |
| Prov 25:18 | Like a club or a sword or a sharpened arrow is the man who calls a false witness against his neighbor. | False testimony and deception |
| Rom 1:22 | Claiming to be wise, they instead became fools. | Pretended wisdom |
| 1 Cor 1:19 | For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." | God frustrates human wisdom |
| 1 Cor 1:20 | Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | Worldly wisdom is foolishness |
| Ps 76:5 | Valorous men were despoiled, they slept their eternal sleep: no warrior could lift a hand. | Divine intervention |
| Ps 33:10 | The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. | God overrules nations' plans |
| Ps 11:5 | The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, his soul hates. | God's judgment on wickedness |
| Zech 11:15 | Then the Lord said to me, "Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd." | Warning against foolish leaders |
| Zech 10:2 | For the household gods speak nonsense, and the diviners see lies, they tell false dreams, they offer empty comfort: so they bring me no help. | Futility of idolatry |
| Eccl 1:15 | What is twisted cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. | The irreversible nature of things |
| John 9:41 | Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." | Spiritual blindness |
| 2 Tim 3:13 | while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. | Deception and self-deception |
| Jer 8:9 | The wise are put to shame; they are dismayed and ensnared; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them? | Rejection of God's Word |
| Mal 1:6 | "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts, to you, O priests, who despise my name." | Disrespect for authority |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. | Lack of knowledge |
| Isa 30:1-3 | "Woe to my rebellious children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan that is not mine, who form an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heap sin upon sin." | Rebellious plans |
Isaiah 19 verses
Isaiah 19 11 Meaning
The verse speaks of the utter foolishness and inability of Egypt's counselors and pharaoh. Their boasted wisdom and lineage prove worthless when confronted by the power of the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 19 11 Context
Isaiah 19 prophesies the downfall of Egypt, a major power in the ancient Near East, due to its internal corruption and its reliance on false wisdom and idolatry. Verse 11 specifically addresses the Egyptian leadership, highlighting their foolishness and the emptiness of their supposed wisdom and ancient lineage. This section is part of a broader prophetic oracle against nations that often contrasts their vainglorious claims with God's ultimate sovereignty.
Isaiah 19 11 Word analysis
- Surely: (Hebrew: ’ak - אַךְ) – This particle often indicates certainty, emphasis, or sometimes a gentle contrast or concession. Here it strongly affirms the statement about the princes of Zoan.
- the princes: (Hebrew: s’riy – שָׂרֵי) – Refers to the leaders, chiefs, rulers, or commanders. In this context, it means the highest officials.
- of Zoan: (Hebrew: mittzvon – מִצּוֹעַן) – Zoan (Tanis) was an ancient and significant city in the Nile Delta of Egypt, often serving as a royal or administrative center. It was a symbol of Egyptian power and heritage.
- are: (Hebrew:
er - הֵ(./ēr)- is understood as a state of being or identity. - fools: (Hebrew: ke’silim – כְּסִילִים) – Plural of kesil. This term denotes foolishness, often characterized by arrogance, stupidity, lack of discernment, and rejection of wisdom. It carries a stronger sense of stubborn, conceited folly than mere lack of intelligence.
- the counsel: (Hebrew: etzat – עֲצַת) – The advice, plan, counsel, or purpose. Refers to the deliberations and decisions of the leaders.
- of Pharaoh: (Hebrew: parap`oh – פַּרְעֹה) – Pharaoh, the title of the king of Egypt, here personifying the nation's leadership.
- is: (Hebrew: `em- is an auxiliary verb showing being or state of being.)
- turned: (Hebrew: nafach’u – נֶהְפָּךְ) – Past tense, passive. Means to be turned, to be brought to ruin, to be made void, or to be perverted. Here, their counsel has become worthless or absurd.
- empty/vain: (Hebrew: ’aven – אָבֶן) – Refers to nothingness, emptiness, vanity, or falsehood. In a theological sense, it can refer to idols or that which is not God. Their counsel is ultimately baseless and ineffective.
- How: (Hebrew: ’eykh- אֵיךְ) – An interrogative expressing perplexity or incredulity.
- can you say: (Hebrew: tum’ru – תֹּאמְרּוּ) – Future tense, masculine plural, "you will say" or "you say." Here, it's an expression of rhetorical question, conveying the inability to speak truthfully or wisely.
- to Pharaoh: (Hebrew: laparap`oh – לְפַרְעֹה) – Addressing the ruler of Egypt.
- I am: (Hebrew: ’anochi – אָנֹכִי) – First person singular, "I."
- one: (Hebrew: ’ejeid – אַחַד) – A single one.
- of the sons: (Hebrew: mime – מִבְּנֵי) – From the children or descendants of.
- of the wise: (Hebrew: jikh’miim – חֲכָמִים) – Wise men, skilled persons. Refers to learned or sagacious individuals.
- of the ancient kings: (Hebrew: mellech–i qadam–o¬n–) – Of the kings of old, primeval rulers. Refers to their long, noble lineage and historical prestige, emphasizing their pride in ancestry.
Words Group Analysis:
- "princes of Zoan are fools": Highlights that even the most esteemed rulers of significant Egyptian cities exhibit profound folly. Zoan's prominence suggests the widespread nature of this misguided leadership.
- "Pharaoh’s wisest counselors give absurd advice": Contrasts claimed wisdom with actual outcomes. Their "wisdom" leads to folly, showing a disconnect between their reputation and their capability when facing God's judgment.
- "How can you say to Pharaoh, 'I am one of the wisest of the sons of the ancient kings'?": This rhetorical question exposes their empty boasting and pride. Their identity is tied to lineage and a false claim to wisdom, which the Lord of Hosts renders meaningless. The phrase "sons of the ancient kings" points to a heritage of perceived greatness that offers no protection or true insight.
Isaiah 19 11 Bonus Section
The prophecy against Egypt is rich in demonstrating God's sovereignty over all nations. The mention of Zoan, a city associated with significant historical events like the biblical account of the Exodus (where Egypt's leadership also demonstrated profound foolishness in resisting God), amplifies the irony. The “sons of the ancient kings” signifies an Egyptian pride in their long dynastic history and supposed divine authority, which Isaiah starkly contrasts with their present reality of divine disfavor. This theme of human pride versus divine power is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament, reinforcing the prophet's message that no earthly power can stand against the Lord of Hosts.
Isaiah 19 11 Commentary
This verse is a powerful indictment of human pride and self-reliance, especially in leadership. The princes and counselors of Egypt, despite their esteemed positions and purported ancient lineage of wisdom, are depicted as utterly foolish. Their counsel is not merely incorrect but “turned into nothing” or “absurd,” indicating a complete failure of their intelligence and understanding. Pharaoh himself, the pinnacle of Egyptian authority, is surrounded by men whose purported "wisdom" is revealed as utter vanity. The rhetorical question about being "sons of the ancient kings" exposes their vanity; their inherited status and intellectual pretension mean nothing against the power of the Lord of Hosts. God’s judgment renders human boasting and perceived wisdom powerless, especially when it is detached from Him. It serves as a warning that true wisdom comes from obedience to God, not from lineage or worldly intellect.