Isa. 19 The confusion of Egypt; their intestine dissension; their idols deceive them; cruel lords over them; waters fail them; their trade dead; their princes and counsellors made foolish; their terror before the Lord, Isa. 19:1–17. The calling of Egypt to the church, Isa. 19:18–22.

The burden of Egypt. Some learned men conceive that what was said more generally and darkly in the foregoing chapter, is here more particularly. and clearly explained to be meant of Egypt; it being usual for the prophets to mix obscure and plain passages together, and to clear the one by the other.

I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians; I will raise civil wars among them. Kingdom against kingdom; for although all Egypt was now one kingdom, and under one king, yet not many years after this time it was divided into twelve several kingdoms, between whom there were many and cruel wars,…

The spirit; either 1. Their courage. But of that he spake Isa. 19:1. Or, 2. Their understanding, as it is explained in the next clause; for the word spirit is oft put for the reasonable soul, as Eccles. 3:21, Eccles. 12:7, and for the thoughts of the mind, as Prov. 29:11, Ezek. 13:0. 3.

A fierce king; either, 1. The king of Assyria or Chaldea; or, 2. Those twelve petty kings, the singular number being put for the plural; or, 3. Psammetichus, who being at first one of those twelve kings, waged war with the rest, and subdued them, and conquered all the land of Egypt, and ruled it…

The waters shall fail from the sea; which may be understood either, 1. Metaphorically, of the taking away of their dominion or commerce, &c. or rather, 2. Properly, as may be gathered from the following words and verses.

They shall turn the rivers far away; which is to be taken impersonally, as such expressions are very frequently, for, the rivers (those small rivulets by which the waters of Nilus were conveyed and distributed into several parts of the land) shall be turned far away, as they must needs be, when the…

The paper reeds; which by a needle, or other fit instrument, were divided into thin and broad leaves, which being dried and fitted, were used at that time for writing, as our paper is; and consequently was a very good commodity.

Because they could catch few or no fish, by which trade they got their living; which also was a great plague to the people, whose common diet this was, because out of superstitious conceits they killed and eat but few living creatures, as appears both from sacred and profane writers.

That work in fine flax; that make fine linen, which was one of their best commodities; of which See Poole “1 Kings 10:28”, See Poole “Prov. 7:16”, See Poole “Ezek. 27:7”.

Thereof, i.e. of Egypt, or of the Egyptians. They shall lose their ends and hopes; for the fishes in them shall die for want of water.

Zoan; the chief city, in which the king and court frequently resided. See Ps. 78:12. Brutish; exceeding foolish, and destructive to themselves. How say ye unto Pharaoh? why do you put such false and foolish words into Pharaoh’s mouth? I am the son of the wise; wisdom is hereditary and natural to…

Thy wise men; who pretended that either by their deep policy, or by their skill in astrology or magic, they could certainly foresee things to come.

Noph; another chief city, and one of the king’s seats, so called also Jer. 2:16, Jer. 44:1; called also Moph in the Hebrew text, Hos. 9:6; and by other and later authors, Memphis. Even they that are the stay, Heb. even the corner, or the corner-stone, which is the chief support of the building.

Hath mingled; or, hath poured out or given them to drink as appears from their drunkenness, expressed in the end of the verse; which also suits with the Scripture phrase whereby a cup signifies God’s judgments, as Isa. 51:17, Isa. 51:21–22, Jer. 25:15. A perverse spirit, Heb.

All people, both high and low, shall be at their wits’ end not knowing what to do.

Like unto women; feeble and fearful, as it follows. Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts; because they shall perceive that they do not fight with men only, but with the Lord of hosts, who now lifts up his hand against them, as he did against their forefathers, Ex.

The land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt; either, 1. Because of Judah’s calamities and desolations; for Judah was their bulwark against the Assyrians and Babylonians; and when this bulwark was removed, the Egyptians, their neighbours and confederates, had just cause to fear. Or, 2.

In that day; after that time, as this phrase is used, Isa. 4:2, Isa. 18:7, and oft elsewhere. In the times of the gospel, which are oft noted in the prophets by that very expression. Five cities; a considerable number of their chief cities, a certain number being put for an uncertain.

An altar for God’s worship; not a Levitical, but a spiritual and evangelical altar, as appears from hence, because that was confined to one place, Deut. 12:13–14. The altar is put for the worship of God, as it is in many places both of the Old and New Testament.

And it, the altar or pillar last mentioned, shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord, to testify that they own the Lord for their God. They shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors; being sorely distressed, and finding the weakness of their idols, they shall turn unto the true…

Shall know the Lord; shall acknowledge, and love, and serve him; for words of knowledge in Scripture commonly include affection and practice, as hath been often observed. Shall do sacrifice and oblation; shall worship God spiritually; which yet is signified by typical phrases, as it is Mal.

He shall smite and heal it; God will afflict them by oppressors, Isa. 19:20, and otherwise; and by those afflictions he will convert and save them.

The Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; they who were implacable enemies one to another, and both to the church and people of God, shall now be reconciled and united together in the service of God, and love to his church.

The third; the third party, to wit, in that sacred league, whereby all of them oblige themselves to God. With Egypt and with Assyria: these people are named because they were the most obstinate and malicious enemies to God’s church, and therefore in a special manner accursed by God; but they are…

Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless; whom, i.e. which people, to wit, Israel, Egypt, and Assyria, expressed both in the foregoing verse, and in the following clause of this verse; of whom he speaks as of one people, in the singular number, because they are all united into one body and church.