Isaiah 19:3 kjv
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
Isaiah 19:3 nkjv
The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers.
Isaiah 19:3 niv
The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.
Isaiah 19:3 esv
and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers;
Isaiah 19:3 nlt
The Egyptians will lose heart,
and I will confuse their plans.
They will plead with their idols for wisdom
and call on spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
Isaiah 19 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 19:2 | "And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians..." | Context for v. 3 |
| Isaiah 19:14 | "The LORD has mingled a spirit of confusion in their midst..." | Similar divine action |
| Jeremiah 51:57 | "I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her officials..." | Judgment through confusion |
| Jeremiah 25:26 | "...and all the kings of the north, far and near..." | Judgment on nations |
| Psalm 75:8 | "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup..." | God's sovereignty and judgment |
| Revelation 18:3 | "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication..." | Divine judgment on spiritual corruption |
| Proverbs 20:1 | "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." | Consequence of intoxication |
| Isaiah 28:7 | "But these also have erred through wine and gone astray through strong drink..." | Spiritual drunkenness leads to error |
| Job 12:16 | "With Him are strength and might; the fallen and the deaf are His." | God's power over all |
| Acts 2:15 | "For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day." | Spirit vs. intoxication |
| 1 Corinthians 14:33 | "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." | God's nature contrasted with confusion |
| Jeremiah 50:24 | "I have laid a snare for you, and you are also taken, O Babylon..." | Divine trap and judgment |
| Isaiah 3:1-3 | "...the judge and the respected man, the counselor and the skillful craftsman..." | Leaders failing |
| Isaiah 9:14-16 | "So the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed..." | Divine judgment on leadership |
| Ezekiel 7:26 | "Disaster upon disaster is happening; ruin upon ruin..." | Escalation of judgment |
| Nahum 3:8 | "Are you better than No Amon, that was situated by the Nile..." | Judgment on powerful cities |
| Joel 3:12-14 | "Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat..." | Nations brought to judgment |
| Psalm 11:5 | "The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked..." | God's judgment on the wicked |
| Isaiah 30:1 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD..." | Judgment on disobedience |
| Deuteronomy 28:28 | "The LORD will strike you with madness and with blindness and with confusion of heart..." | Consequences of disobedience |
Isaiah 19 verses
Isaiah 19 3 Meaning
The Spirit of the Lord will powerfully descend upon Egypt, causing internal turmoil and confusion, leading to an inability to govern effectively. The Egyptians will become like drunken men, stumbling in their counsel and actions, making their land a place of severe consequence due to the Lord's judgment.
Isaiah 19 3 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah's prophecy concerning Egypt, found in chapter 19. The preceding verse (Isaiah 19:2) indicates that the Lord will incite civil unrest, turning Egyptians against one another. This sets the stage for the complete breakdown of Egyptian society and governance described in verse 3. The prophecy paints a bleak picture of a nation crippled by internal conflict and divine judgment, leading to a state of profound disorientation and ineffective leadership. The overall context of Isaiah 19 is a series of oracles against various nations, highlighting God's sovereignty and judgment over all peoples, but also including a future hope for Egypt's eventual restoration.
Isaiah 19 3 Word analysis
וְקִרְבֵּטִי (və·qir·bə·ṯî): "and I will cause to come upon." The Hebrew verb is in the causative hiphil stem, emphasizing that this is an active divine act.
בְּמִצְרַיִם (bə·miṣ·rā·yim): "in Egypt." Identifies the specific nation facing the judgment.
רוּחַ (rû·aḥ): "spirit," "wind," or "breath." Here, it refers to a spiritual influence or force.
עָרִיצָה (··ā·ri·ṣâ): "fierce," "terrible," or "mighty." Describing the powerful nature of the spirit or influence.
וְהִטּוּ (wə·hiṭ·ṭū): "and they shall cause to totter," "stagger," or "sway." A causative hiphil verb, implying they will be made to reel.
מִצְרַיִם (miṣ·rā·yim): "Egypt." Repetition for emphasis on the nation.
רוּחַ (rû·aḥ): "spirit." Again, emphasizing the spiritual nature of the confusion.
מְשׁוּלָה (mə·šū·lâ): "drunkenness," "intoxication," or "confusion." Noun derived from "to rule" or "govern," implying a loss of control.
וְהִטּוּ (wə·hiṭ·ṭū): "and they shall cause to totter," "stagger," or "sway." Similar to the earlier use, reinforcing the image of instability.
אֶת־מִצְרַיִם ( ·t mitz·rā·yim): "Egypt." Direct object.
בְּכָל־מַעֲשֵׂהוּ (bə·ḵāl·mā··śê·hū): "in every doing/work/action of it." This can refer to the nation as a whole or its individual people and leaders.
group analysis:
- The structure "and I will cause... and they shall cause to totter..." highlights God's direct action leading to human instability.
- The repetition of "Egypt" and "spirit" underscores the pervasive nature of the divine judgment upon the entire nation and its people.
- The concept of being intoxicated ("meshalah") leading to stumbling ("hittu") is a consistent metaphor for loss of clear judgment and effective leadership in scripture.
Isaiah 19 3 Bonus section
The use of "spirit" (ruach) is significant. While the New Testament often associates the Holy Spirit with divine guidance, here it's a spirit of confusion sent by God. This emphasizes that God is in control of all spiritual forces and can use them according to His purposes, even for judgment. This echoes prophecies against other nations like Babylon (Jeremiah 51:7) and highlights the theme of divine retribution for pride and rebellion seen throughout Isaiah. The incapacitation of Egypt has implications for surrounding nations and the wider political landscape of that era.
Isaiah 19 3 Commentary
The verse vividly portrays God's sovereign judgment upon Egypt through the unleashing of internal chaos and confusion. This is not a natural disaster, but a targeted divine action that paralyzes the nation's decision-making and leadership. The people will be made to "stagger" as if drunk, rendering them incapable of sound judgment or effective governance. This confusion will affect every aspect of their national life. The imagery of intoxication is a powerful metaphor for spiritual and intellectual disorientation, demonstrating the devastating impact of being estranged from the Lord's guidance. This prophetic declaration serves as a solemn warning about the consequences of straying from God's will and highlights the vulnerability of even mighty nations to divine power.