Isaiah 31
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 31
Forbidden Alliance with Egypt
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
and who rely on horses,
who place their trust in a large number of chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or seek the Lord’s guidance.
2 Yet he, too, is wise and can bring disaster,
and he does not take back his threats.
He will rise up against the house of the wicked
and against those who come to the support of evildoers.
3 The Egyptians are mortal, not divine;
their horses are flesh, not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
the helper will stumble and the one helped will fall;
all of them will perish together.
4 This is what the Lord said to me:
As a lion or a lion cub
growls over its prey,
and when a band of shepherds
gather together to drive it off,
it is not frightened by their shouting
or daunted by their clamor,
so the Lord of hosts will come down
to do battle on the heights of Mount Zion.
5 Like a hovering bird
the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem;
he will protect and deliver it,
he will spare and rescue it.
6 Come back to the one
whom you have completely deserted,
O children of Israel.
7 For on that day
all of you will cast away
your idols of silver and your false gods of gold
which your own sinful hands have made.
Destruction of Assyria
8 Then Assyria will fall by a sword not brandished by a man
and be devoured by a sword that no human yields;
he will flee before the sword,
and his young warriors will endure forced labor.
9 His stronghold will be abandoned in terror,
and his commanders will panic and desert him.
Thus says the Lord whose fire is in Zion
and whose furnace burns in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 31
New International Version
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
31 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 can bring disaster;(H)
he does not take back his words.(I)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(J)
against those who help evildoers.
3 But the Egyptians(K) are mere mortals and not God;(L)
their horses(M) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(N)
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped(O) will fall;
all will perish together.(P)
4 This is what the Lord says to me:
“As a lion(Q) growls,
a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds(R)
is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor(S)—
so the Lord Almighty will come down(T)
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 Like birds hovering(U) overhead,
the Lord Almighty will shield(V) Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver(W) it,
he will ‘pass over’(X) it and will rescue it.”
6 Return,(Y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(Z) against. 7 For in that day(AA) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(AB) your sinful hands have made.(AC)
8 “Assyria(AD) will fall by no human sword;
a sword, not of mortals, will devour(AE) them.
They will flee before the sword
and their young men will be put to forced labor.(AF)
9 Their stronghold(AG) will fall because of terror;
at the sight of the battle standard(AH) their commanders will panic,(AI)”
declares the Lord,
whose fire(AJ) is in Zion,
whose furnace(AK) is in Jerusalem.
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