It shall be for a sign . The outward tokens of Jehovah-worship shall witness to God that he has in Egypt now a covenant people, and he will deal with them accordingly. He shall send them a savior, and a great one. This does not seem to point to any earthly deliverer, but to the Savior from the worst of all oppressors, sin and Satan, whom they will need equally with the rest of his people. read more
The Lord shall be known ; rather, shall make himself known , as in Ezekiel 20:5 , Ezekiel 20:9 ; by answering prayer, by spiritual influences, and the like. The Egyptians shall know the Lord (comp. Jeremiah 31:34 , "They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest"). And shall do sacrifice and oblation ; rather, shall serve with sacrifice and oblation . The bulk of the Jews settled in Egypt, together with their Egyptian proselytes, went up year by year to... read more
And Jehovah shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing ; i.e. Jehovah shall indeed "smite Egypt," as already prophesied ( Isaiah 19:1-16 ), but it shall be with a merciful object, in order, after smiting, to "heal." His smiting shall induce them to "return" to him, and when they return he will forgive and save (comp. Zephaniah 3:8 , Zephaniah 3:9 ; Jeremiah 12:14-16 ). Egypt was a Christian country from the third century to the seventh; and the Coptic Church (though very corrupt) still... read more
Smiting and healing closely connected in God's counsels. God's smiting is no doubt twofold, Once only has he visited mankind at large penalty—at the Deluge; but a thousand times has he visited them remedially. Similarly with nations. He smote Egypt in Moses' time with the ten plagues, not to destroy, but to chasten. So again at the Red Sea. So now by the hands of Esarhaddon and his son. So by Nebuchadnezzar, Cambyses, Ochus. And at last he bowed their hearts and caused them to turn to him,... read more
God both Smiter and Healer. "The meaning is not simply that the stroke should be followed by healing, nor is it simply that the stroke should possess a healing virtue; but both ideas seem to be included." The full thought is expressed by the Prophet Hosea ( Hosea 6:1 , Hosea 6:2 ), "Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live... read more
In that day shall there be an altar - An “altar” is properly a place on which sacrifices are offered. According to the Mosaic law, but one great altar was to be erected for sacrifices. But the word ‘altar’ is often used in another sense to denote a place of “memorial;” or a place of worship in general (Joshua 22:22-26. It is clear that Isaiah did not intend that this should be taken “literally,” or that there should be a rival temple and altar erected in Egypt, but his description is evidently... read more
And it shall be for a sign - The altar, and the pillar. This shows that the altar was not to be for sacrifice, but was a “memorial,” or designed to designate a place of worship.They shall cry to the Lord because of the oppressors - That is, oppressed and borne down under the exactions of their rulers, they shall seek deliverance from the true God - one instance among many of the effect of affliction and oppression in leading people to embrace the true religion.And he shall send them a saviour -... read more
And the Lord shall be known to Egypt - Shall be worshipped and honored by the Jews who shall dwell there, and by those who shall be proselyted to their religion.And the Egyptians shall know the Lord - That many of the Egyptians would be converted to the Jewish religion there can be no doubt. This was the result in all countries where the Jews had a residence (compare the notes at Acts 2:9-11).And shall do sacrifice - Shall offer sacrifices to Yahweh. They would naturally go to Jerusalem as... read more
And the Lord shall smite Egypt - That is, in the manner described in the previous part of this prophecy Isaiah 19:2-10.And heal it - Or restore it to more than its former splendor and prosperity, as described in the previous verses Isaiah 19:18-20. He shall send it a saviour; he shall open new sources of prosperity; and he shall cause the true religion to flourish there. These advantages would be more than a compensation for all the calamities that he would bring upon it.And they shall return... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 19:19
The cry of distress after the true God. The erection of the altar and the pillar would be a sign of desire after God. "In Isaiah's time it must have seemed incredible that the firmly organized idolatrous system of Egypt should ever be broken up. Yet such a result was brought about by a series of movements—Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Greek—which commenced almost immediately after the date of the above prediction. In the district of Heliopolis, on the site of a ruined temple at... read more