Introduction to Isaiah 19

Structure and Formatting

Like the oracle in the previous chapter, the oracle in Isaiah 19 is about Egypt. However, it comes from an earlier time. It describes the civil strife and lack of wise counsel that allowed a “fierce king,” a Nubian ruler, to take control of the land. It uses the drying up of the Nile River as an image to represent the economic and social decline of Egypt during this period. But at the end, the oracle looks forward to a future time when the Egyptians will worship Yahweh. They and the people of another great empire that oppressed the Israelites, Assyria, will be at peace with Israel and respect their spiritual leadership. 1. Civil strife in Egypt permits a “fierce king” to take control (1–4) 2. A description of the Nile River drying up (5–10) 3. The lack of wise counsel in Egypt (11–15) 4. A future vision of peace between Egypt, Israel, and Assyria (16–25)

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Connection to previous oracle

Like the oracles against Judah in Part One (chapters 1–12), the oracles against the nations in Part Two (chapters 13–23) are not in chronological order. Instead, they too are sequenced [JB5.1] on the basis of similarities in their language, themes, and imagery. In 18:2, Isaiah addresses the Egyptian envoys as “swift messengers.” In 19:1, he says that Yahweh will be riding on a “swift cloud” to bring judgment against Egypt. The pairing of these two oracles about Egypt on the basis of this shared term makes a point beyond the message of either one. While the Egyptians, restored to greatness under the Nubian rulers, prided themselves on their equipment such as fast boats, human power is nothing compared with Yahweh’s power. He is the truly “swift” one. So that your readers can appreciate this, try to translate the term “swift” in the same way in both oracles. (It is plural in 18:2 and singular in 19:1.)